By Staff
Orr unstoppable; Danville beats Falkville despite controversy at the end
Nick Johnston, Hartselle Enquirer
DANVILLE – Has Thursday night's game actually ended?
Of course it has, but according to Falkville coach Jeff Miller, his team should have had one more play.
The Danville Hawks, behind 215 yards on 31 carries by Jeremy Orr, beat visiting Falkville 12-6 in season-opening football action last Thursday night, but it didn't come without controversy.
With the clock running down and Danville with the ball on fourth down, Danville head coach Joey Burch elected to run out the 25-second play clock. However, when the clock ran out, and the back judge threw a penalty, four more seconds ticked off the clock.
Miller and the entire Falkville side of the stadium noticed the error, and the referee told him the clock would hold for four seconds before starting after the snap of the ball.
That didn't happen.
When the ball was snapped, the clock started running, and Danville's Chase Suggs ran toward the endzone. He was caught at the two-yard line with the scoreboard reading 00:0.
Miller argued his case as the officials strutted off the field, but he was none too happy.
"The official told me they were going to hold the clock for four seconds because four seconds were run off that shouldn't have the play before," Miller said. "But, they started the clock right when they snapped the ball. I thought we should have had one play from the two."
Yet the win will go down as Danville's first in the last 19 tries. The Hawks beat Falkville in 2001.
"I think both teams are a lot better than they were last year" Burch said. "It's good to get this win, though."
Both teams appeared sloppy, though, according to Burch. The two teams combined for 14 fumbles.
"We thought at halftime it should have been 21-0," Burch said. "It would have been ball game then and we could have just coasted."
Orr accounted for three of those fumbles, but he did reach the endzone twice. He scored his first in the second quarter, and broke a 6-all tie in the fourth with another one-yard plunge.
"This is the first game Jeremy has played in since pee wee," Burch said.
" He didn't play junior high, but I think he'll get keep getting better and better as he gets more experienced."
"My legs gave out at the end," Orr said. "I didn't get enough fluids, but this feels good to get a win in my first game."
Falkville's only score came on a 62-yard scamper by Ian Thompson on the Blue Devils' first drive of the second half. Thompson finished the night with 70 yards on five carries.
As a team, Danville out-gained Falkville 280-110.
How They Scored
Danville – Jeremy Orr 1-yard run (7:56 2Q) Kick failed.
Falkville – Ian Thompson 62-yard run (10:51 3Q) Kick failed.
Danville – Jeremy Orr 1-yard run (5:33 4Q) Conversion failed.
Team Statistics
Falkville 0 0 6 0 – 6
Danville 0 6 0 6 – 12
Rushing – Falkville: Ian Thompson 5-70, Blake Jump 7-18, Todd Russell 10-(-17). Danville: Jeremy Orr 32-224, Craig Poole 14-42, Will Edmonson 8-29, Chase Suggs 4-0, Tyree Murphy 1-(-5).
Passing – Falkville: Ian Thompson 1-1-0, 39 yards, Todd Russell 0-10-1, 0 yards. Danville: Chase Suggs 0-3-0, 0 yards.
Receiving – Falkville:Bobby Holladay 1-39. Danville: none.