An estimated crowd of more than 175 came out on a warm Thursday evening to get their first look at the 2005 Demopolis Tigers. What they saw were stand-out first-half performances that will have many dreaming of a second state title.

With quarterback Dontrell Miller sparking the Blue squad and wideout Dwiuan White making several spectacular plays for the White, the spring scrimmage was tied at the half 14-14.

The opening quarter was dominated by the Blue offense, who took the ball on the game’s opening possession and drove 70 yards for the score. All 70 came on the ground and more than 60 of those yards were Miller’s, who repeatedly escaped would-be tacklers to reach the sideline and pick up big yardage. Shontrell Braxton capped the drive by muscling his way in from the 3 for a 7-0 lead.

The White squad responded with a touchdown drive of their own on the next possession. A holding penalty on an apparent touchdown run by Calvin Bryant and an incomplete pass had left the White looking at a 4th-and-10 hole from the Blue 25. But Dwiuan White slipped between two Blue defenders to come down with a flighted ball from Kyle Chancelor and knot the score at 7.

The Blue squad would retake the lead before the end of the quarter, however. With the help of a 25-yard run from Lucius Haywood, Miller again maneuvered Blue into scoring position before scampering off right end for a 20-yard touchdown.

In the second quarter, however, both defenses tightened and the two sides exchanged “punts,” i.e., in this case, 30 yards walked off by the officials.

Late in the quarter, White was able to tie the game for a second time. Rob Quinney, in at quarterback, launched a 45-yard bomb that White again split two defenders to haul in for the score.

The Blue threatened on their following possession, driving inside the White 20 with under 2 minutes in the half. But White outside linebacker Ezell Braxton had been increasingly involved in the game and made a pair of tackles to force 4th-and-5 from the 15. Shontrell Braxton was tripped up at the line and the half ended tied.

The second half was completed after press deadline. Complete coverage of the Blue-and-White game will be featured in tomorrow’s Demopolis Times.