Highlanders trounce Hancock County, turn attention to Longhorns
Published 3:04 pm Monday, September 9, 2024
Star Correspondent/Brandon Hyde Cloudland’s Grayson Cole picks up a first down on a sweep with 10:24 remaining in the second quarter.
Star Correspondent/Brandon Hyde Cloudland’s Jacob Stinnett tackles a Hancock County running back as help arrives.
Star Correspondent/Brandon Hyde Cloudland’s Kingston Cole and Bryson Peppers combine for a sack on the Hancock County quarterback.
Star Correspondent/Brandon Hyde Cloudland’s Landon Barnette scores a touchdown on an outside run, putting the Highlanders up 22-0 in the first half.
Star Correspondent/Brandon Hyde Grayson Cole breaks free for a run off the edge Friday night for Cloudland.
Star Correspondent/Brandon Hyde After a reversed call on a punt, Cloudland quarterback Cam Peppers throws a 30-yard strike to Bryce Birchfield for a touchdown, making it 28-0 with 6:19 left in the first half.
Star Correspondent/Brandon Hyde The Cloudland defense overwhelms the struggling Hancock County Indians Friday night in Roan Mountain.
Star Correspondent/Brandon Hyde Cloudland’s Gavyn Shell prevents a Hancock County runner from turning the corner.
Star Correspondent/Brandon Hyde After a Cloudland sack pinned the Indians on their 10-yard line, Grayson Cole returns the ensuing punt for a touchdown.
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By RON MARVEL
Star Correspondent
The Cloudland Highlanders dominated Friday night with a 50-6 win over Hancock County. Grayson Cole got the scoring started at the 8:30 mark of the first quarter with an 11-yard touchdown run, followed by a successful 2-point conversion to make it 8-0. This was just the beginning of an avalanche of scoring.
One thing became clear early on: the Highlanders controlled the line of scrimmage. “We got a good push up front on the line and showed good discipline, which helped us get off to a quick start,” Head Coach Zac Benfield said. Cole added another touchdown as the first quarter ended, pushing the lead to 16-0.
Four minutes into the second quarter, Bryce Birchfield rolled to his right and hit Jacob Stinnett with a 20-yard pass, keeping the drive alive. This set up a 10-yard touchdown run by Landon Barnette. On the next drive, Cam Peppers connected with Birchfield on a 34-yard touchdown pass. With time running out in the half, the Highlanders forced a Hancock three-and-out, allowing Cole to return a 41-yard punt for a touchdown. Cloudland went into halftime with a 37-0 lead.
Cloudland’s defense held Hancock to just 25 yards in the first half. Defensive ends Kingston Cole and Tristan Hoss led the charge, with strong support from middle linebacker Stinnett. “Our linebackers did a good job flowing downhill and reading and reacting. Kingston did a great job stretching the play and not letting Hancock break containment,” Benfield said.
In the second half, Cole scored on a 49-yard run, and Peppers hit Birchfield for an 18-yard touchdown pass to finish the scoring for Cloudland. Benfield praised the offensive line’s effort, saying, “I thought our line got a great push tonight, led by our tackles Noah Young and Tristan Hoss. Our center Larry Hernandez played well and is improving each week.” Hancock finished the game with less than 100 total yards.
The Highlanders now turn their focus to the 3-0 Johnson County Longhorns, who feature running back Juan Mejia, averaging 165 rushing yards per game and 11 touchdowns. “Johnson County is loaded from the line to the linebackers, secondary, and running backs. They have a lot of seniors, and they play like it,” Benfield said. Through three games, the Longhorns have allowed just 15 points. “We have to play disciplined, win one-on-one battles, and be able to shock and shed on defense. Offensively, we need to maintain our blocks,” Benfield added.
The Highlanders will have the advantage of playing at home, with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m.
