Tiger Tales
Lost & Found
During the 2000 playoffs against Johnson County, Charlie Epps seemed to wander over to JC’s sideline and began talking to their coach. Later when asked what he was doing , he said he had found a $20 bill and was giving it to their coach since it was their field! Source WJJC.
Monte : True To His Word
2000 Final Four game versus Lincoln County. Trailing 14-3 and not having a single first down, and the LC fans chanting, “MONTE WHO”. Monte Williams looked into the stands at his mom at the start of the fourth quarter and said, “it’s my turn now”. Sure enough he gained about 100 yards and scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter behind great blocking. The Tigers won 17-14.
Lights Out
On Sept. 17, 1960 the Commerce Tigers traveled to Lawrenceville to play the Central Gwinnett Black Knights and lost 13-7. Late in the fourth quarter with Commerce trailing 13-7, the Tigers had driven to the Central seven. On second down, a sweep around left end moved the ball to the four. With the Tigers in the huddle preparing for a third down play, the field lights unexpectedly went out. After a short delay, the lights came back on. However, the down marker had been changed to fourth down in the dark and confusion. The Tiger coaching staff complained but to no avail. Now on fourth down, the Tigers tried a pass, but it was unsuccessful. The Tiger rally fell short partially due to a “down marker ghost”.
Knotted Up Again
In 1975, at Central Gwinnett in the tenth game of the season, Commerce tied the Black Knights in the third consecutive meeting between the two teams in a
(13-13) score. Earlier in the season, the two teams tied (8-8) in Commerce. In the last game of the 1974 season in Commerce, the Tigers and Black Knights played to a tie score of (0-0).
Wow! What are the odds on two teams playing three consecutive tie games?
The two teams played each other twice in 1974 and 1975 because the regular scheduled game between Commerce and the Georgia Industrial team from Alto
was canceled for both years. Therefore, Commerce picked up an extra game with Central Gwinnett.
High Cotton (must read)
B.A. Seagraves was to be the starting tight end on the 1944 team. However, he almost did not get to play, because his father said that he was going to have to pick cotton on the farm each afternoon after school in September until the chore was done.
However, Coach Richard Nix made a deal with B.A.’s father. If Mr. Seagraves would let B.A. come out for the team, Coach Nix and the entire football team would come down one afternoon and pick his cotton. The team picked cotton from about 3:30 until dark to get the job done. That was pretty good team work.
With the help of B.A. Seagraves, the Commerce Tigers of 1944 went on to post a fine (9-2) record, and that also was pretty good team work.
Jeff Prickett/Welton Cronic
Snot Bubble Lick
In 1976 in the tenth game of the season, Commerce needed a win or tie against Duluth to capture the Region 8A title. Back then only one team went to the state football playoffs from each region and that was the region champion.
Duluth had star running back George Rogers, 6′ 3″, 220 lbs. of lightning speed and horrific power. Later he would win the 1980 Heisman Trophy at South Carolina as the best football player in America.
However, on this night Commerce won the region in a (3-3) tie with Duluth in one of the greatest defensive efforts in the annals of Tiger football, as the awesome Tiger defense held Rogers to 21 yards in 19 carries. He lost two fumbles and threw one interception. The small Tiger defense looked like a hive of hornets after a bull.
On one play near the Tiger sideline on this cold night in front of Coach Ray Lamb, Tiger strong safety Bob Nelson hit Rogers helmet to helmet in what Coach Lamb called the “infamous snot bubble lick”. Nelson’s hit was so good that Rogers erupted with some internal ooze out the front of his helmet.
Also Commerce trailed the entire game after Duluth had scored a first period field goal until with 2:44 remaining Tiger kicker Lamar Hiland kicked a 31-yard field goal giving Commerce the Region 8A title with the tie.
Ala Monday Night Game ( Packers)
In 1959, the Commerce Tigers had a poor record of (3-7), but in the eighth game of the season in a 25-19 loss to Toccoa, the Tigers scored an unusual touchdown in the rain and mud. Fullback Ken Davis, out for a pass, fell in the mud. However, as the ball sailed toward the downed receiver, he deflected it with his foot and caught it for a touchdown while lying on his back. It was an astounding effort.
Fumblerooskie
In the 1981 Class A football state championship game between Commerce and Greene County, the Tigers jumped out to a 28-0 lead and later won 28-14.
The last Greene County score came late in the final quarter on an illegal play. The old center/quarterback touch-and-go play where the center snaps the ball to the quarterback but brings the ball back down and runs with it.
Nobody had any idea as to the location of the ball. About twenty yards down the field, the Tigers finally found the pigskin but the ball carrier was behind the Tiger defense and about to score.
It was a very unusual situation in which nobody on the Tiger sideline or in the stands knew what happened until the coaches watched the film later on Sunday.
However, almost everyone thought the play had to be illegal and it was.
100 yard punt
Before the tenth game of the 1961 season against South Hall, a game in which Commerce won (61-0), legendary Tiger barefooted punter Roger Love, while standing at the Commerce goal line in pre-game warm-ups kicked a rocket punt which after it stopped rolling wound up on the opponents goal line 100 yards away from Love.
Water Logged
In a 1965 playoff game against Clarkston at neutral site Monroe, Ga., the Tigers played the Angoras in a light rain. Commerce won the game 15-7.
Legendary Tiger kicker Max Carnes had a bad night kicking PAT’s missing both points after touchdown.
However, with the Tigers trailing Clarkston 7-6 in the fourth quarter, Commerce faced a fourth and ten at the Clarkston 21. The ball was water-logged and heavy. Few in the stands felt that Carnes could kick a 38-yard field goal into the wind and rain with a water soaked ball.
Tiger head mentor Jeff Davis sent in the young kicker, and as toe met leather the ball sailed toward the cross bar and cleared it by no more than a foot and split the uprights to give Commerce a 9-7 lead and one that they would never relinquish.
It was a remarkable feat considering the conditions.
Blowout
In the second game of the 1966 season, Commerce traveled to East Hall and won the game (83-0). However, in the 83 points scored by the Tigers,
Commerce failed to score in the first period. Leading 35-0 at the half and most Tiger regulars on the bench in the second half, the second and third teamers scored 48 second half points.
Worm Game
In 1985, the Commerce Tigers traveled to defending state champion Greenville to take on the Patriots on the worst of field conditions. Instead of the usual turtle shaped or humpbacked field it was “U” shaped. It rained the entire game and the field was a pond or sea of mud and water. The Tigers sloshed their way to a 40-14 win with 27 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. The Commerce attack led by quarterback Scott Nunn didn’t fumble a single time much less lose one during the entire game.
Ten inch worms came up out of the ground and were everywhere on the field. On one occasion right tackle Mark “Murdock” Hancock had one crawl up his arm as he was in his stance in preparation for a play. He could hardly tolerate the critter, but he was much more afraid of coaches Lamb and Savage if he jumped and therefore cause a procedure penalty against the Tigers.
This contest has since been referred to as “the worm game”.
4th Quarter Turn Around
In the ninth game of the 1966 season, the (9-0) Tigers traveled to Norcross to play the Blue Devils. The game was scoreless at the end of the third quarter. In the fourth period the Commerce offense broke the drought and scored six touchdowns to win (40-0). What a turn around in the game.
Transformer Ghost
In 1965, Commerce built the present Tiger Stadium and christened the new facility with the first home game against traditional rival South Habersham. About thirty minutes before game time a new transformer blew out at the stadium and the game’s start was delayed until 9:00. What a way to inaugurate the first game in a new stadium. The infamous “down marker ghost” in the 1960 Central Gwinnett game had now become the “transformer ghost”.
“It was like they had more guys than us out there”
In the second game of the 1976 season against visiting Stephens County, the Tigers gained three times as much total offense as the Indians but lost the game (16-6) due primarily to errors deep in Tiger territory. However one Indian drive was extended due to the visitors using 12 players on three consecutive plays. Whether it was accidental or otherwise it worked and helped provide the difference for the Indians in a scoring drive against Commerce. Neither the officials nor the Tiger coaching staff were able to detect the 12-man formation during the game. But it truly happened on three consecutive plays.
Water Bowl of 76
In the 1976 Class A state championship game against the host team Turner County, the Tigers lost (14-0) on an extremely wet field because of rain the day of the game and the previous day. Prior to the game, Turner County officials had placed large pieces of plastic over the middle of the field to try to help keep the field dry. However, as the plastic was removed it was done so in such a way that they dumped the majority of the water right onto the field that they were trying to protect. It was a quagmire suited to the great defensive struggle that it became. At some places on the field the ball floated prior to the center snap. Playing conditions in the middle of the field might have been a little better had the procedure been done properly.
