It was not the prettiest game in the world but in the end, Indian River came to the 804 and left with a 2-0 record while handing JR Tucker their first loss of the season.

The two teams combined unofficially for 23 penalties... 16 belonging to the Braves of Indian River.

While penalties were a problem for Indian River, turnovers were a problem for the Tigers. Tucker had two fumbles for which one they were able to recover. The Braves stripped the ball, there was an interception and two pick sixes. The two pick sixes came within a span of 5 minutes in the fourth quarter.

It was a tough night for both teams and the score is not truly indicative of how hard fought this game was. The game went into halftime with the Braves up 14-12 and went into the fourth quarter with that same score. It simply got away from the Tigers in that fourth quarter.

The Tigers did not have the start they would have liked... after an early first down a punt was warranted but the punters' knee was ruled down and the Braves had the ball on the Tiger 30. On the first play from scrimmage, Malachi Hinton punched it in but it would not stand.

The first of many penalties against Indian River brought the touchdown back, moments later Indian River fumbled on an option but was able to recover but the offense was not able to recover their momentum.

Indian River had the ball back after a Tiger turnover on downs and it took just 5 plays for the Braves to score for the first time. Working with another short field starting from the 26, the Braves #13 punched it in from the 2-yard line.

A little over a minute later it was Tucker finding the end zone for the first time of the night in what looked like might be a night of score exchanges. The Tigers scored on a 3-play, 70 yard drive that saw Dom Harris on the receiving end of a Kobby Owusu pass for 34 yards.

After Indian River was forced to punt following a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct, the Tigers wasted little time taking their first and only lead of the game. This scoring drive, like the last was only three plays and covered 82 yards with Cameron Williams trekking 78 yards.

The second quarter was mired in penalties and offensive struggles until there was less than two minutes to go. The Braves were backed up at their own 48 and put together a 52-yard, 3-play drive that saw Tyler Alison deliver a 31-yard pass and a 21-yard touchdown pass to the corner of the end zone as the Braves would take the lead back.

Indian River had deferred to the second half after winning the coin toss before the game. That was a moot point, however, to start the game as Tucker would recover their own onside kick. Moments later that momentum Tucker seized was lost when the Tigers fumbled and the Braves pounced on it.

The Braves put together a long, time consuming drive that did not result in point but left the Tigers with little time to do much in the third quarter. On a possession that began at their own 14, the Tigers went backward rather than forward with pressure from #7, #9 & #20 of Indian River.

As the final quarter began the Braves had the ball but Tucker's Khyliek Johnson came through with a strip of the ball from the Brave ball carrier. Tucker again had momentum on their side but it would not last long.

Facing 3rd & 5 after overcoming a delay of game penalty on first down, QB Kobby Owusu was intercepted. This would be the start of a big fourth quarter for the Braves and the Tigers undoing.

An Indian River touchdown to the corner of the end zone was ruled out of bounds and the Braves turned it over on downs. Tucker moved the ball out 16 yards and appeared to be onto something again but a tipped pass found the hands of Trey Voskanyan who took it to the house in the blink of an eye.

Disaster struck the Tigers again on the next series. With the ball at their own 21, Owusu was intercepted again, this time the pass was not tipped and this time it was Jordan Harris intercepting the pass and returning it with authority for a score. In the span of three minutes the Tigers had gone from being down by two to now sixteen.

Indian River was not done... Tucker unable to recover from a delay of game penalty punted it right back to the Braves. With time winding down in the game, the Braves put together a 70-yard drive overcoming a a holding call early. The Braves stuck with the run game and just kept pounding it at the Tigers and put an emphatic exclamation point on the fourth quarter with a 40-yard touchdown run by way of Malachi Hinton.

With a minute to go Tucker could only run a couple of plays before time expired on them; the game, the win belonged to the Braves.

Indian River would return to the 757 2-0 and the Tigers will regroup after their first loss of the season.

Apologies for not having all the names of Indian River players. Attempts to allocate a roster proved futile.