Cloudland Downs Jellico 50-28 to Win Region 1 Conference

Published 1:44 am Saturday, October 19, 2019

BY DANNY BLEVINS

STAR CORRESPONDENT

ROAN MOUNTAIN – Cloudland entered Friday nights game against the Jellico Blue Devils needing a win to have a perfect Region I conference record. They found it in a 50-28 romping of the Blue Devils. 

During a season that has seen several heartbreaking loses and the lose of a coach halfway through the season, Cloudland made a point on Friday. Their point was that the rest of the state should not count them out yet.

With a record of 3-0 in the Region I Class 1A, they now have a home-field advantage for the first two rounds of the Class 1-A playoffs. The road to success in the state tournament in East Tennessee now leads through Roan Mountain.

The Highlanders were led by their speedy receivers and running backs, and several of these saw the end zone before the game was over.

The scoring started in the first quarter when Cloudland took the ball and a short field into the end zone from a power run by Seth Birchfield. After the Blue Devils stopped the two-point conversion, Cloudland took a 6-0 lead into the second quarter.

During the second quarter, Cloudland opened the flood gates on the scoring. It started when Tristain Lacey took the ball 22 yards for six points. Bentley Gilbert then ran the ball in for the two-point conversion.

With the score at 14-0, Cloudland’s defense held solid, including a good effort by the defensive backs who broke up several Jellico passes.

Cloudland padded the scoring in the second when they turned Hunter Blair loose with the ball. After breaking several tackles, he made it to the end zone and Cloudland’s lead now stood at 20-0.  

With plenty of time left in the first half, Hunter Blair took the ball into the end zone from the six for the Highlanders, and with Hunter Shell’s two-point conversion, the score stood at 28-0 going into the half.

Two things were clear for Jellico as both teams went into halftime. Jellico had no answer for Cloudland’s run offense, and their offense needed to figure out Cloudland’s defense.

Cloudland took the kickoff at the beginning of the third quarter and could not move the ball. After a punt, Jellico finally started moving the ball for the first time during the game and did not stop until they made it to the end zone.

With the score 28-6, Cloudland’s Lacey made a long run look easy and found pay dirt again for the Highlanders. After Hunter Blair punched the ball in for the two-point conversion, the score was 36-6 and Cloudland could feel that they had the game in hand.

Showing more heart than one team should, the Jellico Blue Devils did not give up.

After the Cloudland score, Jellico’s quarterback sent the ball deep and connected for another Jellico touchdown.

After Jellico’s extra point, Cloudland took the next possession in a grinding, minute-eating drive that ended in another Lacey run and Birchfield two-point conversion and the score stood at 44-14 with one quarter remaining.

The fourth quarter saw Jellico and Cloudland both score again, but for Jellico, it was too little too late. The buzzer finally sounded giving Cloudland a 50-28 win and sole possession of the Region I Class 1-A title.