Tough Break in Hart County
In the fourth game of the 1981 season, Commerce traveled to Hart County and roared back from a 29-7 deficit to tie the game at 29-29. However, on the PAT kick attempt by Todd Lord which split the uprights to give Tiger fans what they thought was a one point lead, the officials flagged the Hart County interior line for being off sides therefore nullifying the play. The extra point was taken off the board and Lord had to try the PAT again even though the Tigers had done nothing wrong. According to the rules Commerce couldn’t decline the penalty for the play was ruled dead when the Bulldogs jumped off sides. Lord’s second try was wide and the game ended in a tie. Sometimes there just seems to be no justice in some events of life.
Acorns In The End Zone………huh!
In the tenth game of the 1990 season, Commerce met Monticello for the first time since 1943 at Monticello Stadium. Commerce won 36-22. At one end of the stadium, oak trees hung over the end zone, therefore this is the only stadium that I’ve ever seen with “acorns in the end zone”. Acorns were everywhere at that one end of the field. The field property jutted right against the property of a private citizen who hadn’t removed the trees from near the boundary from hanging over the end zone area of the field.
Old School Field
From 1940-1946 Commerce played its home games at the field behind the old Elementary School. Two unusual facts were: 1) the field was only 90 yards long, 2) at the west end of the field a street separated the field from houses along the street, therefore to prevent PAT kicks from hitting these houses all PAT’s were kicked on the east end of the field.
The field is now an old Little League baseball field located next to the First Baptist Church on Elm Street in Commerce across the railroad tracks from the Commerce Public Library.
Death Valley
In the third game of the 1992 season, Coach Savage began having the Tigers run onto the field to begin a game by coming down the big bank at the concession stand to the left of the Commerce stands, a la the Clemson Tigers at Death Valley.
This Tiger Stadium tradition has been a death valley for Tiger opponents as the Tiger record in the 77 games hence is (65-12-0), an .844 winning percentage.
Hustle Award
Two great defensive efforts by Tiger linemen occurred in 1958 and 1965.
In 1958 All-State Commerce defensive tackle Lanier “Zebra” Savage, in a game against eventual Class A state champion Stephens County, exhibited great speed for a lineman when after a 50-yard chase caught speedy Indian halfback George Cheek from behind at the Tiger four yard line. It was an outstanding effort for a 240 lb. defensive lineman. The Indians eventually gave the Tigers their only loss (18-7) of the season enroute to an (8-1-1) Tiger record. The Indian’s All-State halfback later would sign a football scholarship to the University of Georgia.
In 1965 Tiger defensive tackle Lewis Sanders, in a game against the Clarkston Angoras, also showed great speed for a lineman when after a 60-yard chase caught the elusive and swift Mickey Shockley to save a touchdown for the Tigers enroute to a Tiger victory (15-7) in the rain at neutral site Monroe, Ga. Commerce posted a record of (12-1-0) in 1965.
Both of these young men were great Tiger defensive stalwarts during their football career at Commerce.
Longest Drive
In 1975, Commerce traveled to East Hall and won the game by a (26-0) score. At one point in the game, Commerce started a scoring drive on its own one yard line. In the process of the march, the Tigers incurred a 15-yard penalty therefore making the drive 114 yards long. To my knowledge it is the longest in total yards gained in Tiger history.
Grass Is Greener
The Tigers first team of the modern era was in 1940. They played their games at the Old Grammar School Field near the Commerce First Baptist Church. Sometimes the team would go down to the Waterworks Area on Waterworks Road to practice on the grass since the Grammar School Field was hard, bare ground.
A lot of the players would pile into Gene Chandler’s 1937 Ford. Many would ride on the running board, on the trunk, and some even would ride on the hood. He took practically the whole team. There were few cars back then because of the The Great Depression and most of the roads were dirt. Practice on the grass was much better than on the hard, bare ground. This was a treat for the players.
Jeff Prickett/Welton Cronic
Fall Brawl
In 1943, Commerce hosted Toccoa and lost to the Purple Hurricanes (20-6). Toccoa being a perennial power brought a large crowd. Commerce also had a good team and had a large number of fans. The Tigers had a (9-2) record that year with both losses coming at the hands of Toccoa. The game was a very rough and hard fought one.
Near the end of the game a “free for all”, including the fans, broke out on the field with most of the players on both sides involved in the fight. However, someone turned off the lights. Therefore, no one could see so the fights stopped and the game also came to an abrupt ending.
Jeff Prickett/Welton Cronic
Polluted Pigskin Game
One of the weirdest things to happen in a Tiger game occurred at Greensboro in 1945. The dressing rooms were at Greensboro High School. However, the team had to drive several miles out in the country to play the game in a pasture. Back then parents usually carried the players to games in their automobiles.
In pre-game warm-ups, THE FOOTBALL went off of the sidelines and rolled down a hill and into a murky pool of water. The ball was filthy and smelled badly, but it was the ONLY BALL available for either team and IT had to be the one used for the game.
Commerce eventually lost the “polluted pigskin game” (32-6).
Jeff Prickett/Welton Cronic
100 Yard Sprint
In the mid 50’s when Commerce played the Lavonia Bulldogs, a gentleman from Lavonia, just prior to the kickoff, would go out onto the field and sprint 100 yards from goal line to goal line. Fans in both sets of stands would cheer him on. It came to be an exciting event.
It had become a Lavonia football tradition. We as Commerce fans always looked forward to the Lavonia game, because we knew that this event was always about to happen just prior to the kickoff.
Coldest Tiger Game Ever??
In the tenth game of the season in 1969, Commerce traveled to Lawrenceville to play the Black Knights. As we traveled by the Lawrenceville bank near the stadium around 7 PM, we noticed that the temperature on the bank clock was 17 degrees.
Few were at the game on either side. It was so cold that the bands did not perform. The wind chill had to be below zero, for the wind had a ferocious howl that night. The Tigers behind the performances of John Fleming, Keith Ariail, Keith Massey and others belted the Black Knights (21-7).
It was the coldest high school game that I’ve ever attended, even overshadowing the one with Palmetto in 1985.
Love Lick
In the second game of the 1961 season, Commerce traveled to Winder and defeated the Bulldogs (33-13).
A most unusual thing happened in the second half. With the game still in doubt and the Tigers driving for a possible TD, Commerce halfback Roger Love was blindsided by a Winder-Barrow defensive end. He had to be helped to the sideline after being shaken up and on the way asked a fellow Tiger player the number of the player that hit him. After regaining his senses and being pointed out the fellow in question, Love reentered the game.
Shortly thereafter, Tiger quarterback Farris Gary rolled to his left to pass but was forced to reverse his field. Love picked out the aforementioned 6′ 4″ Bulldog defensive end and as Gary reversed his field back to the right side, Love set his sights on the big fellow and nailed him on a legal block around the knees turning him a complete somersault with such a ferocious hit that the player had to be removed from the game and taken to the hospital.
It was one of the great hits in Tiger history and has since been called
“the Love Lick”.
Love was one of the many great “hitters” in Commerce Tiger football lore.
The Tigers completed the touchdown drive and later added two other scores to defeat the Bulldogs in this old fashioned north Georgia rivalry.
Great Last Plays
Throughout the 62 year history of the Tigers there have been a few games that have come down to the last play that gave the Tigers a hard fought, come from behind victory. The following are examples.
1991—Commerce vs. Monticello
Without starting quarterback Jason Pittman, the Tigers defeated highly favored Monticello in Commerce (16-15) when junior quarterback Chuck Thompson hit halfback Vernard Gillespie with a 15-yard pass in the endzone with no time left on the clock.
1996–Commerce vs. Madison County
Beginning at the Commerce 32 with 3:00 left on the clock, the Tigers drove 50 yards in eight plays to the Raider 18. With 0:40 remaining in the game, quarterback Brandon Bruce kicked a 35-yard field goal to snatch victory away from defeat to edge MC (9-7).
It was only one of three occasions that the Tigers have won a game with a fourth quarter field goal. The other two being in Monroe against Clarkston in 1965 by Max Carnes and the other was at Commerce in 2000 when Casey Gary kicked one.
2000—Commerce vs. Lincoln County (1)
Trailing Lincoln County at the end of the third quarter (0-15), Commerce made a frantic fourth quarter surge to win.
Monte’ Williams cut the lead to (15-6) with a 22-yard run on the first play of the fourth period. Quarterback Michael Collins later shaved the deficit to (15-13) on a 1-yard run with 5:42 left in the game.
