The Warriors were able to get things done with a fourth quarter rally Friday night as they topped the Falcons 38-14 at Volunteer. 

On the ground, the Warriors were led by sophomore Will Tittle who recorded 101 yards on 17 touches. Happy Valley senior quarterback Brayden Sams had 98 yards rushing on 11 carries. Sams would also record a 44-yard touchdown pass to Tittle. 

A big kickoff return from Happy Valley’s Kai Norman would put the Warriors on their own 35 to start the game. In five plays that saw Happy Valley’s Dakota Cochran and Tittle alternate carries, Tittle got the Warriors on the board with a 7-yard touchdown to the outside. With the PAT from Michael Harrah no good, the Warriors led 6-0 with 9:38 left in the first. 

During their first outing, the Happy Valley defense made easy work of the Falcon’s, forcing Volunteer to go three and out. 

With the ball back on the Falcons’ 48, Happy Valley got in the end zone in three plays with senior quarterback Brayden Sams rattling off a 33-yard touchdown carry. Tittle punched in the 2-point conversion, and the Warriors led 14-0 with 6:20 left in the first. 

After a lengthy drive, the Falcons came up short again. The Warriors next drive would carry over into the second quarter. Going seven plays and 52 yards, the Warriors busted beyond goal line with Sams 1-yard keeper. Another PAT came short giving the Warriors a 20-0 lead with 7:58 left in the half. 

The Falcons would finally find some momentum during their next possession as Volunteer QB Eli Dorton connected with receiver Peyton Derrick who battled his way in for a 57-yard touchdown. 

On the kickoff, the Falcons’ Drew Burton recovered an onsides kick giving the Falcons the ball back on the Warriors’ 45. Volunteer drove deep into Warriors’ territory before Dorton found Volunteer’s Peyton Baker for a 7-yard TD pass making it a one possession game, 20-14, with two minutes left in the first half. 

Happy Valley came up short during the final drive before halftime sending the teams to the locker rooms with the Warriors holding a 20-14 lead. 

The third quarter went scoreless as both teams struggled to put together any offense. The Warriors defense would pick up two big turnovers as Norman had an interception and Happy Valley’s Luke Phillips recovered a Falcons’ fumble that stopped a key Volunteer drive. 

Happy Valley came alive in the fourth as they recorded three touchdowns with Tittle running in a three-yarder, Cochran scoring on a 5-yard run and Sams finding Tittle on a deep 40-yard TD toss. 

Happy Valley will be off during week two.

For a more in-depth look at Friday’s game, pick up Tuesday’s edition of the Gridiron Weekly, a weekly football section produced by the Elizabethton Star.