BY BRIAN HAMILTON<\/p>\n
KNOXVILLE – Gatlinburg-Pittman traveled to Knoxville Friday night and came away with a resounding 44-27 win over Austin-East after tough losses to Seymour and Alcoa to start the season.<\/p>\n
“I am proud of these kids,” Gatlinburg-Pittman head coach Brad Waggoner said. “They have kept battling. It is hard when you lose an overtime game and a game last week that wasn’t close. I knew on Monday and Tuesday that we would win this game by the way we practiced.”<\/p>\n
The game was close early on, as the Highlanders led 21-14 late in the second quarter. Gatlinburg-Pittman would recover a fumble, however, which led to a touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Brady Hammonds to Christian Hoffman for a 28-14 lead.<\/p>\n
Austin-East fumbled the ensuing kickoff, leading to an Aiden Jeanette field goal and a 31-14 lead. The Roadrunners again fumbled on their next possession, but Jeanette missed a field goal, leaving the Highlanders with a 31-14 halftime lead.<\/p>\n
Gatlinburg-Pittman would keep its foot on the gas in the second half, as the Highlanders cruised to a 44-27 win, their first of the season.<\/p>\n
For the first time this season, the Highlander offense has success, mounting over 400 total yards.<\/p>\n
Hammonds led Gatlinburg-Pittman with 192 yards with four touchdowns on 12-of-24 passing. Houston Byrd hauled in five of Hammonds’ passes for 74 yards and a score, while Levi Hill rushed for 138 yards on 23 carries.<\/p>\n
“It helped having some of those guys back who missed last week,” Waggoner said. “We just have to enjoy this win and keep working.”<\/p>\n
Gatlinburg-Pittman (1-2, 1-1 Region 2) will have little time to enjoy the win, however, as the Highlanders travel to Loudon, on a televised Thursday night game, to face the Class 3A #3-ranked Redskins (3-0).<\/p>\n
Austin-East (0-3, 0-1) will travel to Scott (0-2) in a battle of winless teams.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
BY BRIAN HAMILTON KNOXVILLE – Gatlinburg-Pittman traveled to Knoxville Friday night and came away with a resounding 44-27 win over Austin-East after tough losses to Seymour and Alcoa to start the season. “I am proud of these kids,” Gatlinburg-Pittman head coach Brad Waggoner said. “They have kept battling. It is hard when you lose an overtime game and a game last week that wasn’t close. I knew on Monday and Tuesday that we would win this game by the way we practiced.” The game was close early on, as the Highlanders led 21-14 late in the second quarter. Gatlinburg-Pittman would … <\/p>\n