Sylacauga stops Super Marrio
- Updated: August 27, 2016
Dobbins throws 5 TD passes and comes within a whisker of giving Anniston an OT victory in his debut as quarterback
Injured Anniston quarterback Savion Bethune (10) and his replacement, Marrio Dobbins (2), lead the Bulldogs onto the field Friday night. (Photos by B.J. Franklin/GungHo Photos)
By Brant Locklier
For East Alabama Sports Today
After losing starting quarterback Savion Bethune to a broken leg in last week’s jamboree, all the speculation around the Anniston High football program was how in the world would the Bulldogs recover from this blow?
After a week of working out three potential replacements, head coach Eddie Bullock expressed confidence.
“We’ve got a guy that is going to go tonight and we should be all right,” he said before the game.
That was wide receiver Marrio Dobbins and he did all right. The senior took over the quarterback role and was nothing short of super in a 36-35 overtime loss to Sylacauga at Lott-Mosby Stadium.
Dobbins threw five touchdown passes, a two-point conversion, and 276 yards on 9-of-15 passing. He ran for 20 yards and returned kickoffs. He accounted for all of the Bulldog points.
“I fought leg cramps all night,” said Dobbins. ”I have been at quarterback before and I know the speed of my receivers. I would have been nothing without that offensive line of ours up there blocking.”
The Bulldogs lost Bethune in the final minute of the first half of their jamboree against Holt. Dobbins was the most experienced of the three quarterbacks who were given a look this week. The others were junior Jamaree West and ninth-grader Tyree Carmichael.
The furious pace of the game left both teams sprawled on the field when it finally ended as Dobbins’ dive for the end zone and a two-point conversion fell just short of an Anniston victory.
“I came into this stadium 6-5 and left 5-6,“ Sylacauga coach Matt Griffith said. ”Nobody deserved to lose this game. Anniston is a great football team and I hate it for their kids. I have a great respect for Coach Bullock and his team.”
Anniston had several chances to go up two touchdowns in the game and could not get it done. The Bulldogs were inside the Aggie 30 four times and could not put any points on the board. The biggest frustration came at the 2 at the end of the first half as the clock ran out before they could score.
The Bulldogs got touchdown passes of 54, 33, 80, 68 and 12 yards from Dobbins. One was on a desperation third-and-30, another on fourth-and-goal from the 11 and another was on a looping shuttle pass to Jeremy McCants while being tackled.
Anniston led 7-0, 15-7, 22-15 and 29-22 and each time the Aggies rallied to tie the game.
Sylacauga drove 90 yards in eight plays in the final two minutes. They tied the game on fourth-and-goal from the 13 with 1.2 seconds left in the game when Keenan Daniel pulled quarterback Jackson Walker’s desperation pass out of a crowd and Riley Craft kicked the extra point.
Tashun Looney’s 10-yard scamper on first down gave the Aggies their first lead of the game in the overtime. Anniston cut the lead to 36-35 when on fourth-and-goal from the 11 when C.J. Ramsey climbed over two defenders to catch Dobbins’ fifth touchdown pass.
Anniston faked the extra point attempt and went for two. Dobbins rolled left and just ran out of real estate at the 1.
Anniston’s Jeremy McCants (8) runs through Sylacauga defensive back Tommy Gaddis.
SYLACAUGA 36, ANNISTON 35
Sylacauga 7 0 15 7 7 — 36
Anniston 15 0 7 7 6 — 35
A — Terrian Sizemore 54 pass from Marrio Dobbins (Marrio Dobbins kick)
S — Jackson Walker 1 run (Riley Keith kick)
A — Jeremy McCants 33 pass from Marrio Dobbins (Jeremy McCants pass from Marrio Dobbins)
S — Alex Thomason 3 run (Alex Thomason run)
A — L.J. Heard 80 pass from Marrio Dobbins (Marrio Dobbins kick)
S — Alex Thomason 12 run (Riley Keith kick)
A — Jeremy McCants 68 pass from Marrio Dobbins (Marrio Dobbins kick)
S — Keenan Daniel 13 pass from Jackson Walker (Riley Keith kick)
S — Tashun Looney 10 run (Riley Keith kick)
A — C.J. Ramsey 11 pass from Marrio Dobbins (run failed)
Team stats Syl Ann
First Downs 19 18
Rushing Yards 303 222
Comp-Att-Int 8-16-1 8-14-1
Passing Yards 111 276
Penalty Yards 65 30
Sylacauga quarterback Jackson Walker (16) gets airborne against the Anniston defense as Tareeq Woods Packer (9) and Derrick McElderry (4) close ranks.
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