By Kevin Eckleberry

Sports Editor

The Troup Tigers lost so many of these games a year ago, so perhaps they were due.

During their 4-7 season in 2008, five of Troup’s losses were by seven or fewer points.

The Tigers lost in overtime, they lost a game 3-0, and perhaps most agonizingly, they lost by three points to arch-rival LaGrange when Joseph Mansour made a 55-yard field goal.

Friday night at Callaway Stadium, the Tigers finally had a close game go their way.

When Callaway missed a field goal with seconds left in the game, Troup had a 13-10 victory in the season opener for both teams.

The Tigers took the lead early in the fourth quarter when Vondree Jackson returned a blocked punt for a touchdown, and Troup’s defense did the rest.

“Everybody committed, everybody came together,” said senior defensive lineman J.C. Copeland, the leader of Troup’s defense. “We just wanted to win it.”

For Callaway, it was a heart-breaker.

The Cavs got the ball for the final time at their own 31-yard line, and they moved it deep into Tiger territory.

On the drive, electrifying junior quarterback Quan Bray ran the ball five times and he also completed passes of 10 and 15 yards to get the Cavs as close as the Troup 10-yard line.

Troup stood firm from there, forcing Callaway back to the 15-yard line.

On fourth down, Josh Ham’s 32-yard field goal was just off the mark, and all Troup had to do was run one kneel-down play, and that was that.

“Troup had a great football team. They do a great job over there,” Callaway head coach Pete Wiggins said. “But I feel like we fought hard. We had some mistakes that ended up costing us the ballgame, but I’m proud of our kids.”

Said Troup head coach Bubba Jeter: “We found a way to win it, and that’s all that matters.”

The Tigers bounced back from a disastrous play to end the first half.

Troup had taken a 6-0 lead in the first quarter when Jacorius Cotton capped a short 28-yard drive with a 1-yard scoring run.

It looked like Troup was going to take a 6-0 lead into the locker room, but with less than 10 seconds left in the half, the Tigers made a gaffe on special teams.

The snap to the punter went awry, and the ball bounced around into the end zone where Callaway’s Debo Davis landed on it with just two seconds showing on the clock.

Josh Ham made the extra point, and Callaway had a 7-6 lead at the half.

“That blunder down there killed us,” Jeter said.

Callaway had the lead despite losing three fumbles, one of which led to Troup’s score.

The Cavs padded their lead in the third period.

Bray had back-to-back runs of 40 and 11 yards, putting the ball deep in Troup territory.

Ham completed the drive with a 22-yard field goal, and Callaway was ahead 10-6 with 5:07 to go in the quarter.

On their next possession, the Cavaliers couldn’t pick up a first down, and they lined up to punt.

Jacorius Cotton broke through and got a hand on the punt, and Jackson picked the ball up and went about 20 yards for the touchdown.

Jordan Vann’s extra point was true, and Troup had a 13-10 lead with 11:51 remaining.

The Cavaliers went three-and-out on their next possession, but Callaway’s defense - which was dominant all night - forced Troup to give the ball right back on a punt.

The Cavaliers put the game in the hands of Bray, a running back his first two seasons who was making his first start at quarterback.

Bray and the Cavs got close, but it wasn’t meant to be.

“Callaway is going to go a long way,” Jeter said. “Bray is a machine. We just knew we had to contain him, and we did. He’s unbelievable.”

Bray ripped off a handful of long runs, but Callaway’s offense could only muster the second-half field goal, and the Cavs were hurt by three lost fumbles in the first half, including two in Troup territory.

Jeter gave a lot of credit to his defensive backs, who didn’t allow a pass completion until the final drive.

Wide receiver Quantavius Leslie, who has committed to the University of West Virginia, had just one catch for 15 yards.

“We covered them pretty good,” Jeter said. “Our defensive backs are good.”

Callaway’s defense was strong as well, not allowing Troup to put together any sustained drives.

Troup had just two first downs in the second half

It was a game that could have gone either way, and Friday night, it was Troup that got to celebrate.

“I knew it was going to be like that. They’re good. They’re good on defense, and they’re good on offense,” Copeland said. “But we won.”