Lions turn it on for 35-6 win
October 25, 2008

By DAVID CLAYBOURN
Herald-Banner Staff

GREENVILLE -- Greenville’s Lions turned it on in the second half to pull away from R.L. Turner, 35-6 on Friday night at T.A. “Cotton” Ford Stadium.

The hosting Lions led only 2-0 at halftime but scored three touchdowns in a 7:34 span in the third quarter to break open the District 10-4A encounter.

Greenville, now 2-6 for the season, pulled up out of the 10-4A cellar with its first district win in five tries.

R.L. Turner, now 1-7 overall, stayed in eighth place in 10-4A at 0-5.

“I’m so happy for the kids to have that feeling of success,” said Lions coach Jim Phillips.

Running back Dakieston Williams, who rushed for a game-high 144 yards on 18 carries, set the tone with a 57-yard touchdown run on the Lions’ first play from scrimmage in the third quarter. Williams ran over a would-be tackler at the line of scrimmage and then raced down the left sideline for his seventh touchdown of the season.

“He needs to do it every down,” Phillips said of Williams’ tough running. “He needs to run over people. When he does it he’s tough. He can move the pile.”

Quarterback Alton Dennis, who racked up 222 yards of total offense, had a hand in all four of the Lions’ final touchdowns.

Dennis, who ran for 92 yards on 16 carries, capped a 31-yard, 11-play drive with a 1-yard run for the touchdown with 3:47 left in the third period. Greenville benefited from a 14-yard R.L. Turner punt. It was Dennis’ seventh rushing touchdown of the season.

Dennis followed up an interception by teammate Cobbie Johnson with a 30-yard touchdown pass to Dijuon Sheppard with 2:20 left in the third period.

R.L. Turner answered that touchdown with a 74-yard, seven-play drive for the visiting Lions’ only touchdown on a 32-yard strike by quarterback Mikal Patterson to wide receiver Charles Moore with 35 seconds left in the third period.

Dennis and the host Lions bounced right back with a four-play, 58-yard drive. Dennis ran for gains of 11, 13 and 11 yards before tossing a 23-yard touchdown pass to Sheppard with 11:34 left in the game.

Dennis was 4-of-9 passing for 130 yards.

“A.D. is getting better,” Phillips said of Alton Dennis. “He managed the game better.”

The Lions added a final 66-yard, six-play drive that culiminated with Dennis’ 47-yard touchdown pass to Devonte Green with 8:34 remaining. Ryan Rumph added the third of his successful extra point kicks to cap scoring.

Greenville wound up with a 389-141 advantage in total yardage.

Neither team could get much going in the first half as they combined for two points, 202 total yards, five fumbles, seven punts and 10 penalties. Greenville finished the game with 13 penalties for 135 yards.

The Lions scored the only points in the first half on a blocked punt that rolled through the back of the end zone.

A short kickoff to open the game backfired for R.L. Turner as the visiting Lions were flagged for interference on the kickoff, setting up the Greenville Lions at the R.L. Turner 47. Dennis and Williams both reeled off 9-yard runs as the Lions moved the ball to the Turner 21.

But Greenville's running back fumbled following a 13-yard gain and R.L. Turner's Charles Moore turned back Greenville's threat with a fumble recovery at his 9-yard line.

R.L. Turner's offense lost four yards in three plays and then Greenville's special teams scored two points on the blocked punt.

The visiting Lions failed to convert a scoring opportunity late in the first half after wide receiver Ismael Solis hauled in a 34-yard pass from Patterson that was tipped by two players before landing in Solis' hands at the Greenville 19. With the first half clock winding down, the visiting Tigers reached the Greenville nine but Patterson was stopped for a yard loss on the next play and then Mario Soto pushed a 27-yard field goal attempt wide to the left on the final play of the half.