By ROBERT HUDSON/Special to the Reporter

DADEVILLE – After weeks of the defense leading them to victory, the Dadeville Tigers’ offense carried the load in Friday’s 35-24 second round playoff win over the Calera Eagles.

Dadeville kicked off the scoring on the night when Tolbert finished off the opening drive with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Jay Foster to put the Tigers ahead 7-0 with 9:52 left in the first.

Calera responded with 3:26 left in the first when Clark hit Vontraer Jones, Jr. for a 27-yard touchdown pass to help tie the game at 7-7.
Tolbert scored his first rushing touchdown of the game on a 5-yard run with 3:04 left in the first to give Dadeville a 14-7 lead, but Calera tied it back up with a 6-yard run by Clark.

Dadeville took a 21-14 lead on a 6-yard run by Tolbert with 6:49 left in the second, and Calera’s Stephen Ellison hit a 23-yard field goal with 1:01 left in the second to make it 21-17 going into the break.

Dadeville held a 21-17 lead at the break, but Calera (10-2) got the ball first in the second half and proceeded to cap off a eight-play, 70-yard drive with a 3-yard touchdown run by quarterback Ronnie Clark, as the extra point gave the Eagles a 24-21 lead with 9:31 left in the third quarter.

The Tigers responded almost immediately, as on the third play of the ensuing possession Dadeville senior quarterback C.J. Tolbert raced up the home sideline and eluded Eagle defenders for a 65-yard touchdown run.

Dadeville kicker Zach Sims tacked on the extra point, as Dadeville went ahead for good at 28-24 with nine minutes left in the third period.

The Tigers added one more score on the night, as Tolbert finished off a 60-yard drive with a 2-yard run up the middle.

Tolbert led Dadeville with 192 yards on 19 carries, four rushing touchdowns and one passing score, while Darius Miller had 59 yards on 12 carries.

Clark led Calera with 222 yards rushing on 30 carries, while ShaKeith Tyes had 104 yards on 22 carries for the Eagles.