Collierville, TN — In front of a roaring crowd of 3,200 at Dragon Stadium, the Collierville Dragons (9-3) punched their ticket to the TSSAA Class 6A quarterfinals for the second straight year, defeating the Antioch Bears (10-2) in a thrilling 39-28 playoff battle Friday night.
The Dragons struck first in the second quarter when Murray State commit Nick Graham hauled in a 26-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Brayden Santibanez. A possession later, kicker Hayden Hollenbeck drilled a 37-yard field goal to give Collierville a 10-0 lead.
Antioch answered late in the half with a touchdown pass from Andre Adams to Brandon Goliday, but a failed two-point attempt kept the Bears behind. Collierville responded immediately as Tulane commit Lawrence Autry powered in an 8-yard rushing score. With Hollenbeck’s PAT good, the Dragons led 17-6 at halftime.
The second half was pure fireworks. Midway through the third quarter, an errant throw behind the line of scrimmage turned into an Antioch defensive touchdown, and after a successful two-point conversion, the Bears closed the gap to 17-14. Hollenbeck’s clutch 28-yard field goal extended Collierville’s lead to 20-14 entering the fourth.
Then came the drama. Antioch seized momentum with a Dominic Hamer 85-yard interception return and another two-point conversion to go ahead 22-20. But on the ensuing kickoff, Tae Walden electrified the stadium with a 95-yard return touchdown, swinging the lead back to Collierville, 26-22.
The Bears weren’t done, answering with another touchdown pass from Adams. But Autry took over down the stretch, scoring twice in the final eight minutes—on runs of six and 15 yards—to seal the Dragons’ 39-28 victory. Autry finished with 159 yards on 26 carries and three touchdowns.
Next Up
Collierville will host Southwind in a highly anticipated quarterfinal showdown on Friday, November 21 at 7:00 PM at Dragon Stadium. With two powerhouse programs separated by just a few miles on Shelby Drive, this matchup promises to be one of the most exciting games in recent memory.
Get your tickets early and join the fun at Dragon Stadium. 901 Shelby Drive—Look Alive!