With 2:22 remaining in the game Commerce, from the Tiger 19, drove the ball 51 yards in 9 plays to the Red Devil 30 where Casey Gary’s 47-yard field goal attempt fell short and left of the crossbar with 0:00 left on the clock.
However, Lincoln County was flagged for roughing the kicker. LC was penalized 15 yards to the Red Devil 15 giving Commerce one more attempt at victory. Gary then boomed a 32-yard field goal for a (16-15) win to climax the greatest come from behind victory ever by a Commerce team.
2004 Commece V Jefferson
Knocked Out …..Twice!
The 1951 Commerce-Jefferson game saw a freshman Tiger back play one of the greatest games ever by a Commerce player with great odds against his team. The Dragons with big fullback Earl Carithers and speedy halfback Don Cole marched into Commerce with intent on defeating the talent deficient Tigers for the first time since the series had begun in 1947.
However, freshman halfback Charles “Bootsey” White all of 5′4″-110 lbs of him, scored the first TD being knocked out in the process on a one-yard run. He later reentered the game and ran and threw passes and scrambled for numerous yards.
With the Tigers holding on to a precarious lead of (13-6) late in the fourth quarter near the Commerce 12 yard line, White gave up his body once more hitting the big 210 lb. Carithers to prevent a TD and again knocking himself out this time for the rest of the game. But the eventual (3-7-0) Tigers, the great underdogs that they were, held on to defeat the eventual (7-3-0) Dragons by a (13-8) score once more in one of the great individual and team defensive efforts in Tiger football lore. White was placed on the Atlanta Constitution football honor roll for his great effort in the Commerce victory over the Dragons.
In the (13-8) score of the 1951 Commerce-Jefferson game, late in the fourth quarter with Commerce holding a (13-6) lead, Jefferson scored the only safety in the historic 55 year rivalry between the two teams when Carithers tackled Commerce halfback Jerry Aiken in the end zone for a safety to make the final score of (13-8).
1957 Upset
In the week before traveling to the Class B #1 ranked Washington Tigers, a tragedy occurred in Commerce when band member Tommy Conn was killed in an automobile accident.
The Commerce team visited the funeral home on their way to the game in Washington. After getting to the stadium, the Commerce Tigers were somewhat taunted by members of the host team causing Commerce ire to be stirred.
Washington scored early in the game, but the inspired Commerce team of Coach Dixon Glover came roaring back and dominated the Washington Tigers in a 27-6 victory for Commerce and upsetting the #1 ranked Washington squad of Coach Charlie Davidson.
A key play in the victory for Commerce was a 70-yard fumble return for a TD by eventual ALL-STATE Commerce defensive tackle Lanier “Zebra” Savage.
The Atlanta Constitution voted Commerce as the team of the week for its upset of the #1 ranked Washington Tigers.
The Commerce Tigers finished the season with a 7-3-0 record.
The Drought
From 1967-1971 Commerce lost to Jefferson for five consecutive seasons and it was the longest drought ever by a Tiger team against the Dragons.
Up through 1966 the 20 year record of the CJ Rivalry stood at (13-3-4) in favor of the Tigers.
Then the Dragons won 5 in a row. In 1967 Jefferson won (7-6), 1968 (20-6), 1969 (19-0), 1970 (14-0) and 1971 (33-6).
Then in 1972, the undefeated Tigers traveled to Jefferson. Leading 19-14 in the latter part of the third period, Commerce had a bad punt snap deep in Tiger territory with the Dragons gaining possession at the Commerce six. Four plays for the Dragons produced minus 2 yards, as the Tigers threw up a dogged goal line defense.
Commerce then scored 23 unanswered points in the final stanza behind halfback Raymond Harris’ two TD runs of 3 and 78 yards and a 30 yard fumble return for a TD by defensive end Tommy Stephenson to make the final score (42-14).
The drought had been broken, and from 1972-04 Commerce has dominated the record against the Dragons. In the 34 games hence (one was a playoff game) the Commerce record against the Dragons is (26-7-1); a very one-sided record at that although still a very heated one.
At one point from 1983-1993, Commerce had an 11 game winning streak. The total CJ record is (39-15-5) in favor of Commerce. Commerce presently has a 10 game winning streak from 1995-2004
The Commerce-Jefferson Rivalry is one of the great ones in the state of Georgia and one of the few between two city school systems left in our fair state.
Goal Line Stands!!!!!
The 1970 Hart County game goes down as the greatest defensive effort in Tiger history, as the Tigers made four goal line stands for the game, three of which occurred in the final stanza to preserve a (7-6) Tiger victory.
In the second quarter, Hart drove to the Tiger five but four offensive attempts netted zero yards and Commerce took over at the five.
In the fourth quarter—
a. Commerce fumbled at the Tiger 23, but on third down John Fleming intercepted a pass at the Commerce three to halt the Bulldog drive.
b. On the second play thereafter, Hart recovered a Commerce fumble at the Tiger one. But the Tiger defense of Steve Savage, John Fleming, Ronnie Slater, Dennis White, Johnny Kesler, Alfred Smith, Doug Bolton and Ed Nelson repulsed four consecutive thrusts into the line and Commerce took over on the Tiger one. It was a phenomenal effort by the Tiger defensive front.
c. Commerce then fumbled at the Tiger three. On first down a run gained no yards; on second down a pass was deflected by Nelson and on third down with only seconds left on the clock, a field goal attempt fell short as the game ended.
Commerce fumbled nine times, but the dogged Tiger defense gave up only six points in the greatest defensive effort of any Tiger team in the 62 years of Tiger football.
Historic Game
In 1969 Commerce lost the first game of the season at Norcross (38-34).
This game marked the first time that a Black player, Riley Harris, had ever donned the black and gold uniform of Commerce.
Even though the Tigers lost the game, Harris entered Tiger history with style, as he returned a kickoff for a 75-yard TD and scored on three TD runs from scrimmage of 73, 80 and 4 yards.
It was an outstanding offensive effort by the new kid on the block.
Harris would later play college football at the University of Arizona.
One & Only
The only time that a Tiger player has ever returned the opening kickoff of a game for a TD occurred in 1965. It was done by Max Carnes and was a distance of 75 yards.
Not only was it the opening kickoff of the game, it was also the opening kickoff of the first game of the 1965 season against Stephens County in Eastonollee.
Carnes a year earlier was voted as the 1964 Back of the Year in Class A as a halfback for the Tigers. He helped lead the Tigers to the state final game in the football playoffs and a (12-1) record in 1965.
“D” TD
The only game in Tiger football history that Commerce has won without scoring an offensive TD came against Dawson County in a (7-3) score in 1996 when defensive back Chad Scoggins recovered a Dawson County fumble in the end zone for a touchdown.
At the Dawson County 42 and in a punting situation, the long snapper for the DC punting team snapped the ball over the head of the punter. There was a mad scramble for the ball by the punter and Tiger defenders who kept lunging for the loose pigskin which kept being propelled toward the end zone. In a big pileup just beyond the goal line, Pittman came out with the ball to give the Tigers their only touchdown of the evening.
Commerce, without starting quarterback Brandon Bruce, was unable to do much offensively. However, the defense saved the day with this big play and huge error by the opponent.
The Prayer
An unusual incident occurred at Lumpkin County in the Tigers’ game with the Indians in 1972; a game which the Tigers won by a score of (47-3).
The two favored teams to win Region 8A that year were White County with fabulous running back Jesse Dorsey and Commerce with its dynamic duo of Runt Moon and Raymond Harris.
White County early in the season had defeated Lumpkin County somewhere in the neighborhood of 45 points. In the fourth game of the season, the Tigers had defeated White County (28-19) in a thriller.
The next week the Tigers were to play Lumpkin County, and the Indian faithful saw the handwriting on the wall. Lumpkins Indians had virtually no chance to win since they had been trounced by White County, and Commerce had defeated White County.
A resident minister was asked to say the opening prayer in Dahlonega that night knowing what slaughter might befall his beloved Lumpkin County Indians. He closed his prayer that night with the following words. “Lord, I know that we don’t have much of a chance of winning tonight, but help us out every little bit that you can.”
He truly meant well, but it is the only time in my football watching career that I have ever heard laughter during a prayer. In fact laughter broke out in both sets of stands.
Keystone Cops
One of the weird things to happen in a Commerce football game occurred in Commerce against Oconee County in Coach Steve Savage’s first year as head coach, a game which Commerce won (27-22).
