Cyclones second half adjustments grounds Eagles
Published 12:19 am Saturday, October 8, 2022
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Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Elizabethton's Nate Stephens breaks to the outside against a Rhea Co. defender.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Cyclone wide receiver Teddy Orton turns the football downfield after a reception.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders The Cyclone defense stops Eagle quarterback Kaleb Martin in his tracks in the second half.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Cyclone running back Cade Russell splits the Rhea Co. defense on a nice run.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders The Cyclone defense surrounds Rhea Co. running back Ethan Davis during Friday night's action.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Nate Stephens breaks free from the Rhea Co. defense on his way to a big pickup.
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STAR CORRESPONDENT
EVENSVILLE – It was a trip that the Elizabethton Cyclone football team wouldn’t forget, having to overcome adversity from the highway to the field.
On a trip that would have taken three and a half hours to Rhea Co. High School, an accident involving a young woman falling asleep and hitting the back of one of the buses added additional delay. No one was injured.
The events seemed to have the Cyclones off in the first half but thanks to adjustments at halftime, Coach Shawn Witten’s team responded on both sides of the football to earn a 35-28 non-conference victory.
Senior Nate Stephens was a one-man wrecking crew as the fleet-footed running back rushed 28 times for 245 yards and three touchdowns to lead Elizabethton to victory.
The first half was evenly played as Rhea Co. jumped out front first 7-0 in the first quarter as Ethan Davis took the football over the goal line from two yards out. Cole Ruehling’s kick was good.
Elizabethton erased the goose egg on their side of the board in the second quarter when Jeriah Griffin took a slant pass from quarterback Dalton Mitchell and outraced the Eagle defenders on a 65-yard touchdown pass play. Caleb Campbell booted the PAT and the score was knotted at 7-7.
Rhea Co. responded quickly after the score, driving down the field and putting seven more on the Rhea Co. side of the board as, once again, Davis handled the chore from the one-yard line. Ruehling’s kick was good and the Eagles were back in front 14-7.
After the Cyclones took possession after the score, it was another Mitchell to Griffin hookup that put the Cyclones in business at the Eagle 20-yard line. Stephens answered the call when he covered the 20-yards to pay dirt to knot the score at 14-14 after Campbell’s kick.
The first half ended with the same score.
Neither team could find the end zone in the third quarter as the Cyclone defense adjusted to the offense being run by the Eagles and Rhea Co. struggled to get anything going as they did in the first half.
Elizabethton had the ball when the fourth quarter began and quickly put another score on the board as senior running back Cade Russell bulled in from the one on a wildcat run. Campbell continued to kick the ball solidly as the Cyclones led for the first time 21-14.
Mason Williams put the ensuing kickoff into the end zone but that didn’t phase the Eagles as on the first play from scrimmage, Davis bolted through the line and down the Rhea Co. sideline on an 80-yard bolt that tied the score at 21-21 just 13 seconds after the Cyclones had scored.
Elizabethton used their quick-strike offense once again as Stephens toted the mail into the end zone from 16 yards and Campbell’s boot was true for a 28-21 Cyclone lead with 9:59 left to play.
The Cyclone defense rose to the occasion on the ensuing Eagle possession, getting the ball back in great field position. Stephens number was called once again as he plunged into the end zone, this time from four yards out. Campbell’s kick made it a 35-21 contest with 3:41 left on the game clock.
Rhea Co. didn’t go away as they took the following kick and put the football into the end zone with 59 seconds left to play on a one-yard effort by Davis. Ruehling’s kick was true, making it a 35-28 contest.
The Eagles tried an onside kick but the Cyclones weren’t having any of it as they recovered the football and ran out the clock as they had moved the football to the Rhea Co. six-yard line before taking kneel downs to end the contest.
Elizabethton had 244 yards rushing on 35 carries and Mitchell was 7-of-10 passing for 183 yards. Davis led Rhea Co. with 259 yards rushing on 39 carries with all four Eagle scores.
Griffin led Cyclone receivers on the night with two catches for 125 yards and the score while Teddy Orton had three receptions covering 48 yards.
The Cyclones finished with 427 yards of total offense, while the Eagles had 370.
Elizabethton (3-4, 2-1) returns home next week to host Volunteer in a Region 1 4-A clash. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m.
