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By C.Y. Peters

In a tough matchup on the road, the Unaka Rangers faced off against the Cosby Eagles last Friday night, and it was a game the Rangers would rather forget. Unaka’s 60-6 defeat exposed flaws on both sides of the ball, leaving the team searching for answers as they prepare for their upcoming homecoming game against Jellico.

From the opening kickoff, it was clear that something was off for the Rangers. Whether it was the long bus ride, the frustration of being stuck in traffic, or simply a bad night, the effort just wasn’t there for Unaka, and it showed in their play. Head coach O’Brien didn’t mince words when reflecting on the performance.

“That was as bad as we’ve looked on both sides of the ball since I have been at Unaka,” O’Brien said after the game. “I don’t know if it was the bus ride or being stuck in traffic or just a bad night, but the effort was not there, and it showed.”

Offensive Woes
Offensively, the Rangers struggled to gain any momentum throughout the game. Quarterback Connor McKinney, who had flashes of brilliance earlier in the season, couldn’t get in sync with his receivers and faced constant pressure from Cosby’s defense. McKinney finished the game completing just 6 of 16 passes for 120 yards, throwing two interceptions along the way.

McKinney’s lone bright spot came in the second quarter when he rushed for Unaka’s only touchdown, a short-yardage run that gave the Rangers their only points of the night. Even so, McKinney’s rushing stats tell the story of a tough evening, as he ended the game with 10 carries for -22 yards, often finding himself running for his life behind a line that struggled to protect him.

Unaka’s receiving corps had a few moments of promise, with Ashton Fuller leading the way, hauling in four receptions for 58 yards. Fuller’s ability to find space was one of the few highlights in the passing game. Running back Isaiah Freeman also made a big play, catching a 42-yard pass that set up McKinney’s rushing touchdown. However, the consistency wasn’t there, as the Rangers couldn’t string together enough successful plays to sustain drives.

Other contributors included freshman Ben Shutko, who stepped in at quarterback for parts of the game, completing 4 of 5 passes for just 11 yards. Micah Gray also chipped in with five catches for 21 yards, but the offensive attack was largely stagnant.

Defensive Struggles
On the defensive side of the ball, things weren’t much better for Unaka. Cosby’s offense moved the ball with ease, and the Rangers were unable to generate the stops they needed to stay in the game. The Eagles exploited gaps in the Unaka defense, both through the air and on the ground.

Despite the overall struggles, freshman Ben Shutko was a standout on defense. He led the Rangers with seven solo tackles and provided a spark, showing poise and energy that the team desperately needed. Shutko’s performance was a bright spot for a defense that otherwise had difficulty slowing down the Eagles’ offense.

“Kudos to Ben Shutko,” O’Brien said. “He was our best defensive player and was a spark on offense as well. His attitude and effort will lead to a bigger role moving forward.”

Micah Gray also made his presence felt on defense, contributing four solo tackles and assisting on two more, including a tackle for loss. Gray’s efforts, along with Shutko’s, were among the few positives Unaka could take from the game.

Moving Forward
Coach O’Brien was candid in his post-game comments, noting that the Rangers will need to do some serious self-reflection if they hope to turn things around. With homecoming against Jellico looming, Unaka has no time to dwell on the past.

“We’re just going to close the book on that one and move on to the next,” O’Brien said. “Jellico is very similar on both sides of the ball as Cosby. They spread things out, run the ball well, throw it around to good athletes, and play aggressive defense. We’ll have to do a lot of self-reflection and focus on ourselves if we are going to try to be competitive this week.”

O’Brien indicated that the Rangers would simplify their approach in practice, paring down their playbook by as much as 75% to focus on execution and consistency.

“We’ll probably distill the playbook on both sides by about 75% this week and try to find something we can execute consistently,” he added.

With the excitement of homecoming providing an extra boost, Unaka will be looking for a much-improved performance when they take the field against Jellico. For now, though, the Rangers will have to regroup and put the Cosby game behind them.

Unaka’s homecoming game against Jellico will take place this Friday night, and the team is hoping to bounce back in front of their home crowd, focusing on building the effort and execution that was lacking in their road loss.