Halls holds Dresden in check on NWTNTODAY.COM

HALLS, Tenn. — It only took one quarter for the Halls Tigers to erase a 10-point deficit and end up victors.
In a contest that saw very few running plays, the Dresden Lions ruled the first half and built a 10-0 lead at the break. The Tigers allowed the visitors just one more touchdown, however, while posting three of their own and eventually took the win by a single point, 18-17.
Dresden opened with a possession and the Tigers snuffed out the ground game forcing the Lions to punt. Halls fared only slightly better in its first possession as the Tigers picked up two first downs on runs and short passes from QB Emmitt Henning. The Tigers quickly found themselves facing fourth-and-long, though. The Halls punt was blocked by Jay Wainscott putting Dresden on the HHS 42.
Isaac Butler’s run picked up two yards, but the Lions were pushed back five on an illegal procedure penalty. On second-and-long, Butler caught a Dale Hutcherson pass for 17 yards and a first down. Zach Jolley carried up the middle for seven, but lost five when Cody Peery pulled him down behind the line. Hutcherson found Butler again for 15 yards, missed on his next pass and caught a break on his third pass after the ball was tipped and DHS tight end Tyler McPeak grabbed it. On third-and-long, Hutcherson’s throw missed its mark and Alex Robinson delivered on a field goal from 25 yards out to put the Lions up 3-0 with 1:31 left in the first quarter.
The second frame opened with the host punting away and Dresden took over at midfield. Hutcherson hit Butler with a 34-yarder. From there, the offense stalled. On fourth down, the Lions were flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct, pushing them back to the 19. After an incompletion and Halls took over.
On first down, Grant Dew fumbled the handoff and Tyler Hawks recovered for the Lions. From the Tigers’ 21, Butler gained nothing on first down. Hutcherson was sacked by Dew back to the 27-yard line, but on third down, the QB found Butler down the middle for a 22-yard gain and another stab at the end zone inside the five. Once again, however, the Lions could not deliver as Jolley fumbled for a 14-yard loss and Hutcherson was sacked for a 10-yard loss. Two straight incomplete passes gave the ball back to Halls.
Dresden’s defense put Halls’ next series in the negative and the Lions took possession at the Tiger 46. Hutcherson found Colin Kanehl for a 15-yard gain, but lost 11 on a sack. Jolley found a hole in the Tiger line and gained 19 yards on two plays and Hutcherson caught fire with a 12-yard pas to Harris and a 14-yard pass to Kanehl. Capping off his streak, Hutcherson connected with Butler in the end zone for a six-yard touchdown. Robinson added the extra point and the Lions led 10-0 with 1:15 left before the break.
Halls came out firing in the third quarter and started with a 46-yard run from Steven Cessac as a wake-up call for the visitors. Jolley stopped him at the line on his next attempt, but he gained four on second down and set up Henning for a 16-yard touchdown pass to Cody Curran. Cody Chipman’s extra point was blocked, but Halls cut into the Lion lead, 10-6, with 10:36 left in the third.
Dresden was ready with an answer and Hutcherson ate up 31 yards through the air on passes to Kanehl and Robinson. Jolley picked up five yards on the ground and Hutcherson connected with Butler for a 12-yard gain to the Halls 33. The Lions gained 27 yards through the air on passes to Kanehl and Butler. Hutcherson was sacked for a nine-yard loss, but found Harris in the end zone with a 15-yard pass. Robinson added the extra point and the Lions led 17-6 with 5:55 left in the third. It was the last time the visitors reached the end zone.
Halls was forced to punt on its next possession, but Dresden gave possession back when Chipman intercepted Hutcherson. At the Lion 27, the home team soon faced fourth-and-long, but Henning connected with Shelby Cress in the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown. The conversion failed, but Halls inched closer, 17-12, with 1:32 left in the third quarter.
When Dresden regained possession, Hutcherson’s pass sailed and was intercepted by Graham Moore. Henning covered the distance with one play — a 54-yard long ball to Curran for the go-ahead score. The conversion failed, but the home team grabbed the 18-17 lead with 53 seconds left in the third.
The fourth quarter was filled with punting and the Lions still had a chance with possession at the Halls 48 with 1:40 left in the contest, but Hutcherson’s passes missed their intended targets and Halls escaped with the win.
In the losing effort, Hutcherson finished with 248 passing yards and two touchdowns. Butler had 109 receiving yards and a score and Harris had 67 receiving yards and one touchdown.
The Lions will next visit Huntingdon. Kickoff is set for 7:30 Friday night.

Dresden-Halls, Stats
Dresden 3 7 7 0—17
Halls 0 0 18 0—18

First Quarter
DHS — Alex Robinson 25-yard field goal, 1:31..
Second Quarter
DHS — Isaac Butler 6-yard pass from Dale Hutcherson, (Robinson kick), 1:15.
Third Quarter
HHS — Cody Curran 16-yard pass from Emmitt Henning, (conversion failed), 10:36.
DHS — Daniel Harris 15-yard pass from Hutcherson, (Robinson kick), 5:55.
HHS — Shelby Cress 11-yard pass from Henning, (conversion failed), 1:32.
HHS — Curran 54-yard pass from Henning, (conversion failed), 00:53.
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DHS HHS
First downs 17 9
Rushes-yards 23-16 18-69
Passing yards 248 106
Comp-Att-Int 20-35-2 14-19-0
Fumbles-Lost 3-0 3-1
Penalties-Yards 6-60 10-85
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Individual Statistics
Rushing — Dresden, Zach Jolley 13-48, Isaac Butler 4-12, Dale Hutcherson 6-(-44); Halls, Steven Cessac 8-64, Emmitt Henning 4-18, Grant Dew 1-(-3), David Davidson 5-(-10).
Passing — Dresden, Hutcherson 20-35-2 — 248; Halls, Henning 14-19-0 — 106.
Receiving — Dresden, Butler 7-109, Daniel Harris 5-67, Colin Kanehl 6-51, Alex Robinson 1-19, Tyler McPeak 1-2; Halls, Cody Curran 5-79, Steven Cessac 3-11, Davidson 2-6, Shelby Cress 1-11, Cody Chipman 1-5, Chris Cessac 1-(-1), Shamari Cooper 1-(-5).
Records — Dresden 4-2 (1-1 District 13-A), Halls 3-2 (0-1 District 14-A).
Next Game — Dresden will visit Huntingdon with kickoff at 7:30 on Friday night. Halls will host South Fulton with kickoff at 7 that evening.

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