Highlanders high step to big victory over Unaka, 44-20
Published 1:07 am Saturday, October 5, 2019
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Star Photo/Brandon Hyde Unaka quarterback Landon Ramsey looks for open space in the Rangers game against Cloudland Friday night.
Star Photo/Brandon Hyde Unaka's Daniel Shearl makes a cut to the inside.
Star Photo/Brandon Hyde Cloudland tailback Seth Birchfield cuts through the Unaka defense.
BY AUSTIN ALEXANDER
STAR CORRESPONDENT
STONEY CREEK- Two teams looking desperately for a win showed off in Stoney Creek on Friday as Cloudland came to visit Unaka.
Both teams knew a win could be huge for the end of season push. Despite a solid second-half effort from the Rangers, the Highlanders’ running game was just too much as they were victorious 44-20.
Cloudland began the game on the ground with Seth Birchfield getting four of the first five carries before the drive was abruptly halted by a fumble that Daniel Shearl would recover and take back the other way 89 yards for the score.
Enter round two for the Highlanders. The three-headed monster in the backfield dominated the Ranger defense in Birchfield, Hunter Blair, and Tristain Lacey.
Cloudland marched close to 50 yards in nine plays with Birchfield rambling 30 yards for the score. After a successful conversion, Cloudland led 8-6.
The Highlanders would not look back for the rest of the half.
After a quick drive, Cloudland would again takeover marching down the field on the ground with another venomous drive capped off by a Lacey seven-yard run. The two-point conversion was unsuccessful and the score stood 14-6.
Another short drive from Unaka, ended by a fumble, put Cloudland back on the field and the Highlanders would do much of the same on offense. Blair would be the back of choice for this score punching it in from nine yards out making the score 20-6.
Cloudland would add one more score before the break as Lacey again found pay dirt from 11 yards out and Cloudland led at the half 28-6.
Coming out of halftime, Unaka looked a little more motivated and it showed.
Landon Ramsey found Logan Benway on a huge play for 62 yards and the score. After an unsuccessful conversion, the Rangers trailed 28-12.
The bad news for Unaka was the same Cloudland team showed up in the second half. The ground game continued to stay on fire and Birchfield again found the end zone on a nine-yard run and the Highlanders would make the lead three scores again.
The Unaka offense would take back over and rolled down the field for another score when Ramsey again found Benway this time for 24 yards and a score.
Cloudland would quickly answer, as Lacey returned the ensuing kick 75 yards for the score and the Highlanders led 44-20.
The rest of the game was an exchanging of running plays from each team as the clock would bleed all the way down to double zeros and the Highlanders once again found themselves in the win column.
The Unaka side that showed up in the second half gave it a solid effort, but Cloudland’s first-half effort was just too powerful for the Rangers comeback hopes.
Unaka did get a big lift from leading tackler Nick Bowers who had one of his best games of the season, but the run game from the ‘Landers was just too much.
Unaka has a bye next week while Cloudland will host Hampton.
