Feeling the groove… Cyclones confidence growing with each snap of football

Published 12:13 pm Tuesday, October 11, 2022

STAR CORRESPONDENT

Make no bones about it, after the first three games of the 2022 season; the Elizabethton Cyclones were feeling the lowest of low after coming off the last three years of ultra-successful football being practically unbeatable over that time frame only to find themselves at rock bottom looking up.

But right now, the Cyclones are sounding the alarm that they have found their groove and other teams had better sit up and take notice.

Elizabethton has reeled off two straight convincing wins scoring 35 points or more in those two along with a 47-0 win over Grainger. In that run was a heartbreaking loss to Anderson Co. on the road where the Cyclone were on the brink of upsetting the #2 ranked Mavericks losing by a single point, 35-34.

Talking to the Cyclone players, their confidence has risen to the level that it was the past three years and they are starting to believe that they will have something to say about a potential fourth state final appearance.

There remains a lot of work to be done and head coach Shawn Witten realizes that but with the crisp execution that his team is starting display, he is getting on board with the players.

“Rhea County plays a good schedule and when they scored we scored,” Witten said. “We found the answers. Our third down efficiency on offense was better. We scored with 20 seconds left before the half and answered on two long pass plays that we needed. I thought Dalton (Mitchell) played consistent. Cade gave us some big time plays at the H-back position and Nate ran well. Jeriah (Griffin) had two big catches.”

This week, the Cyclones (3-4, 2-1) welcome Region 1 4-A foe Volunteer (1-6, 0-3) to Citizens Bank Stadium for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff.  Last week, the Falcons traveled to Tennessee High where the Vikings showed little mercy on their visitors as they whipped the Church Hill team 40-6.

The Falcons have lost to West Ridge (41-6), Dobyns-Bennett (41-0), Seymour (41-20), Greeneville (54-0), and Grainger Co. (28-7) along with the loss to Tennessee High. Their only win came against Johnson Co. (24-12).

It might not be another good night for the Falcons on Friday either as the Cyclones are looking to take care of business early as they prepare for post season action.

Witten acknowledged that the turnaround came as a result of the team having to go back and start all over offensively and defensively and learning that this team was not going to be one dimensional.

“It’s amazing what happens when you play unselfish football.” Witten said. “You don’t really care who gets the credit and I think that we have come so far in a short amount of time. I think momentum is a key word. I told our team that one of the key characteristics of our team is toughness. Our kids have fought all season long mentally and physically but you can tell a difference in our execution. Our execution is becoming more crisp every quarter and every time we step on the field.”