The top two games in Tiger football history

Our look at celebrating 50 years of Tiger footbal concludes this week with the top two games out of the 15 all-time best.
(Editor’s Note: Clay County had never beaten the Belfry Pirates. In 1992 the district championship was on the line and home field for the state playoffs. This still ranks as the top victory of all-time for the Tiger football program. The following is a reprint of the story from 1992.)

TIGER STADIUM -- “Do you believe this?” Those were the words Clay Co. Tiger football coach Eugene Hensley shouted to no one in particular on the sidelines Friday as the final seconds melted off the Tiger Stadium scoreboard.

And if Coach Hensley had trouble believing what was happening, another look at the scoreboard brought the reality home: HOME 14, GUEST 13.

Finally, after seven previous unsuccessful tries, after near misses and near blowouts, the Clay Co. Tigers walked off the field with a win over Belfry.They also walked off with a district championship and home field advantage for the playoffs for at least three rounds, if they are still winning.

Those accomplishments looked to be a million miles away at halftime Friday. The Tigers, taking the field to the explosion of fireworks and the roar of a capacity crowd, may have been a little too fired up.

For on the first play of scrimmage, Belfry quarterback Jason Stacey took off on an option right, and 60 yards later stood in the end zone with the games first score.

That let some, but not all, of the air out of the Tiger balloon. It did mark the beginning of an uphill climb that would get worse before it got better.

The Tigers second drive of the night was stopped on downs inside the Belfry 35. Later, they fumbled away a punt at their own 47 and saw Belfry drive to a first and goal at the seven, only to have the defense rise up and force a field goal attempt from 37 yards which missed.

But Belfry struck again when Mark Carroll took in a punt at his own 49 and also went virtually untouched for a touchdown that made it 13-0. The extra point kick hit the upright and failed.

On the opening drive of the second half, Tiger quarterback Randy Gregory hit Steven Bowling for 13 yards and DeShae Henson followed up with a 40-yard dash to the Pirate 11.

But again the Tigers could not capitalize, and Henson’s halfback pass on fourth down fell incomplete. But instead of quitting, the Tigers just got more determined. Their next drive began at the Belfry 44. Todd Gray went 21 yards on a reverse and Stephen Roberts picked up eight yards for a first and goal at the seven.

And this time the Tigers didn’t fail, although it did take them four more plays for Henson to sweep in from three yards out with 2:30 to go in the third quarter. Roberts made the extra point to leave his team trailing 13-7.

Two plays later a Belfry pass was tipped at the line, and Victor Hyland grabbed it out of the air at the Pirate 23.

Then on third and 10, Gregory found Bowling all by his lonesome on the left side and the senior ran it home for the tying score as the quarter expired. Robert’s kick split the uprights to make it 14-13.

The fourth quarter was nerve wracking. Belfry stalled on their first possession, but Clay had too many men on the field on a punt.

A personal foul penalty later gave Belfry a first down at the 13. But, after stalling at the six-yard line, Mark Vargo’s 23-yard field goal attempt was flubbed short and wide right.

The Tigers then ran out the clock, twice just picking up the first down on plays that required

measurements. The second one sealed the game, and brought a Gatorade shower for Hensley, who didn’t seem to mind at all.

#2
‘THE OVERTIME’
1992: TIGERS 0-BELL CO. 7

TIGER STADIUM -- The Tigers had locked up home field advantage throughout

the playoffs.

Wins over Knox Central and Cawood had the Tigers with a home game against former state champion Bell County.

Led by the intense defensive play of all-state linebacker Victor Hyland, Clay kept Bell County scoreless through regulation.

Unfortunately for the Tigers, the Bobcats defense was equally as stingy. The game would go to overtime tied at 0-0.

“This was probably the best 0-0 game I can ever remember,” Hensley recalled. “We had several chances to win the game in regulation.”

Two missed scoring opportunities for the Tigers helped send the game into overtime.

A field goal attempt went by the boards when the ball hit the left upright and fell to the ground.

The Tigers scored a touchdown late in the game. But the play was called back because of an illegal block in the back penalty.

Bell County took advantage of Clay’s miscue in the overtime when their 6-7 tight end caught a touchdown pass over the smaller Tiger defense.

“I was good friends with the guy who quarterbacked Bell County in that game,” Victor Hyland said in a 1997 interview. “He told me that just before halftime of that game he was knocked out when DeShae Henson and I hit him on a tackle.

For the rest of the game he was a bit out of it and on that last play when they scored he actually went the wrong way.

“When he saw he was going to get tackled he just threw the ball up to their big tight end and he caught it for a touchdown,” Hyland added.

Clay County ended the season with a 10-3 and the title of region finalist and showed they could compete with anyone in the state.