Seeking #20… Cyclones travel to Cherokee looking to keep streak rolling
Published 12:14 pm Tuesday, September 22, 2020
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File Photo/Ivan Sanders Sophomore Nate Stephens had a superb game last week against Grainger Co. rushing for over 100 yards and a score on only seven carries.
File Photo/Ivan Sanders LaDarian Avery had arguably one of his best offensive games as the senior rushed for over 100 yards and two scores as the Cyclones crushed the Grizzlies last week.
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BY IVAN SANDERS
STAR SPORTS EDITOR
ivan.sanders@elizabethton.com
The Elizabethton Cyclones looked like their old self last week on the road at Rutledge after getting three missing offensive linemen back into the rotation while Parker Hughes continued to be – well Parker Hughes in collecting over 200 yards of receiving and three touchdowns.
Thrown into the mix was an outstanding effort from senior running back LaDarian Avery who accounted for 115 yards rushing and two scores on 11 carries and another 100-yard rusher in sophomore Nate Stephens who glided his way to 111 yards on seven carries and a score.
Jake Roberts certainly did his part as well throwing for a 69-yard score and picking off a Grainger pass for an interception and recording a sack.
As a whole, the Cyclones accounted for 477 yards of total offense while holding Grainger to 207 with 173 of those yards coming from the ground game.
Now, it’s a whole new week and the Cyclones are setting their sights on blowing through Rogersville to notch a win that would extend their consecutive win streak to 20 games dating back to the 2019 season.
Standing in the way is a Cherokee Chiefs team that at this same juncture in 2019 came into Citizens Bank Stadium undefeated and left with a resounding defeat in the midst of a torrential down pour.
The Chiefs come into the contest beaten and battered at 1-4 and having to play last week’s contest against Volunteer without their head coach who suffered injuries in an automobile accident and dropped that contest to their Hawkins County counterparts – the Volunteer Falcons by a 16-0 score.
Their only win came in the season’s first game on the road at Union County by a 48-0 score but then hit a four-game losing skid dropping contests to Sullivan South (35-0), Morristown East (34-0), Morristown West (35-0), and Volunteer.
But there has to be something said about a team that looks to be down for the count and that is one had better be careful because most things in life are most dangerous when they look like they are going down for the last final time.
Elizabethton head coach Shawn Witten and his family have been dealt their own blow this week with the passing of Rusty Barnett who was married to Witten’s mother Kim.
However, that hasn’t stopped the Elizabethton coaching staff from getting the Cyclones prepped and ready to face off with Cherokee.
It’s always a business-like approach around the Cyclone camp as this team knows the equation to winning football games and realizes that they cannot take anything for granted as they continue their march to defend their 2019 Class 4A Championship.
The game is slated for a 7:30 pm kickoff. Elizabethton will be back home next week when they play host to William Blount.
