CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – It was a festive atmosphere before the game started between Silverdale and Tyner. It was senior night for the Seahawks, the green carpet was laid out so to speak as SBA was debuting a new turf playing surface, and they were hosting the school that is 1.2 miles away from their Bonny Oaks Drive campus. Then the game started, and what a way to start the 2025 season. The third meeting all-time between the Seahawks and the Rams came down to final minute with Tyner, overcoming three turnovers and securing victory within the final minute, for a 28-27 opening night victory on Friday night.

Silverdale would go three and out on their first possession, with Tyner beginning their first offensive possession of the year close to midfield. After getting 8 yards on 1st down, the Seahawk defense stood up and would force a turnover on downs three plays later to give their offense the ball back at the Silverdale 46-yard line. The green and gold combination of quarterback Connor Jenne and receiver Cannon Rogers unlocked the first points of the game when Rogers hauled in a 34-yard pass from Jenne to give Silverdale a 7-0 lead with 7:12 left in the first quarter. Tyner looked to answer on the following possession after D’Aerion McNealy raced into the endzone from 47 yards out, but a penalty on the run wiped the score off the board.

Silverdale defensive back Luke Bowman would step in front of a Tyler Anderson pass for the first turnover of the game. Gerard Allen, trying to get a hand on Bowman after the interception, grabbed the facemask and would get the Seahawks closer as they would setup inside the Rams’ 20-yard line.

Silverdale’s Luke Bowman has his facemask adjusted after an interception against Tyner
*Photo by Justin Sims*

Tate Standefer would cap the short drive with a 4-yard run but after the missed extra point, it was 13-0 Silverdale with 9:00 left until halftime. Tyner would answer with a drive that took nearly 6 minutes off the clock with McNealy scoring on a 1-yard run with 3:08 left in the quarter. The ball looked to have come out and recovered in the endzone by the Seahawks, but the officials confirmed it was a score. The Ram Train hauled in an interception of their own and a chance to cut the Silverdale lead even more, but Anderson’s pass on 4th down inside the SBA 10-yard line fell incomplete.

Tyner would turn the ball over on their first two possessions of the second half, the first coming on a Cole Carpenter interception in the endzone. Then Silverdale recovered a Rams’ fumble at the Tyner 33-yard line. Cody Davenport’s 4-yard run would end the drive, extending Silverdale’s lead to 20-6 with 1 minute left in the third quarter.

McNealy would add another 1-yard run to get the Rams back within one score, as the Seahawks lead would be cut to 20-13 with 6:39 left in the game. Silverdale would begin another drive inside Tyner territory at the 45-yard line. Jenne’s 21-yard pass to Davenport would continue the drive and Standefer’s second touchdown run of the game, this time from one-yard 0ut, would make the Seahawks’ advantage 27-13 with 4:18 to go in the game. The Ram Train would not be totally derailed with an answer less than two minutes later when Anderson found Dion Edwards from 27 yards out to cut the Silverdale lead down to 27-20 with 2:25 remaining. Lucas Thomas attempted an onside kick, Tyner recovered it near midfield, and the race to victory was on. Anderson would add a rushing touchdown to the stat sheet on an 11-yard run with 51 seconds to go. Time to go for the extra point and send the game into overtime? Tyner head coach Christian Mainor had other plans as he kept his offense on the field to go for the win on the two-point conversion. Anderson rolled out to the near sideline, regained his footing after a brief stumble, and found Gerard Allen in the endzone as Tyner took the lead 28-27, the first lead of the night for the maroon and gold. Silverdale would have an opportunity on the final play to take the lead back and win the game. Rogers reeled in a deflected Jenne pass at the 10 yard line but was tackled before having an opportunity to pitch it back.

Tyner holds on the final play of the game to beat Silverdale

Tyner goes to 1-0 on the season and will stay on the road next Friday as they play at Chattanooga Christian. Silverdale falls to 0-1 and hits the road with a trip to South Pittsburg.