Cloudland Braces for Showdown with Oliver Springs
Ron Marvel - 11/8/22
After a 38-28 first-round victory over the Oakdale Eagles, the Highlanders will spend this week preparing for a showdown with the Oliver Springs Bobcats. Cloudland found success last Friday night off the legs of Gage McKinney who rushed for 370 yards on 58 carries and five touchdowns. The Highlanders got many of those yards out of the Wildcat formation and McKinney’s versatility and football IQ was on display last week as was their gritty offensive line led by Austin Caraway, Silas Burleson and Cayden Correll. Cloudland was able to overcome a half-time deficit, trailing by six at intermission. After an Oakdale touchdown late in the fourth quarter that cut the lead to ten, Cloudland was able to recover an onside kick, then kill the clock and take the double-digit victory. Coach Zac Benfield also wanted to give credit to what he described as the unsung hero of the game “our fullback Kyle Birchfield made the difference he was unselfish and did the dirty work all game”, Coach Benfield also added defensively Jacob Street put in a yeoman’s job in the second half to help hold the Eagles to just six points.
Meanwhile, the Oliver Springs Bobcats beat the Cosby Eagles 35-21 in a sloppy game that saw the two teams combine for eight turnovers. This game wasn’t as close as the score indicated as the Cosby Eagles threw for a couple of touchdowns late to make it look more respectable. They were led by a duo of freshmen tailbacks. Jaxon Jett, who has more wiggle than a nightcrawler on a fishing hook, and Dalton Reynolds, a bruiser, together totaled 254 yards on 19 carries. Kane Gouge the Bobcats 6”3, 202-pound senior QB pitched in 77 total yards and a passing touchdown. Defensively they were led by sophomore defensive tackle Carson Nevins who now has 12 sacks on the season and sophomore outside linebacker Cole Jackson. As a unit, the Bobcats held the Cosby Eagles to just 25 yards rushing on 12 carries. First year coach Tyler Harper felt the pressure provided by their defensive line was the difference in the game, “our front four created pressure up the middle and their QB got uncomfortable” Coach Harper stated.
In many ways these two teams mirror each other, they each have had their own obstacles to push through and both teams responded and bought into the message their coaches were telling them. Injuries ravaged the Highlanders, at one point during the season Cloudland had seven starters injured. These were players that went both ways and the team as a whole had to adjust to a new offensive scheme. That adjustment has allowed them to win four in a row with a margin of victory in those games of nearly 20 points. For the extremely young Bobcats most people thought they were a year away but playing in Region 2 forced these Bobcats to mature quickly. Coach Harper stated, “in the Oneida game we really figured out who we were offensively and what we had to do to have success.” Both these teams feel their personalities are displayed in their running game. The Bobcats will run out of the Wishbone and go to the Veer occasionally but they also like to throw quick slants and hitches and toss in a fade route as well. For the Highlanders, they will run out of the I formation and go Wildcat as well. Bobcats Coach Harper knows for sure is his team must find a way to corral Gage McKinney, “I have never seen a kid get hit so many times and not go down” Harper exclaimed. An interesting note is the fact that the last two times during Round 2 of the playoffs the Bobcats came up to Orr Field, in 2019 and 2020 they walked away with the win.
Both these coaches understand the line of scrimmages will be where this fight must be won. Coach Harper also added “we know we can’t go up there and push them around for four quarters” so look for these Bobcats to put the ball in the air more than what is their norm. Coach Benfield responded in a similar way “we may have to pass 40 percent of the time to loosen them up”. With the physical nature of this game, it has the making of a real slobber knocker and very well could be one of the better games in East Tennessee Friday night. Coach Benfield when asked what he expects from the nature of this game replied “this game could be a drag-out slugfest.” The team that breaks character and flinches first in Roan Mountain Friday night may hear the final bell of their season ring
Bulldogs Chomp Down on the Indians
Ron Marvel - 11/5/22
Strength of schedule, it’s a term tossed around and debated at every level of football. For the Hampton Bulldogs Coach Michael Lunsford, now in his 7th year with the program, knew the benefits of playing better programs; and while the risk of taking a hit to his win-loss record or rankings didn’t matter; his concerns about losing the war of attrition did. Nonetheless, he took games against both Gatlinburg -Pittman and the 5th-ranked 5A Daniel Boone Trailblazers in stride, knowing that these higher-classified teams with good programs would push his players to perform better come playoff time. It showed tonight as Hampton shutout Oneida 32-0.
