The Frank R. Mullins Youth Football League kicked off its 2007 season this past Saturday morning at their Wagner Park facility. The schedule had the Short Stop Market Yellow Jackets hosting The Bank of Tullahoma Tigers in the early game and the Mike Thompson Ford – Mercury – Mazda Falcons hosting the Sports Plus Bulldogs in the late game. At this point early in the season the offenses are ahead of the defenses as the two games were high scoring affairs.

Yellow Jackets 37 Tigers 0
The Short Stop Market Yellow Jackets scored early and often in the first half. The Jackets first score came as Trey Burks scampered 64 yards and Zach Lampkins added the PAT. Later in the first quarter, Marselis Scott recovered a Tiger fumble that lead to a Jacket touchdown early in the second quarter as Zach Lampkin burst into the end zone from one yard out and Trey Burks added the PAT. One the Bank of Tullahoma Tiger’s next possession, Burks stripped the ball from the Tiger runner and raced 45 yards for another Jacket touchdown and the conversion attempt failed. The Jackets got on the board one more time before the half as Lampkin burst around the end and out ran the defense for a touchdown run covering 85 yards, the conversion attempt failed. The Yellow Jackets lead by a score of 26 – 0 at the half.

The Tiger woes continued in the second half, as their offense could not get anything going. Lampkin scored for the Jackets on a 70-yard run in the third quarter. The final score of the game came as Lampkin intercepted a Tiger pass and raced 50 yards for the touchdown and Dayton Snipes added the conversion. The Jackets won by a score of 37 – 0.

Jason Dendy, the head coach for the Yellow Jackets, applauded the play of his entire defense but had special praise for Josh Duncan, Astari McCallum, and Dayton Snipes. He also congratulated Zach Lampkin and Trey Burks for their hard work on offense.

Billy Bates, the head coach for the Tigers, had praise for the efforts of Scottie Maupin, Caleb Zidan, and Charlie Scott on defense and Peyton Phillips, Caleb Olive, and Alex Williams on offense.

Falcons 34 Bulldogs 14
In the second game of the day, the Mike Thompson Ford – Mercury – Mazda Falcons drew first blood as Jordan Sheffield raced in from 31 yards out for the touchdown and Brandon Koch added the PAT. It didn’t take long for the Sports Plus Bulldogs to get on the board as Justin Brandon fielded the Falcon kick off and raced 70 yards for the Bulldog score, Brandon then added the PAT. The score at the end of the first quarter was knotted at 7. Jordan Sheffield added another Falcon touchdown as he burst through the Bulldog defense from 11 yards out, the kick attempt failed. The Bulldogs pulled ahead of the Falcons by a score of 14 – 13 midway the second quarter as Justin Brandon got loose again and raced 14 yards for the Bulldog touchdown, Brandon also added the PAT. The Falcons added another score before the intermission as the Sheffield brothers connected on a pass play covering 25 yards. Jordan hit little brother Justus and Justus scampered into the end zone, Big brother Justin added the PAT. The Falcons lead by a score of 20 – 14 at the half.

It was all Falcons in the second half as Jordan Sheffield rambled for a touchdown covering 25 yards in the third quarter. Jordan also kicked the PAT, which is very rare in the league play. A kicked conversion is worth 2 points. Later in the fourth quarter, Jordan Sheffield hit Brandon Koch with a pass covering 49 yards for the final score of the day. The conversion attempt failed. The Falcons win 34 – 14.

Travis Sheffield, the head coach for the Falcons, applauded the efforts of Cody Michael and Tyler Burns on defense and Jordan Sheffield on offense.

Head coach Warner Tomes of the Bulldogs praised the efforts of Jordan McKelvey and Van Williams on defense and also had praise for Justin Brandon and Zane Price on offense.

Both divisions of the Frank R. Mullins Youth Football League will be in action next Saturday. In the Upper Division, the Falcons will host the Yellow Jackets at 9:00 a.m. and the Bulldogs will host the Tigers at 10:30 a.m. The Instructional Division teams (Cardinals, Cowboys, and Titans) will be in action in a 3-team round robin beginning at 9:00 a.m.