ADAMSDALE, Alabama -- The #8 Minor Tigers unleashed their speed all night long and ran past #4 Gardendale 52-28 in a Class 6A, Region 6 contest at Tony Funceford Field Friday night. Minor quarterback JaCure' Jackson recorded six touchdowns with five of them going in the air to the Tigers speedy receivers. 

Both teams scored at will and the lead went back-and-forth for most of the first half, but Minor took the lead midway through the second quarter and didn't look back. "This was the first time we have been tested and we fought all game long," said Tigers Head coach George Bates. "We went blow-to-blow in the first quarter and after that I think we dominated the last three quarters of the football game. We have a lot of quick cats on the outside but we can also run the ball when you take away the guys on the outside."

Minor (5-0, 3-0) scored first in the game. Jackson threw to Brenton White over the middle of the field for a 36-yard touchdown play for the Tigers. The two-point conversion failed and Minor led 6-0 with 11:24 left in the first quarter. Gardendale came right back to score when running back Demetrius King scored on a 4-yard touchdown run for the Rockets. Landon Erbrick kicked the extra point and the Rockets led 7-6 with 5:21 left in the first quarter.

On the ensuing kickoff, corner back Yul Gowdy raced 92-yards down the right sideline for a Tigers touchdown and Minor took back the lead at 12-7 with 5:06 left in the first quarter. Minor failed on the two-point conversion. With 3:07 left in the first quarter, Gardendale came right back to score when Michael Crowder found a wipe open Stephen Lancaster for a 43-yard touchdown play for the Rockets. With the Erbrick PAT, Gardendale led 14-12. 

With 2:27 left in the first quarter, Jackson hit Jaylond Adams on a 59-yard touchdown pass play and Minor took back the lead 18-14. For the third time in a row, the Tigers failed on the two-point conversion. "We have come together as one until," said Minors wide receiver Adams. "We just wanted to come out strong for four quarters. We wanted to execute and play hard for the whole game." Adams had five receptions for 113 yards and a touchdown with 42 yards on seven carries and a touchdown.

With 1:29 left in the first quarter, Crowder hit Kevin Howard over the middle for a 17-yard pass play for a Rockets touchdown and Gardendale led 21-18 after the Erbrick extra point. After the first quarter, both teams scored 39 points in the first quarter.

With 11:37 left in the second quarter, Adams scored on a 5-yard touchdown run for the Tigers. DeAndre Charleston scored on the two-point conversion. With the score, Minor led 26-21. With 7:11 left in the half, Omari Burton scored on a 1-yard touchdown run and Erbrick kicked the extra point and Gardendale took back the lead 28-26. Burton had 111-yards on 20 carries and one touchdown in the game.

With 4:58 left in the half, Jackson scored on a 22-yard run to give Minor a 32-28 lead. The two-point conversion failed. With 2:29 left in the half, Jackson hit Charleston on a 46-yard touchdown pass to extend the Minor lead at 38-28. The two-point conversion failed. Charleston had 128 yards on five receptions and a touchdown.

Jackson had a monster night. The senior QB was 15-of-27 passing for 325 yards & five touchdowns with 68 yards on 9 carries and a touchdown. "We have a never give up attitude," said Tigers quarterback Jackson. "Our whole wide receiving team made big plays, without them we wouldn't be where were at now. We have made a big improvement from last year and we just want to keep getting better each week."

In the second half with 7:15 left in the third quarter, Jackson found Delonte' Evans on a 27-yard touchdown play for the Tigers. The two-point conversion failed and Minor led 44-28. With 11:53 left in the game, the Jackson to Evans connection happened again on a 27-yard touchdown strike for the Tigers. Evans finished the night with 3 receptions for 73 yards and two touchdowns.

Both offenses put up big numbers on the night as Minor had 384 total yards while Gardendale had 319 total yards of offense. Both teams had issues with penalties as Minor had 10 for 72 yards and Gardendale had 13 for 110 yards. 

The Minor defense did a great job in keeping the Gardendale offense out of the end zone in the second half. "Our no name defense did a great job," added Bates. "This was a game that we really needed. We needed to see how we can perform against a good football team." 

Minor will have the next week off with an open date, while Gardendale will travel to Chelsea in a non-region game.