Injury-depleted Highlanders fall in playoffs to Oliver Springs
Published 2:11 pm Tuesday, November 12, 2024
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Coach Zac Benfield gives words of encouragement to a couple of his defensive players during a timeout.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Landon Barnett shows focus as he awaits the kickoff.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Cloudland closes in on the Oliver Springs tailback.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Landon Barnett turns upfield looking for yardage.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Kingston Cole claps while waiting for the snap.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Coach Benfield takes a few moments to address his team and thank his seniors.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent The Cloudland defense pauses before the next play.
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By Ron Marvel
Star Correspondent
The loss of five starters before a playoff game would challenge any high school team. For the Single-A Cloudland Highlanders, who play ironman football, facing a state title-contending Oliver Springs team was a near-impossible task.
The Highlanders fell to Oliver Springs in the opening round of the TSSAA playoffs Friday night, 65-6. Head Coach Benfield knew the odds were steep for his depleted squad, so he asked one thing of them: “I wanted them to play physical, with a backbone, and be tough. I think they did that. We played hard even though we were behind the eight ball,” Coach Benfield said.
Mason Day quickly put the Bobcats on the board with touchdown runs of eight and 16 yards to lead 14-0. A Highlanders drive to midfield was halted by a fumble, and Bobcats quarterback Luke Boeke responded with a touchdown run, followed by a 45-yard pass to go up 28-0. The Highlanders regained some momentum as backup quarterback Kingston Cole, filling in for the injured Landon Birchfield, connected with Jacob Stinnett on a 24-yard pass. However, Boeke hit Jaquon Bennett for a 48-yard touchdown, and the Bobcats scored twice more before halftime to lead 51-6.
The Highlanders continued to battle but couldn’t score again. Offensive lineman Noah Young came on for the final drive and rushed for 68 yards on three carries. Coach Benfield praised the Bobcats, saying, “They are a very good team. I expect them and Coalfield to play in the third round, with the winner likely heading to the state championship.”
Boeke finished 8-of-12 for 202 yards and three touchdowns, while Bennett recorded three receptions for 103 yards and two TDs. Coach Benfield commended the efforts of Stinnett, Young, and Cole for Cloudland.
After the game, Coach Benfield gathered his team, especially acknowledging the contributions of his seniors. “This class of seniors is just good people. We had our highs and lows this season, but I consider myself blessed to have been around them for the last four years,” he said.
The seniors—Camden Peppers, Kingston Cole, Jacob Stinnett, Noah Young, and Matthew Baker—closed out the 2024 season with a record of 4-5.