Within a span of 3:50 seconds of the second period, Commerce scored two touchdowns but had an opportunity to score two more as a result of four OC turnovers. The Tigers blocked a punt, recovered two squib kicks following touchdowns and intercepted a pass during this short time.
While Oconee County was limited to only two offensive plays from scrimmage during this time frame, Commerce had four possessions of the pigskin capitalizing on two of them.
Momentum had truly turned the way of the Tigers, Oconee County playing as hard as they could simply looked like the “Keystone Cops”. They for 3:50 could simply do nothing right.
It happens to every team at some time or another in their football history to be error prone, and this was the Warriors’ night.
The Play Call
In the 2000 playoff game between the Commerce Tigers and the Trojans of Johnson County at Wrightsville, Commerce won the game (34-20).
While standing on the sideline at the 25 yard line and near Coach Steve Savage, numerous ones of us there saw one of the great “play calls” ever in Tiger Football History.
Get The Picture:
The Tigers were leading (20-14) with the ball on the Johnson County 41 at the hashmark near the Commerce sideline. Only four seconds remained in the half. There was time for only one more play before the halftime horn sounded.
Savage stood about the JC 30 yard line right behind the JC defense and in line with the eyesight of quarterback Michael Collins. Savage saw that the Johnson County defense had widened their tackles and defensive ends to stop the Tigers’ option play or a sweep around end and had their corners and safety’s deep to prevent a long pass.
So, getting QB Collins’ attention, what play does Savage call out to the quarterback to run?
Savage hollered to Collins a play; Collins changes the play at the line of scrimmage. It was a power handoff over left tackle to fabulous tailback Monte’ Williams who burst through a large hole in the JC defensive line and sped untouched down the left sideline to score as time expired giving the Tigers a (27-14) lead with a TD that put a dagger in the heart of Johnson County.
The gaping hole in the JC defense was put there by the outstanding blocking of the left side of the Commerce offensive line consisting of Chris Wilkie and Tommy Eason, fullback Twion Shealer and blocking back Lee Sorrow.
Most of us near the play on the sideline stood aghast at the brilliance and genius of Coach Savage in countering the Johnson County defense.
Coach Savage just outmaneuvered the JC coaching staff in one of the greatest play calls in Tiger football history.
Gut Check
Monte
THE DECOY
Offensive Show
1964 Playoff
First Filming
Big Punts
1976 Artificial Turf
Tiger Leaders
Tide Turner
Dr. Joe KO’d
Ricky Hill
911
Walhalla
The Rock
Nobody expected him to show up. But on Friday afternoon at the Tiger dressing quarters at Bill Corry Stadium, he strolled in while his team was getting dressed for the game. To say the least, the Commerce players were ecstatic. No pregame speech by Knute Rockne could have psyched up the Tigers more.
Early Tiger Football History
The earliest that Commerce had first played football as well as I can determine from an old school newspaper was 1916 and played each year thereafter through 1928. For some reason, which I have not yet determined, the school dropped football in 1929 and did not resume until 1940. It could have been because of the stock market crash in Oct. 1929, which was the beginning of the Great Depression in the US.
Georgia Tech donated the football uniforms in 1940 since they had the same colors. Coach Richard Nix was able in some form or fashion to coax these uniforms of gold with black numbers from the Yellow Jackets.
In 1940 the Commerce Tiger games were played at the field behind the old Commerce Elementary School just off South Elm Street and near the First Baptist Church.
Hardman Jones was the public address announcer for the Tigers from 1940 to about 1966. He was a businessman in Commerce.
From 1940-46, Jones announced the games from the second floor of the Commerce Elementary School. A window of the school, which sat in front of the football field, was opened and the game announcing was done from that position as Jones looked out over midfield.
Before the game began, not only was The National Anthem of the US played over the speaker system from a recording, but also Grand Old Flag and God Bless America.
It was indeed a patriotic setting for the football battle that was about to begin.
The first game that Commerce played in the modern era was at Washington, where Commerce lost (53-0).
The first game that Commerce played at home in 1940 was against Cornelia. Commerce lost (20-6).
The Tiger record that first year was (1-6-0), with their lone victory coming at home against Royston by a (33-0) score.
The last game played at this facility in 1946 was against Buford with the Tigers being defeated (33-14).
In 1947 a new field was built behind Commerce High School on Shankle Heights Road where the present Ridling Field softball complex is located. This was the location of Tiger home games through 1964. The first home game at this location was in 1947 versus Elijay with the Tigers coming away with a (25-7) victory.
The last game played here in 1964 saw Commerce defeat Franklin County (28-7).
A new Commerce High School was built at the present location in 1957. However, the present Tiger Stadium behind Commerce High School was not completed until 1965. The inaugural game in 1965 saw Commerce defeat traditional rival South Habersham out of Cornelia by a (28-0) score. This was the night that the transformer blew out prior to game time. The game was delayed until 9:00 until repairs were completed.
Stadium Records :
Old Elementary School Field ————– (1940-46)—18-12-1, .600 pct.
Old Shankle Heights High School Field-(1947-64)—59-29-4, .670 pct.
Present Tiger Stadium ————————(1965-04)–195-43-3, .819 pct.
Jeff Prickett & Welton Cronic
First Region Title
Playing in Region 4A South in 1961, Commerce lost to St. Pius late in the season and seemed to be out of region playoff contention unless underdog Winder-Barrow, which Commerce had beaten (33-13) earlier in the season, defeated St. Pius in the last game of the regular season. Few gave Winder much chance, but they pulled off the upset and thrust Commerce into the region championship game at neutral site Stephens County High with old rival Toccoa, the Region 4A North winner and sporting a (9-0-1) regular season record.
Earlier in the year Commerce had lost to the Purple Hurricanes at Toccoa (33-6) without star fullback and defensive tackle Ken Davis. Davis would later play center and linebacker for the Georgia Bulldogs (1963-65).
However, in the region title game in Eastonollee, the Commerce defense completely thwarted the single wing attack of Coach “Red” Boyd shutting the Purple Hurricanes and fabulous tailback Ricky Richardson out until the final minutes in a (19-6) Tiger victory. This victory gave the Tigers their first region championship of many to come later.
Led by Roger Love’s superb punting that kept Toccoa pinned deep in its own territory and his 25-yard run on a halfback reverse in the first period, Commerce bolted to a (7-0) first quarter lead. Love, on one occasion, got the Tigers out of a deep hole with his barefooted punting technique. With Commerce on the Tiger two yard line, Love (standing near the end line of the end zone) launched one of his patented rocket punts that traveled 53-yards and rolled dead at the Toccoa 45 giving the Tigers some breathing room.
However, it was Davis that was the star of the game, as he led the Tigers to Atlanta-Journal Constitution team of the of the week honors with his 125 yards rushing and two touchdowns.
His first TD from two yards out expanded the Tigers to (13-0) at halftime, but it was his 47-yard run up the Toccoa middle that knocked the Hurricanes out of the contest. Davis burst through a massive hole in the Toccoa defensive line and took off like a runaway freight train shaking off would-be tacklers and leaving them in his wake as he romped to glory land. It was one of the great offensive efforts in Tiger history.
On defense, Davis was also a terror as he on numerous occasions destroyed Toccoa blocking and tackled Hurricane runners for losses.
Later, Commerce lost in the semi-final game to eventual state champion Carrollton but finished the season with a (9-3-0) record.
Scoreboards
Forfeits
Tiger Signs
Johnny-on-the-Spot
East Rome — 1977
Region Three Way Ties
Tiger Firsts
Interception TD’s
Streaky
The 1962 Commerce team will go down in Tiger history as a team of good and bad streaks.
This Jeff Davis coached team won its first four games, as they defeated
Stephens County, Winder-Barrow, South Habersham and Jefferson in a row.
However, as fate throws itself at every team somewhere in its history, the wheels ran off for the Tigers, and the rolling snowball of defeat began to gain momentum as it went down hill toward the end of the season.
After having won four in a row to begin the season, the Tigers then lost the remaining six in a row to end the season with a (4-6-0) record.
The final six losses came in succession to Monroe, Madison County, Central Gwinnett, Tucker, White County and Lovett.
The 1941 team is the only Commerce squad to lose all ten games in the regular season; the 1965 team won twelve in a row before losing in the state championship game. But no Tiger team ever had a crazy won-loss streak like the 1962 team.
Commerce players always play hard and have pride in their play, but as Murphy’s Law says, “If it can go wrong, it will go wrong”, and that’s what happened to the 1962 Tigers. As hard as they tried, the Tigers just could not right the sinking ship.
