BY BRIAN HAMILTON KODAK – Northview Academy ran out of time against Unicoi County Friday night, as the Cougars fell 22-15. “They all played hard and I’m very pleased with them,” Northview head coach Heath Woods said. “We made mistakes and when you make mistakes you lose ballgames.” Quarterback Alex Cruz-Mendoza, a converted running back, put Northview on the board first with an 8-yard touchdown run, giving the Cougars an 8-0 lead. Unicoi then scored 22 unanswered points, taking a 15-8 halftime lead and later a 22-8 lead, as Nehemiah Edwards scored from two yards out midway through the third …
Pigeon Forge falls to Hampton 20-14, despite late rally
BY BRIAN HAMILTON HAMPTON – Pigeon Forge fell behind 14-0 in the first half against Hampton and were unable to recover, despite a late push by the Tigers. Hampton would score on the opening drive, as the Bulldogs put together a 10-play, 78-yard drive, capped by a 4-yard touchdown run by quarterback Conor Jones. Pigeon Forge then fell behind 14-0 when Jones found Johnathan Greenwell for a 24-yard score with three minutes left until halftime. Junior Ayden Littles returned the opening second half kick-off 71 yards for a touchdown, pulling the Tigers to within 14-7. A failed fourth down attempt …
Alcoa flexes offensive muscle with 41-13 win over Rhea County
BY BRIAN HAMILTON ALCOA – Alcoa returns Class 3A championship MVP quarterback Caden Buckles, who spearheaded a 41-point outburst in the first half, as the Tornadoes went on to a 41-13 win. Alcoa scored on five of its first six drives before calling off the dogs in the second half. “Forty points is never expected in the first half, but we just dominated,” Buckles said after the game. “That’s probably one of the best halves of football I’ve seen in a long time.” The six-time defending state champions got on the scoreboard quick, as running back Jordan Harris returned the …
Sevier County earns first win in Dandridge since 2013
BY BRIAN HAMILTON DANDRIDGE – Sevier County traveled to Dandridge on Friday night and came away with a hard-fought 21-13 win over Jefferson County. The Smoky Bears got on the board late in the first quarter when quarterback Collin Shannon ran for a score, making the score 7-0 with 1:33 left in the quarter. Sevier County would then go in front 14-0 when Shannon scrambled on fourth down and found Corbin Overbay for a 29-yard touchdown with just 1:48 left in the half. The Smoky Bears would go to the half with a 14-0 advantage. Jefferson County would cut the …
William Blount falls to Clinton 41-23 in opener
BY BRIAN HAMILTON MARYVILLE – The William Blount Governors and Clinton Dragons met for the first time since 1997 on Friday night, a game that Clinton won 28-7. The Dragons would win Friday’s game as well, handing William Blount a 41-23 loss in their opener. Clinton took the opening kick and marched 80 yards to pay dirt, as Ereese King took the ball into the end zone for a 7-0 lead. The drive took almost seven minutes off the clock. The Governors then went three-and-out on their first drive and were forced to punt. On the next Dragons possession, quarterback …
South-Doyle extracts revenge against Oak Ridge with 28-20 win
BY BRIAN HAMILTON OAK RIDGE – South-Doyle put last year in the rearview mirror, where the Cherokees were shut out 14-0 against Oak Ridge in the Class 5A state semifinals, to defeat the Wildcats 28-20 on Thursday night. “It’s a really big confidence booster and it helps us find that we can compete,” South-Doyle head coach Clark Duncan said. “It’s a non-conference game between two really good programs.” Shawn Gary ran for 165 yards and two touchdowns to lead South-Doyle to victory, while Brandon Heyward finished with over 200 yards receiving for Oak Ridge. The Cherokees move down into Class …
Seymour snaps 11-game losing streak, defeat Highlanders in OT
BY BRIAN HAMILTON GATLINBURG – The Seymour Eagles went winless in 2020, but snapped an 11-game losing streak, dating back to 2019, with a 14-13 overtime win against cross-county rival Gatlinburg-Pittman. It was ultimately a Wesley Zamoni extra-point, pushed back 10 yards due to penalty, that won the game. “Our word all week has been belief,” Seymour head coach Scott Branton said. “Our kids never lost the sight of belief. Last year was a learning experience. It was a tough year for everybody — not just football, but with everything going on in the lives of people with the pandemic. …
South-Doyle looks for revenge against Oak Ridge
BY BRIAN HAMILTON South-Doyle and Oak Ridge faced off in the Class 5A state semi-finals last season, with the Wildcats coming away with a 14-0 shutout win before falling to Summit in the state championship. The two teams will meet again on Thursday night at Oak Ridge, the site of South-Doyle’s last game, with the Cherokees looking for revenge. The Wildcats are led by running back Kendall Jackson, who has been lauded as one of the Knox News’ Elite 8 this preseason. The senior is one of the top prospects in the Knoxville area and teams such as Tennessee, Kentucky, …