Handley takes care of business against Coosa
The Handley Tigers weren’t up against particularly tough odds on the road at Central Coosa Friday night, but the Tigers played a solid ball game and came away with a 46-0 region win.
“I think our kids just did what they had to do,” Handley head coach Mike Battles said. “It was nothing other than getting out there and getting your job done.”
Handley collected 338 rushing yards and 90 passing yards on its way to an impressive win.
Leading the way for Handley in the rushing department was Breyon DeBerry who rushed for 87 yards on just four carries. Herbert Staples contributed 107 yards on 11 carries while Trae Kyles put up 37 yards on four carries.
One of the most positive things to come from the rout was the amount of players that saw time on the field. A total of 10 Handley running backs touched the ball in the win.
Battles said getting work in for the second and third string players will pay off in the coming years and helped to build depth for the rest of the season.
“What it is going to do is make practice better,” Battles said. “Everybody is one play away from being a starter, so getting those guys in just gives them experience.”
Though it wasn’t the first time Handley’s backups saw playing time, it was certainly the most significant playing time.
“We were able to get the third team some playing time and continuity,” Battles said. “We’ve been fortunate with that. By doing that, we’ve developed a little depth.”
The Tigers started the scoring with a 78-yard touchdown run from DeBerry with 9:20 left in the first quarter. The point after was no good.
With 4:23 left in the first quarter, Staples ran the ball into the end zone from 9-yards out for another Handley touchdown. DeBerry converted the two-point try to put Handley up 14-0.
Kyles added his touch to the scoreboard with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Courtland Gates with 1:30 left in the first quarter. The point after was no good.
With 8:53 left in the second quarter, Chris Dillard rumbled his way into the end zone for a 4-yard touchdown. The point after was no good, leaving Handley with a 26-0 lead.
Staples added his second touchdown of the night on an 11-yard run with 1:37 left in the second quarter. The point after was good, and Handley led 33-0 at halftime.
Dillard struck again on a 1-yard touchdown run with 3:38 left in the third quarter. The point after was no good.
Finally, with 0:47 left in the fourth quarter, Yacobian Floyd scored on a 5-yard touchdown run. The point after made the final 46-0.
With the win, Handley remains undefeated on the season with a record of 7-0. This week will mark the first of three straight tests for the Tigers though, as Wellborn comes to Roanoke.
Battles said Wellborn is a definite concern for the Tigers because of how disciplined they play.
“They’re going to be well-coached and fundamentally sound,” Battles said. “They’ll come down here and know how to win. They’re going to play good defense and not screw up the kicking game.”
Battles said Handley will have to be ready to play, and that means playing mistake-free football.
“We’ve got to control the ball game and move the chains,” Battles said. “We can’t give up big plays, and we can’t have mistakes in the kicking game. That’s the easiest way to wreck a ball game.”