An old adage says, “Everybody gets knocked down, Champions get back up.”
Coach Davis, the champion coach that he was, got the ship righted two years later, as his 1964 team recorded a (11-2-0) record and made it to the final four. His 1965 team went (12-1-0), winning twelve in a row, before losing the state championship game to Americus.
Indeed, the ship had been set back on course.
Coach Jeff Davis was indeed a winner. He coached the Tigers in 68 games from (1960-65) having four winning seasons and only two losing campaigns.
His 1961 team was the first Commerce team to win a region title in 21 seasons. Under his six year leadership the Tigers won three region championships and one sub-region title.
He finished his Tiger career with a record of (47-19-2); a (.712) winning percentage and had a (5-3-0) record in state playoff action.
Jeff Davis helped get the Tiger winning tradition started.
Snake Bit
Coach Ray Lamb is the winningest head coach in Tiger history. In 22 seasons at the Tiger helm, his Commerce teams had 19 winning seasons and only three losing campaigns.
Commerce, under Lamb’s direction, had a record of (190-58-9); a (.766) winning percentage. In state playoff action, Commerce had a record of (24-13).
The Tigers won one state football championship in 1981, were runners-up in 1973 and 1976. In 1977 and 1978, Commerce went to the final four game and lost to eventual state champion East Rome by one point in each contest.
The Tigers under Coach Lamb won a total of eight region titles and seven sub-region championships.
Lamb taught good fundamental, hard-nosed, clean football and everyone enjoyed watching his teams play the game the way that it was designed to be played which was tough but in a sportsmanlike manner. However, in Lamb’s first year at the Tiger helm, the Tigers had a tough year. The 1964, 1965 and 1966 teams had a combined record of (33-4-0), but the talent pool had graduated and it was time to rebuild. Most times that cannot be done overnight and the 1967 Tiger team had to be a rebuilding one.
Ray Lamb’s first team in 1967 ended the year with a (3-6-1) record, and they were probably the most snakebit and hard luck team in Tiger history.
Commerce lost six games that year by a total of (19) points.
Fact:
Game Summary
1 lost to Stephens Co. (19-21)
3 lost to So. Habersham (6-7)
4 lost to Jefferson (6-7)
5 lost to No. Habersham (0-7)
6 lost to Madison Co. (13-20)
7 lost to Toccoa (6-7)
8 tied Rabun County (20-20)
What are the odds on losing three games in five weeks by a (7-6) score?
If it was ever to be evident that PAT’s were important, this Tiger season was indeed the proof in the pudding.
By 1970, Lamb, like previous coach Jeff Davis in 1964, had righted the ship after installing the wishbone offensive attack and from 1970-1988, a total of 19 seasons, Lamb led the Tigers to a record of (178-42-7); a winning percentage of (.809).
Lamb’s Commerce home record over the same 19 seasons was an astounding (100-19-3); a winning percentage of (.840).
Commerce’s great winning tradition indeed was built to its pinnacle by Lamb who taught not only great winning football but character in the young men that he touched.
Lamb and Savage
In the decade of the seventies, the most losses that the Tigers under Coach Ray Lamb incurred were two in any one year. In the years 1972, 1973, 1975 and 1978, Commerce lost only one game.
The 70’s saw the Tigers win no state championships but lose their final game of the year in the finals or semi-finals on five occasions to the eventual state champions; Carrollton in 1972, Mt. de Sales in 1973, Turner County in 1976, and East Rome in 1977 and 1978.
During this decade, Commerce finished with a ten year record of (98-16-6), a winning percentage of (.859). Considering all the classifications of football in Georgia, only Warner Robins had a better record during the seventies.
Ray Lamb had indeed built a powerhouse in high school football that could compete with anyone in or near the Tigers’ school classification on a given night.
This facet of football life in Tigertown continued into the 80’s when Commerce won the State Class AA football title in 1981 and reached the final four in 1985 and 1986.
The football tradition in Commerce still continues until this day, as Coach Steve Savage, a former player and assistant under Lamb took over the Tiger reigns in 1989 and has been the Tiger mastermind for the past 13 years.
Under Savage’s leadership, Commerce has won one state championship in 2000, been in the final four on one occasion in 1999 and has won five region titles.
Savage’s record from 1989-2004 is (141-55-0), a winning percentage of (.719).
The tradition of excellence in football still continues.
Roll Tigers Roll.
Shutouts
The 1965 Tiger team holds the Commerce record for the most shutouts in a season with seven during a thirteen game season.
The awesome Commerce defense shutout the following teams: South Habersham and North Habersham by the midway point of the season. Then they blanked North Hall, Rabun County, White County and Franklin County consecutively for a total of six to end the regular season while adding a final shutout against Carrollton in the state playoffs for a total of seven.
The 1965 team is the only Commerce football team to shutout four teams in a row.
The only other Commerce squad to record six shutouts during the regular season was the 1949 team, which recorded shutouts against Covington, Buford, Cornelia (later changed to South Habersham in the early 1950’s), Campbell of Fairburn, Winder and Jefferson. Four of the last five games played by Commerce in 1949 were shutouts.
The 1964 Commerce team also had six shutouts to its credit during the season, however this was in a twelve game season. This total of six was also a great defensive accomplishment for this team of black and gold.
The 1949 team ended the season with a record of (8-2-0) but did not qualify for the playoffs, while the 1965 squad sported a record of (12-1-0) losing its last game to Americus in the state Class A championship game.
In its football history, Commerce has recorded a total of 121 shutouts, while the Tigers have been shutout themselves only 51 times.
Just as important as offensive achievements are the defensive ones. Football is a team game and shutting an opponent out is just as exciting as scoring numerous points in order to win a game.
Shenanigans
In the 1973 Region 8A championship game with Cartersville, the Tigers fell behind but made a gallant comeback in the second and third quarters to get the win in one of the greatest and toughest HITTING games a Commerce team and its opponent have ever played.
On the second play of the game Tiger linebacker Joe Jones, son of Ed Jones with Ed and Bill’s Photo Shop, was knocked goofy but returned the game three plays later and continued to play a little addled for the remainder of the half.
On this initial drive by the Purple Hurricanes, Joel Ross scored on a four-yard run but the PAT kick was unsuccessful for a (6-0) Cartersville lead.
On the ensuing kickoff, Tiger fullback Troy Walker fumbled, and Cartersville recovered and scored on the next play from 24 yards out on a pass from QB Williams to Taylor. The PAT pass was unsuccessful, but the hometowners held a (12-0) lead with 5:56 left in the first quarter.
Things didn’t look too good for the Tigers, as they were indeed behind the 8-Ball.
Guts, heart and tradition entered the fold for the Tigers, as they reached down as a team, found the strength and determination that they needed and scored on their only two possessions of the second quarter to take the lead.
Halfback Runt Moon, midway in the period, scored on a two-yard plunge to cut the deficit to (12-7).
Just before the half, Commerce scored with only six seconds left in the half. Facing first down and goal on the one with less than ten seconds to go and no timeouts, Tiger QB Abe Brown, the son of Bill Brown a former Tiger player in the 40’s and also the other half of the ownership of Ed and Bill’s Photo Shop, bobbled the snap. Tiger fans and coaches gasped at the error.
However, Brown grabbed the loose pigskin in the air, lunged toward the end zone behind center–Kenny Hancock, guards–Rickey Smith and Joe Jones and barely made it into the end zone on a play that showed tremendous effort by the signal caller and his offensive linemen.
The resurgent Tigers then carried a (14-12) lead into halftime after two successful PAT’s by kicker Randy Harris.
On the Tigers’ two possessions of the third period, Moon scored on a six-yard run, but the PAT run failed on a run by Brown after a high snap. Then the other halfback Raymond Harris scored on a three yard run just before the end of the period, but again a poor snap on the PAT attempt left the Tigers with a (26-12) lead.
Cartersville then resorted to one of its trick plays shortly thereafter.
Following a Brown fumble at the Commerce 44 midway of the final period, Cartersville pulled some SHENANIGANS. The Hurricanes, at the Tiger 18, faced a fourth and one situation. The quarterback retreated away from the center and threw a lateral pass that bounced off the turf and into the hands of the wide receiver.
Thinking it was an incomplete pass, the Commerce defenders relaxed. .However, the wide receiver calmly threw a TD pass to a wide open receiver for the score. The score remained at (26-18) following the unsuccessful PAT run.
Undaunted and determined, Ray Lamb’s forces methodically used their powerful wishbone attack to run out the clock on an 11 play-47 yard drive and got out of Cartersville with one of the Tigers’ great come-from-behind victories.
