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The Lauderdale County Tigers defeated the Crossville Lions 13-12 in one of the first overtime games in state playoff history on Nov. 22, 1974 in Crossville.           Crossville boldly went for the win in the first overtime period instead playing to send the game into another extra period. A pass attempt fell incomplete as the Lauderdale County players began to celebrate their first playoff win in school history after first round losses the previous two seasons.           The Tigers got on the scoreboard in the second quarter an a Mike Roberson 12-yard run with 8:22 left before halftime. The play was set up when Billy Mills blocked a Crossville punt that rolled out of bounds on the 12-yard line. Roberson scored on the first play after the block.           Lauderdale County reached the one-yard line in the third before being stopped short on fourth down. Minutes later, the Tigers were again on the Crossville one-yard line but fumbled away a chance to increase their lead.           It was at this point that Crossville went on a 99-yard to tie the game. Marty Griffin scored on a 1-yard run but the extra point was missed. The game was tied 6-6 with 8:15 remaining in the game. The Lions had a chance to win the game in regulation but a field goal attempt was blocked to preserve the tie.           The Tigers got possession of the football in the first overtime and scored on a Mike Haraway 10-yard run. After Tad Bedingfield booted the point after, the Tigers led 13-6.             On third down from the one-yard line, Crossville quarterback Randy Bruce scored a touchdown to pull the Lions within one. The Lions elected to go for the win instead of tying the game. A pass from Bruce intended for Joe Davis fell incomplete as the Lauderdale faithful began to celebrate in the stands.          The Lions outgained Lauderdale County 236-112 but three turnovers proved to be the difference in the game. The Tigers defeated Red Bay the following week in the third round of the playoffs and brought home the first state championship in school history when they defeated Ashford 14-13 one week later.           An overtime football game is common today but in 1974 it was a new concept in the playoffs. Prior to 1974 teams used the 'penetration rule' to determine a winner when games were tied after regulation. Lauderdale County had a first hand chance to see the new rule play out in one of the first overtime playoff games in Alabama high school football.
First Row: 27 Herman Fuqua, 35 Tracy Graham, 21 Bobby Berryhill, 73 Richard Nash, 33 Darryl Gilley, 51 Mike Ezell, 34 James Brown, 70 Michael Thigpen, 20 Michael Adams Second Row: 32 Raymond Nance, 13 Earl Butler, 36 Dale Watkins, 62 Roy Mac Trousdale, 82 Mark Nesmith, 80 Richard Cagle, 11 Terry Ingram, 74 Greg Davis, 64 David Tipton, 71 Jeff Eady Third Row: 28 James Haney, 88 Don Nance, 23 Michael Haraway, 66 Tad Beddingfield, 23 Mike Roberson, 84 Rickey Green, 87 Guy McDaniel, 44 Eddie Lamar, 31 Sammy Springer, 63 Billy Mills Back Row: 65 Daniel Patterson, 72 Danny Springer, 81 Dennis Davis, 60 Keith Masonia, 53 Tim Barnett, 75 Steve Jeffers, 12 Steve Pennington, 85 Charles Crunk, 50 Tony Chandler, 10 Blaine McCoy Lauderdale ............................   0   6   0   0   7 -13 Crossville ..............................   0   0   0   6   6 -12   Lauderdale - Mike Roberson 12-yard run (pass failed) 8:22 Crossville - Marty Griffin 1-yard run (kick missed) 8:15 Lauderdale - Mike Haraway 10-yard run (Tad Beddington kick) Crossville - Randy Bruce 1-yard run (pass failed)
Lauderdale County 1974 9/6 38 Tanner . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 9/13 27 Lexington . . . . . . . . . 6 9/20 13 Central Florence . . . 20 9/27 13 Rogers . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 10/4 56 West Morgan . . . . . . . 0 10/11 56 Iuka MS . . . . . . . . . . . 14 10/18 54 Brooks . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 10/25 26 Loretto TN . . . . . . . . 10 11/1 22 Hazlewood . . . . . . . . . 7 11/8 54 Colbert Heights . . . . 18 11/15 38 East Limestone * . . . 7 11/22 13 Crossville * . . . . . . 12 11/29 29 Red Bay * . . . . . . . . . 26 12/6 14 Ashford # . . . . . . . . . 13 453 13-1 135 * Playoff game # State championship game	Crossville 1974 9/6 21 Ider . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 9/13 33 Geraldine . . . . . . . . . 0 9/20 6 Collinsville . . . . . . 10 9/27 20 Plainview . . . . . . . . . 7 10/4 26 Valley Head . . . . . . . 7 10/11 18 Fyffe . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 10/18 28 Sylvania . . . . . . . . . . 0 10/25 21 Douglas . . . . . . . . . . . 6 11/1 26 Madison County . . . . . 6 11/8 13 Sardis . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 11/15 7 Stevenson * . . . . . . . 0 11/22 12 Lauderdale County * . . 13 231 9-3 72 * Playoff game

  The Memorable Games, a series on the important and memorable games in high school football history

David Parker
  AHSFHS.org
  dparker@ahsfhs.org

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