By Keith Ledbetter

For the FCT

Tiger head football coach Michael Jackson reminded his team last week that their season starts Friday night.

Although Red Bay is already 1-1 for the 2014 season, Jackson was referring to region play that started against Cherokee last Friday.

Jackson told his team they must win region games to move into post-season play in November.

Friday night the Tigers got a good start on the region with a 55-20 shellacking of the Indians.

“I was really pleased with the team,” Jackson said.

“Our game plan was to come out and execute really well, and to get a little bit better than we did last week.

“This week we came out and hit ‘em and I was excited about that.”

Red Bay scored three TDs in the first quarter and three in the second to shutout the Indians 41-0 at halftime.

After taking a comfortable lead going into the third quarter, the Tigers got the opportunity to play almost everyone on the team during the second half. Red Bay added two more scores in the final two quarters.

After the opening kick-off, the Tigers took the ball 80 yards in three minutes to go up 6-0 on a 17-yard TD run by Nick Thorn.

Dekota Miller added the point after kick to give Red Bay a 7-0 lead.

A Reed Holt interception set the Tigers up for another six just two minutes later.

Red Bay quarterback Troy Borden connected with Jade Pounds on a first and 20 pass from the 45 yard line. After Miller’s point after kick, Red Bay led by a score of 14-0.

Borden added Red Bay’s third score of the first quarter on a 57-yard keeper run.

The second quarter belonged to Tyler Reach who scored from four yards, 17 yards, and 24 yards.

“We did have a few penalties in the first half that we want to fix, but overall we executed really well,” Jackson said about his team’s first half performance.

“Defensively we did a great job. We were able to get in our young guys in the second half and some went in before the end of the second quarter.

“Some of those guys ended up getting tired before the end because they haven’t been playing that much.”

Jackson added that three or four sophomores and juniors are going to help them this year because they got out and contributed in this game.

Red Bay went up 48-0 on a 13-yard TD run by Daniel Wooten in the third quarter.

Cherokee added a 25-yard TD run from Donald Ray Powell, a 32-yarder from Chris Stanley and a 24-yard TD from Davontay Johnson in the fourth.

Tate Ozbirn added Red Bay’s final score on a seven-yard run. Miller tapped in the point after kick.

Next week, Red Bay continues in region play when they host Sulligent.

“We know that they’re coming in, so we’ve got to get excited this week and go back to work,” Jackson said.

“That’s our next biggest game to win the region and reach our goals. That’s the game we’ve got to focus on.”