It was a gut wrenching nail-biter that has gone down in Commerce football history as a classic.
The 1973 Tigers won thirteen straight games before losing to Mt. de Sales of Macon in the state championship game to end the season with a (13-1-0) record.
All teams have trick plays. The one Cartersville used has since been used by Commerce in times past and has worked successfully on numerous occasions.
Back-to-Back
On only three occasions in the long 62 year history of Tiger football, has Commerce ever played a team on back-to-back occasions.
The first was very unusual for it occurred in separate seasons.
In the Region 8A championship game of 1979, Cartersville with halfback Robert Lavette, later of Georgia Tech and Dallas Cowboy fame, came into Commerce and defeated the Tigers (21-18) for their only win over the Tigers in a total of eight attempts thereby knocking the Tigers out of the playoffs. Commerce ended the 1979 season with a (10-2-0) record.
In the opening game of the 1980 season, Commerce again hosted the Purple Hurricanes and returned the favor by defeating the little zephyr (21-13) behind two short TD runs from running backs Clark Williams and Terry Cook and a 39-yard scoring strike from quarterback Bobby Lamb to his brother and split end Hal Lamb. Commerce ended the 1980 season with a (6-4-0) record.
The second occurred in the 1990 season when Commerce defeated the Monticello Purple Hurricanes (36-23) behind the thundering runs of tailback Wayland Rucker who scored four touchdowns while gaining 247 yards on 36 attempts.
The next week in the first round of the state football playoffs, the Tigers hosted Monticello once more and in a much more defensive struggle Commerce won (16-0). Commerce ended the 1990 campaign with a (10-4-0) record.
The third and final back-to-back game with an opponent came in 1995 versus traditional cross-county rival Jefferson.
In the final game of the season, Jefferson marched into Tiger Stadium and convincingly defeated Commerce (21-7) for their first win in Tigertown since 1975.
However, Coach Steve Savage’s troops regrouped and traveled across the river to resume the Commerce-Jefferson football war for the second consecutive week.
This time the Tigers left the Dragons lying in the Jefferson Memorial Stadium dust, as they came away with a dynamic (22-18) victory.
Of the 56 games played between the two teams (5 were ties, so there have been only 51 victories), 45 or 88% have been won by the team that scored first.
Jefferson scored first on this night, but the Tigers came roaring back to win a thriller (22-18) on this night thereby throwing a monkey wrench in the score-first-and-win series scenario.
Behind their ball control attack with the offensive line controlling the line of scrimmage, two touchdown passes of 36-yards and 51-yards from quarterback Kevin Poe to split end Russ Gregg and a tenacious defense, the Savage Tigers knocked the surprised Dragons from the playoff picture.
The 1995 Tigers went on to post a record of (10-3-0).
Joe Montana–Like
In the first playoff game of the 1989 season, Coach Steve Savage’s first at the Tiger helm, the Tigers made a frantic come-from-behind final stanza march for a touchdown in a (24-20) win over Oglethorpe County that rivaled those fourth quarter drives of the great 49ers’ quarterback Joe Montana in the NFL.
Early in the second period OC tailback Anthony scored from three yards out to put the Patriots up (7-0).
On their next possession the Patriots again drove deep into Tiger territory but were halted at the Commerce 21, where OC kicker Stoudenmire kicked a 38-yard field goal with less than five minutes left in the half to give OC a (10-0) lead.
However, the Gold and Black, behind the field generalship of quarterback J. Ben Bray, rallied and marched 81-yards in nine plays for a TD to answer the challenge, as big Wayland Rucker skirted left end from four yards out with just over a minute to play in the half. The PAT kick was blocked, but the Tigers were still on the short end of a (10-6) score at the half.
OC took the ensuing second half kickoff and drove 65 yards for the score on an 18-yard pass from Gresham to Davenport to give the Patriots what they must have thought was a commanding lead of (17-6).
Commerce then rallied and scored on all three possessions of the second half.
On the first second half possession, the Tigers again answered the call to arms and Bray led the Savage attack down the field 67-yards in 9 plays with big Cedric Wood blasting into pay dirt from eight yards out. The unsuccessful option keeper by Bray for the two-point conversion kept the Tiger deficit at (17-12).
Commerce took possession for the second time after an OC punt to the Commerce 33. A 48-yard halfback pass from Tyrone Rollins to Josh Massey down to the OC 12 set up the go ahead score for the Tigers.
Halfback Jason West, on the succeeding play, then scampered around right end for the score from twelve yards out giving the Tigers a one point lead of (18-12) after the unsuccessful PAT pass by Bray.
The Tigers had rallied, but it was short-lived.
OC then came storming back, behind the running of Anthony. Six plays later OC faced a fourth and four at the Commerce 13. Stoudenmire entered and put the Patriots ahead with a successful 31-yard field goal for a (20-18) OC lead with only 2:30 remaining in the game. The Patriots obviously thought they had the game wrapped up.
However, on the third Tiger possession following the ensuing kickoff, enter the Montana to Jerry Rice-like Tiger combination of Bray and Jason Waters. The pair along with Rollins put on a show to be remembered.
Commerce scored the game-winning touchdown on the best clock management in the waning minutes of a game of any Tiger scoring drive that I have ever seen. For the Tigers, in less than two minutes and thirty seconds, ran off twelve plays many of which were down and out passes that stopped the clock thereby preserving precious seconds.
From the Tiger 37, Bray converted on fourth-and-eleven with a 14-yarder to Waters on the sideline to the OC 49.
He then hooked up with Tyrone Rollins for 13 more to the Patriot 36. Following a five-yard loss as Bray was sacked back to the Patriot 41, the senior signal caller once more found Rollins for 15 yards down to the OC 26 just inches short of a first down.
On fourth and inches for a first down, fullback Wood then barreled over left tackle for five yards and a first down at the 21.
Bray, managing the clock beautifully, then connected on three consecutive passes. He first found Rucker for 6 yards and out of bounds at the 15, then to Waters for 9 yards as he stepped out of bounds at the six for another first down.
Finally, on a fade pattern toward the right back pylon, Bray again connected with Waters who made an over the shoulder catch for a 6-yard score with only 17 seconds left in the contest.
Jubilation filled the Tiger sidelines and stands, as the Commerce faithful went wild. It was indeed a finish likened to those of NFL greats such as Joe Montana and Johnny Unitas.
The whole drive was a thing of beauty and precision. The team looked like a well-oiled machine that could and would not be stopped.
Bray’s PAT pass was incomplete leaving the score at (24-20) in one of the greatest final quarter and final second rallies in Tiger history.
The 1989 Tigers went on to post a record of (8-4-0).
The Hitman
The 1984 Commerce game at North Hall resulted in one of the great individual defensive efforts in Tiger history by a Commerce player, a 43-24 victory by the Commerce clad gold and black.
The Tigers’ junior linebacker Chas Hardy recorded a school record 27 tackles in the game 12 of which were unassisted and 15 were assisted tackles. He was a hitting machine all over the field that night. He had many other nights when he accumulated double digit tackles, but on this night he was outstanding.
In his four-year career (1982-85), he recorded a total of 319 tackles as a Tiger linebacker. In 1984 he had 136 tackles and in 1985 he collected 100. In 1985 the Tigers worked their way through the playoffs to the final four before being defeated.
He helped lead the Tigers to records of (9-2-0) and (12-1-0) in his junior and senior seasons.
In his four-year career as a Tiger player, Hardy played tenaciously at his offensive guard spot and was a ferocious hitter as a linebacker for Commerce. He was one of the toughest players ever to don the gold and black.
1981 State Champions
Finally, after having come close on numerous occasions in the 60’s and 70’s, the Tigers under Coach Ray Lamb, got the victory they so greatly desired in winning the Class AA State Football Championship in 1981 by defeating a formidable Greene County team (28-14) enroute to a (13-1-1) season record.
Tiger fans had dreamed of this since Commerce had launched the modern era of Tiger football in 1940. The feeling was indescribable as fans; coaches and players hugged and shook hands on the field and in the field house following the game. The ultimate victory in high school sports now resided in Tigertown.
Senior quarterback Bobby Lamb, now the head football coach of the Furman Paladins, connected on the first three passes he threw and of the four touchdowns scored by the Tigers, he passed for two and ran for two more as approximately 7,000 wide-eyed fans not only from Commerce but many others from north Georgia filled Tiger Stadium to over-flow capacity.
