Tyner's Peyton Dyer showcased the burst of speed and type of skills that have made him a highly-sought after recruit by nearly every major college football program in the country as he helped the Rams gain momentum in Saturday's 46-37 road win over Chattanooga Prep in a TSSAA Region 3-3A opener played at Howard School.
After nearly fumbling away a punt return earlier, Dyer made the most of his next attempt as he shook several defenders and then saw an opening provided by his blockers to sprint the rest of the way for a 69-yard touchdown and provide a 32-19 lead for the Rams with 24 seconds left in the third quarter.
"I have so much trust in my guys," said the 6-foot, 195-pound Dyer, a four-star prospect who has committed to Southern California but also has offers from Georgia, Ohio State and Tennessee among other programs.
"Momentum is everything. This was a big win for us in the region. But we have to keep working hard. This game was too close. It should have been a blowout. Our team has the potential to be a state champion-type of team this year. We have to clean up the things we did wrong tonight."
Chattanooga Prep (2-5) was provided yet another sensational performance by senior running back Marquis Gardner, whose fifth and final touchdown of the night came on a reception as he held on to the ball despite taking a big hit in the end zone. Gardner had a pair of touchdown runs and receiving scores along with an interception he returned all the way while totaling nearly 300 all-purpose yards.
However, Tyner -- ranked No. 4 in its classification -- also received a star performance by senior Jamarion Dowdell in the backfield as he helped seal the victory and a 7-0 start to the season for the Rams with a pair of touchdown runs in the fourth quarter. Dowdell provided one of the highlight runs of the night on his 55-yard score as he broke away from what looked to be a sure tackler for the final 20 yards.
"Chatt Prep's running back is really great," said Dowdell, who transferred from Georgia's Buford. "He played his heart out. I had to stay on my grind though, and help us close out this win. We had to find some answers tonight in a close game."
The Rams, who overcame three interceptions, also got big contributions from sophomore Dion Edwards as he returned the opening kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown and added an 18-yard touchdown catch.
Contact Patrick MacCoon at [email protected].