Hampton faced a familiar foe in the Oneida Indians, facing them in the last three years in the playoffs and holding a 2-1 record against them during that span. Hampton in their home blues, lost the opening coin toss and received the kick-off to start the game. Three plays into the game a 76-yard run from Dominique Burleson was called back due to holding, but still resulted in a third-down conversion.
On second down from the Indians 28-yard Dylan Trivett connected with Geno Carrico for a TD on a 50/50 ball that Carrico strong-armed away from the Indian defensive back after a failed PAT, the Bulldogs, with 6:07 left, led in the first quarter led 6-0. After forcing Oneida in a 3 and out Hampton took over at their own 16. On third and nine a long Trivett pass just sailed over the outstretched hands of Jonathan Greenwell forcing a 38-yard Chance Point punt, ending the first quarter.
The Indians starting from their own 22-yard line began to march down the field, but that drive was put to an end by an excellent open-field tackle by Dylan Trivett. A bad snap on a punt by the Indians sailed over Indian punter Colby Tyra and was scooped up by senior Brodi Hicks who galloped for a 45-yard touchdown giving the Bulldogs a 12-0 lead. In the spirit of true sportsmanship, both the Hampton and Oneida teams gathered together to pray on the field for Tyra who was injured during the play. After play resumed, Levi Lunsford came up just short on the two-point conversion. Oneida was once again marching downfield but, after a Geno Carrico sack and a ten-yard holding penalty, Oneida faced fourth and 23. Following the Indian 33-yard punt, Hampton took over at their own 12 and quickened their pace, but after a couple of first downs, the Bulldogs faced a fourth and short, unfazed Levi Lunsford powered ahead for 15 yards breaking several Indian tackles along the way. Facing another fourth and five Lunsford once again picked up a chunk of yards taking the ball all the way to the Indian four-yard line. Lunceford finished off the drive with a three-yard touchdown run off the shoulder of tackle Jonah Bowling, another missed PAT made the halftime score 18-0, a half that saw the Bulldogs outgain the Indians in yardage 200-15.
The second half began with Oneida converting a 33-yard pass to mid-field on third and very long off the arm of Indian QB Caden Rector, the drive would be stalled after Luke Belchers ninth sack of the season. Looking to run time off the clock at the six-minute mark the Bulldogs would go for a fourth and one from their own 24; Lunsford once again would pick up the first and then some with an eight-yard run.
Surprisingly the Bulldogs then went to the air with three passes in a row, Trivett would complete all three passes taking the Bulldogs all the way to the Indian 11-yard line. Junior QB Dylan Trivett would then finish off the drive with a six-yard plunge, with the extra point by Chance Point. Coach Lunsford and his Bulldogs would go into the final stanza with a 25-0 lead.
With their season on the line the Indians would drive to the Bulldogs 49-yard line, but as they had all night long, the Bulldogs would provide pressure on the Indians QB in the form of a sack by Austin Bentley. After a time-consuming drive led by bruising runs by Levi Lunsford and a couple more fourth-down conversions and a 16-yard pass to Josh Sweeney, the Bulldogs scored on a six-yard run by Levi Lunsford. The extra point by Point made the score 32-0 with 3:45 left in the game, With the continuous clock running the Bulldogs finished off the shut-out. The Bulldogs defensively dominated the Indians and then some, holding them to a total of 35 yards and negative 20 yards on 21 carries rushing.
Coach Lunsford talking about his defense after the game said “I think our team speed on defense was the difference tonight, you know it’s hard to complain about a shut-out but we put ourselves in some bad spots tonight, and there are things we have to clean up before next week.” When asked how long they would enjoy this Coach Lunsford replied, “we’ve already moved on.” For the Bulldogs Levi Lunsford had 24 carries for 165 yards and picked up numerous fourth-downs to extend drives, Dominique Burleson chipped in 76 yards on 12 carries. Trivett finished the night 6 for 10 for 77 yards and a TD. Defensively Geno Carrico led the team with six tackles and two sacks. Hampton improved on the season to 9-2 and will host the 9-2 Monterey Wildcats Friday night with kickoff at 7 pm.
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