On the Tigers second possession Bobby Lamb proceeded to pick the Greene County defense apart enroute to the first Commerce touchdown. After a 26-yard pass to tight end Terry Howard who tight roped down the sideline before being pushed out of bounds, Lamb rolled right and lofted a TD pass to his split end brother Hal Lamb for the score. Hal was behind the Greene Co. defense and all alone in the end zone for the score. Freshman Todd Lord toed the first of four successful PAT’s on the evening to make it (7-0).
After a Greene punt was gathered in by halfback Delano White, a Greene defender hit him late and the penalty put the Tigers in great field position at the visitors 38.
Fullback Tony Smallwood hit the line for five bursts and 34 yards to set up Bobby Lamb’s one yard sneak behind guard Clay Hendrix, now an assistant football coach at Furman, for the Tigers second tally. Lord’s second PAT put Commerce ahead (14-0) midway through the second period.
Two possessions later, Greene Co. mounted its first sustained drive of the game highlighted by a 41-yard pass from Willie Hill to James “Seed” Miller down to the Commerce 10.
However, Smallwood, playing like a man possessed with extraordinary powers, from his linebacker position came up with three big plays to thwart the drive. On second down, Smallwood stepped into the guard hole and stopped the Greene ball carrier for no gain. On third down, he blitzed up the middle and caused a fumble, which Greene recovered at the six. On fourth down, he sacked Hill for a 14-yard loss, thwarting Green’s only scoring opportunity of the first half.
Commerce then carried the (14-0) lead into the locker room for halftime.
Greene opened the second half determined to put points on the board, as they blitzed down the field primarily behind the passing of Hill down to the Commerce nine where Hill’s second and seven yard pass was intercepted. As free safety Clark Williams stepped in front of the Hill aerial at the goal line, he raced 68 yards before being stopped at the Greene 32. He timed the theft beautifully and bailed his team out of a precarious situation.
On third and four from the 28, Lamb lofted a perfect strike to halfback Delano White streaking down the right sideline for the score at the 7:30 mark of the third period. It was Lamb’s 48th career TD pass. The successful PAT made the score commanding (21-0) lead for Commerce.
Greene’s next possession resulted in another interception, this one by defensive end Terry Howard who leaped at the line of scrimmage and gathered in the pass at the Commerce 40 yard line to stop another attempt by Greene for a score.
Lamb and Company now put a dagger in the throat of Greene County, as they mounted a five play, 60-yard drive behind a 17-yard run by White and a 19-yard pass to Howard which set up the 15-yard option keeper for a TD by Bobby Lamb around left end, as he scampered in standing up with only five ticks left in the third period. Lord’s PAT made it (28-0).
Greene scored on its next possession in the fourth period on a three-yard plunge by Fred Terrell. The PAT pass was successful to cut the Commerce lead to (28-8).
On its next possession, Commerce gave up the ball on downs at the Greene 39. Three plays later Greene scored on an illegal play, the center keep, with center David Thornton racing 49-yards untouched for a TD through the startled and stunned Commerce defense that simply could not find the location of the ball. Neither the Commerce coaches nor the officials knew exactly what happened until the coaches watched the play on film later. However, most Commerce fans and coaches thought that the play had to have been an illegal one and it was.
The PAT pass was incomplete and the score stood at (28-14) with 3:08 to play.
Greene recovered the ensuing onside’s kick at the Commerce 49. Eight plays later, with 1:01 left on the clock, Coach Tom Temple’s Greene County team faced a fourth-and-two situation at the Commerce 28. Hill’s desperation pass was batted down by defensive end Terry Howard at the line of scrimmage giving Commerce the ball and the game.
At that point, it was the greatest game in Tiger history, because it was the one that brought Commerce its first state football championship. Wow! What a game it was.
As hundreds of fans mobbed the field during the final ticks, the chant loud and clear was “We’re Number-One! We’re Number-One!”. Truly they were Number-One not only in the polls but in the hearts of the people of Commerce, Ga.
Others on the 1981 Tiger state championship team were: David Thomas, Greg Davis, Bill Finch, Greg Zak, Daniel Ford, Rodney Bell, Tim Pritchett, Kenny Wood, Brian Hill, Nathan Anderson, John Pittman, Ted Studdard, Vaughn Howington, Taylor Rucker, Allen Adams, Carl McWhorter, Tim Seabolt, Bart Haggard, Dean Hill, Tal Harber, Christopher Howard, Brent Wood, James Walker, Bret Martin, Tommy Vandiver, John Varner, Chris Tarkenton and Bret Haggard.
2000 State Champions
The stadium was packed before 7:00 PM; then by 8:00 PM the Commerce Tigers of Coach Steve Savage rumbled down the big hill in anticipation of racking up its second state football championship at the hands of the highly touted Buford Wolves who wanted revenge for the earlier season defeat by Commerce (18-14) at Buford.
The hill at the concession stand was full, the sideline fence was full, and the scoreboard end zone was full. There were at least 7500 fans on hand to see the two best teams in Class A square off for the last Class A football title game in the 20th century.
The spectators were not to be disappointed, as offense was the name of the game in the first half. The Tigers behind Monte’ Williams bolted out to a (21-0) second period lead and eventually won a thriller (27-19) in what can only be described as a classic before the largest crowd ever to see a football game not only in Commerce but also in Jackson County.
The thunderstorms predicted for the game did not arrive in time to disrupt the game. However, lightning in the form of Monte’ Williams struck four times. “Sweet Feet” electrified the standing-room-only crowd and propelled Commerce to its second state championship, the first having come back in 1981.
On the Tigers second possession, Williams stunned Buford on a 41-yard pass reception from quarterback Michael Collins for the game’s first touchdown, as he literally outran the ball and caught up with it just as he crossed the goal line. Casey Gary plunged over right guard for the two-point conversion for an (8-0) Tiger lead.
Later in the first quarter, Buford punted dead at the Commerce 12. However, Williams brought the crowd to its feet again, as on the next play he dashed up the middle behind the fine line blocking of Stephenson, Flint, Massey, Wilkie and fullback Twion Shealer. After dodging a linebacker, Monte’ cut to his left, turned on the afterburners and then left Buford defenders in the dust as he sprinted 88 yards to glory land. The PAT kick sailed wide leaving Commerce with a (14-0) advantage.
Buford took the ensuing kickoff and in two plays had advanced to the Commerce 43. However, on the next play there was a mad scramble for the fumble by the Buford tailback with Tiger halfback Lee Sorrow recovering at the Commerce 36.
On three successive running plays Williams gained 31 yards down to the Buford 32 as the quarter ended. On the first play of the second stanza, Monte’ bolted over left tackle behind Wilkie and Eason and sprinted untouched into the end zone. Gary’s PAT kick was successful and Commerce now had what they thought was a commanding lead of (21-0).
However, to Buford’s credit the Wolves came to life and cut the Tiger halftime lead to (21-12) when quarterback Travis Payne hit P.K. Sams for a 56-yard TD and shortly thereafter safety Isaac Brown scooped up an errant option pitch from Collins to Williams and scampered in for a 53-yard score.
Taking the second half kickoff, Buford, behind the running of fullback Joey McDonald and halfback Webb Aiken, ran eleven plays before Aiken scored from four yards out. The PAT was good and suddenly the classic game that everyone thought they would see had come to fruition as the Tiger lead now had been cut to (21-19).
However, as grandma used to say, “the cream always rises to the top” and that’s just what the Tiger offense and defense began to do. On the next Commerce drive, the Tigers scored in only five plays and then gave the game to the vaunted Tiger defense.
Collins carried the ball for three consecutive times following the kickoff for a first down, as the rain had now begun to fall on the football faithful of both teams. Enter Monte’ who ran for five yards then brought life back to the Tiger side of the stadium with his spectacular 56-yard twisting, turning, lurching, lunging and dodging run for a touchdown.
Monte’ cut over left tackle, broke three tackles, after which P.K. Sam grabbed his facemask. Williams did a 360, spun out of Sam’s grasp, sidestepped another defender and sprinted into the end zone. Many have classified it as the best run in the year 2000 in the state of Georgia.
However, the missed PAT kick left the Tigers with a precarious lead of (27-19) with four minutes remaining in the third period.
Buford then mounted a short drive, but the dogged Tiger defense hit McDonald hard and the fullback coughed up the ball with Tiger linebacker Nick Cox recovering at midfield to squelch the drive.
The defenses of both teams dominated the fourth quarter, as neither team could mount a sustained scoring drive.
Late in the fourth quarter with Buford on its own seven, the Wolves offense had its opportunity to drive and score, but the Tiger defense was intent on denying the Buford offensive machine a single inch. Tiger defensive back Kyle Moore stepped in front of a Payne pass on the first play of the drive in the right flat and made a great interception. He leaped into the air for the catch. Off balance, he caught the wet pigskin, lost it on the way down, but caught it again with his feet as he landed on his back at the Buford 22. It was a stupendous effort.
The Tigers then ran out the clock and were on the Buford eleven when the game ended. The scoreboard said it all; COMMERCE–27, BUFORD–19. The Tigers were the 2000 STATE CLASS A CHAMPIONS OF GEORGIA.
Commerce had 16 first downs compared to 11 for Buford. The Tigers had 397 yards of total offense, while Buford had 250. Commerce lost only one fumble compared to two for the Wolves. The Tigers threw no interceptions, while the Commerce defense picked off two from the Buford quarterback. The four Buford turnovers to the opportunistic Tiger defense helped seal Buford’s fate.
Indeed what a great team effort the 2000 Tigers gave. They beat Lincoln County twice; they beat Buford twice; arguably the two best teams in Class A other than the mighty Commerce Tigers.
Wow! What a great year and a great team and one that will always be remembered as one of the greatest Tiger teams in Commerce’s illustrious 62 years of football history.
With his 287 yards and four touchdowns in the state championship game, Monte’ Williams ended his high school career as the Georgia rushing record holder with 8844 total rushing yards, and 105 total touchdowns scored. Robert Toomer of Worth County held the previous Georgia rushing record with 7868 yards. Williams eclipsed Toomer’s old record by almost 1000 yards.
Tiger Tales (70) was primarily compiled from “Athens Daily News” reports
Opening Kickoff
In 1999 Tiger split end Michael Collins became only the second Commerce player to return the opening kickoff of a game for a touchdown when he ran back the Jefferson kickoff to begin the game 83 yards for a touchdown. He fielded the ball at his 17-yard line near the Commerce bench and weaved his way across the middle of the field and toward the Dragon sideline as he sprinted untouched across the goal line for the score.
Collins also scored on two other occasions in the game on a 34-yard pass from quarterback Daniel Carder and a 48-yard run from scrimmage.
Commerce eventually won the game by a score of (56-27).
In 1965 Commerce halfback Max Carnes ran not only the opening kickoff of a game against Stephens County back for a 75-yard TD, but it was also the opening kickoff of the season.
LINCOLN COUNTY
2000 (1)
Mighty Lincoln County paraded their Red Devils into Commerce in 2000 having won all five games that Commerce and Lincoln County had played dating back to the first one, a (13-6) LC win in Commerce in 1986. In 2000, this group of demons through three quarters had built a (15-0) advantage, however the determined and never-say-die Tigers played like gangbusters in the final stanza to snatch a (16-15) victory away from defeat with a two minute drive and a last second field goal with no time left on the clock to shock the devils and thrill the exhuberant Tiger supporters.Early in the contest Lincoln County had built a (7-0) lead following the recovery of a Twion Shealer fumble at the LC 35 when two plays later, wide receiver turned quarterback Ricky Stokes took a naked bootleg around left end and outraced the Tiger defense 57 yards to paydirt with 6:20 to play in the initial period. The PAT kick was good and the Red Devils had jumped out front of the Tigers once more, as they had in the previous five games with Commerce.
The Tiger offense could muster only 66 yards of total offense in the first half, as the dogged Red Devil defense stymied and shut down Monte’ Williams, Michael Collins and company at every turn.
With 1:22 left in the first half, Lincoln County capped a three-play drive for its second and final TD of the evening when Stokes passed to Casey Colvin over the middle for a 39-yard touchdown. Darien Freeman’s two-point conversion run increased the Red Devil lead to (15-0) at the half, as the hopes of Tiger fans began to fade.
Lincoln County then took the second half kickoff and methodically marched from the LC 20 to the Commerce seven yard line. Three holding penalties against the Red Devils on the drive, two of which occurred at the Commerce thirteen and six yard stripes eventually forced three passes by LC to fail with the Tigers taking over at the Commerce 17. This drive had consumed 9:09 of the third period in 19 plays.
However, the Commerce defense had risen to the occasion to give the offense one more opportunity to get into gear if it was going to have an opportunity to get back into the game. Get back into the game the Commerce Tigers did, as they scored on each of their final three possessions of the contest.
Williams, on the first play of the fourth quarter, climaxed a 7-play, 83-yard drive with a fabulous 22-yard run around left end on an acrobatic effort, as he weaved in and out of LC defenders and was able to balance himself on the ground with his hand before straightening himself at the 15-yard line and streaking into the end zone for the Tigers’ first tally of the night. The option pitch on the two-point conversion was bad and the score remained at (15-6) with 11:52 left in this CLASSIC BOUT between Class A football powers.
Five plays following the kickoff, LC punted dead at the Tiger 49 with 9:03 left in the contest. Highlighted by Williams’ runs of 12 and 23 yards, the latter a dandy around right end to the LC four set up Collins one-yard run over right tackle to put Commerce a touchdown closer. Casey Gary’s PAT was good and with 5:42 remaining the resurgent Tigers had cut the Red Devil lead to (15-13).
Lincoln County then punched out two first downs all on the ground and used up 3:11 on the clock, before the Tiger defensive end Gary stuffed a third and three run for no gain at the Tiger 48 forcing the LC kicker to punt
29-yards out of bounds at the Tiger 19. Commerce now faced 81 yards of real estate to cover with only 2:31 of clock to manage. Tiger faithful were in a fever pitch and nerves were raw.
With Collins and Company facing third and nine at the Commerce 20, the senior signal caller faded to pass then found a seam in the LC defense and scrambled up the middle for 20 yards and a first down at the Commerce 40 as Tiger hopes began to rise.
Two plays later, a face mask penalty on Collins option keeper around left end moved the ball to the Red Devil 39. Williams then pounded left end for eight and blockers led him over right end for nine more to the 22 with only 31 ticks left on the clock.
However, two plays thereafter, Collins was sacked for an eight-yard loss forcing him to go under center and spike the ball to stop the clock with only 9 seconds left setting up Casey Gary’s fourth down do-or-die 47-yard field goal. The stadium was now in an uproar and at a fever pitch on both sides. Drama the likes of this had not been seen at Tiger Stadium in many a year.
Rob Brown snapped the ball to Lee Sorrow who placed it on the tee. Gary’s toe hit the ball but it fell 15 yards shy and a fearful sigh of was heard in the Tiger stands. The rally had fallen just short.
But NO, NO!! Gary had been roughed by a charging defender from the left side of the LC defense. Cheers abounded from the Tiger faithful. Lincoln County was penalized 15 yards for roughing the kicker down to the Red Devil 15 giving Gary one more shot at glory with 2.3 seconds left on the clock. The snap was true, the placement was perfect, and as toe met leather this time, Gary boomed the 36-yard kick high and long through the uprights with no time left on the clock giving Commerce the victory in what will go down as the GREATEST TIGER COMEBACK VICTORY in the 61-year history of Commerce football.
Gary’s kick into the night capped a furious Commerce fourth quarter rally, as the Tigers had roared back from a (15-0) deficit in the final quarter for the win. A (16-15) victory in glorious fashion had come to Tigertown and left the city’s residents talking for weeks to come. It was a CLASSIC!!!
Williams, held to 35 yards in the first half, rallied for 102 in the final half with 82 yards coming in the furious fourth quarter, and he also scored the first Tiger touchdown of the evening. Collins added 54 yards on fourteen carries for the night and one TD.
The Tiger offensive line played a fantastic second half. They were: center–Adam Stephenson, guards–Tommy Eason and Taylor Massey, tackles–Kenny Flint and Chris Wilkie and tight end Rob Brown. They blew the LC defenders off the ball in the fourth quarter, as the larger Red Devils began to tire.
The defense also played in fabulous fashion especially in the second half. Nicholas Cox had nine tackles, Casha Daniels added ten, while Collins and Gary had 17 each in one of their greatest defensive efforts in their four year careers as Tiger starters. Evan Crawford, Scott White, and Justin David also played well in the interior defensive line. Kyle Moore, Lee Sorrow and Charlie Epps also accounted themselves well. It was indeed a team effort.
In what would later be a state championship year in 2000. Commerce later would defeat LC again in the Georgia Dome and also Buford twice, first for the region title and the final win coming in Commerce enabling the Tigers to wear the Class A state football crown enroute to a (13-2) record.
Partially compiled from ATHENS DAILY NEWS reports.
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