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Scott explodes offensively in win over Cumberland Gap
HUNTSVILLE | Scott High got back to its winning ways on Friday with a 50-16 win over Cumberland Gap that was even more one-sided than the scoreboard indicated at the end of the game.
The Highlanders (4-1) scored on every first half possession — seven touchdowns and a Justyn Lynch field goal — and led 50-0 at halftime before the Panthers (3-3) scored two touchdowns against Scott’s younger players in the second half.
It was a 30-0 game by the end of the first quarter, after Scott High moved the football almost at will against the Panthers in the opening frame. Michael Bond ran for two touchdowns and Jaigen Morgan caught two touchdowns in the opening period, while Lynch banged home a 42-yard field goal.
By halftime, Gage Privett had completed 10 of 17 passes for 191 yards and three touchdowns, while rushing for another touchdown and amassing 58 yards on the ground. He finished with 249 yards of total offense and four touchdowns.
Bond had another 100-yard game, finishing with 106 yards and two scores.
Lucas Newport and Wyatt Lloyd each had touchdowns for the Highlanders.
Collectively, the Highlanders amassed more than 400 yards of total offense in the first half.
The defense had three take-aways in the first half, with Micah Boles intercepting two passes and Carter Slaven also intercepting a pass.
On the flip side, Cumberland Gap quarterback Kole Carter had almost no time to throw. He was constantly scrambling and throwing the ball away, as the Highlanders were able to get significant pressure on him, often without blitzing. Carter finished 6 of 28 for 117 yards and a touchdown. Almost all of his yardage came in the second half. In fact, 160 of the Panthers’ 212 yards of total offense came after the intermission. They were only 1 of 10 on third down and 1 of 4 on fourth down.
Game Capsule
First National Bank Player of the Game: Having emerged as a leading target at receiver in his first year on the field, Jaigen Morgan had touchdown receptions of 26 and 46 yards in the first quarter, and finished with four catches for 88 yards to lead the way.
Trophy Masters Lineman of the Game: Senior Hayden Mason anchored an offensive line that completely dominated Cumberland Gap.
Scott Farmers Co-Op Play of the Game: Late in the first half, Gage Privett flipped the ball to Lucas Newport, who went 26 yards down the right sideline for a touchdown with Wyatt Lloyd throwing a crucial lead block.
The Game Was Over When: By the time the Highlanders went 74 yards in five plays on their second possession of the game — after a six-play, 68-yard scoring drive the first time they touched the ball — it was obvious that they were going to be able to name their score.
Scoring Summary: Gage Privett 26-yard pass to Jaigen Morgan (Justyn Lynch kick) … Michael Bond 3-yard run (Lynch kick) … Privett 46-yard pass to Morgan (pass failed) … Bond 14-yard run (Lynch kick) … Lynch 42-yard field goal … Privett 17-yard pass to Wyatt Lloyd (kick failed) … Privett 6-yard run (Lynch kick) … Lucas Newport 26-yard run (Lynch kick) … Eric McCorkel 14-yard run (Kole Carter pass to Benson Hensley) … Carter 27-yard pass to Hensley (Carter pass to Hunter Ellison).
Stats That Stood Out: Scott High was penalized 17 times for 180 yards … In third down efficiency, Scott was 6 of 9 while Cumberland Gap was just 1 of 10.
What The Coach Said: “I thought it was really good. Everything we put in to run this week, I think they executed it well. We had a couple of hiccups here and there. Penalties hurt us early. It was just stupid stuff that we can control … some of them, it just is what it is. But some of them, it’s just us finishing a block after the whistle blows or stuff we gotta let up on. It’s not them not playing hard. A lot of the penalties come from us playing hard and playing through the whistle, but we’re playing a little after the whistle — which is an edge I like, but we gotta let up and not get something stupid.”
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Coalfield is tough offensively and defensively in win at Oneida
ONEIDA | It was a close game for much of the first half, but Coalfield was able to pull away in the second half for a 33-0 win here Friday night, the Yellow Jackets’ sixth straight win over the Indians in the premier non-region rivalry.
For Coalfield (4-2), the recipe for success was a steady dose of Jaiden Bunch. He did the lion’s share of the work for the Yellow Jacket offense, finishing with 164 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
But it was only a 7-0 game until the final two minutes of the first half, when Coalfield tacked on Bunch’s second touchdown of the night to make it 13-0 at the break. In fact, Oneida had the ball deep in Coalfield territory midway through the second quarter, before the Yellow Jackets broke up a pass on fourth down to force the ball over on downs at the 24-yard-line. From there, Coalfield put together a 76-yard scoring drive to make it 13-0 at the intermission.
The Coalfield defense came up with another big play to start the second half, getting a stop behind the line on fourth-and-one at its 43-yard-line. That set up Bunch’s third and final touchdown of the night to make it 20-0.
Oneida was again in Coalfield territory on the ensuing possession, but the Yellow Jackets again got a stop on fourth down, and that again led to a touchdown, with Jack Treece and Cruze Shannon connecting on a 41-yard play to make it a four-touchdown margin.
The Indians had an excellent scoring opportunity early in the fourth quarter, moving the ball into the red zone after a short punt by the Jackets. But Lane Adcock came up with an interception in the end zone to end the scoring threat. From there, Coalfield went the length of the field for a quick score, making it 33-0.
Game Capsule
First National Bank Player of the Game: Senior Grady Keeton had four catches for 13 yards, and a season-high nine tackles on defense.
Trophy Masters Lineman of the Game: Brylan Strunk continued to play well, receiving the honor for a second consecutive week.
Scott Farmers Co-Op Play of the Game: With 7:58 to play in the fourth quarter, Brock Ryon connected with Ben Gilbert on a 19-yard pass from Coalfield’s 38 to the 19, moving the Indians inside the red zone for the first time in the game.
The Game Was Over When: A two-touchdown halftime deficit wasn’t something the Indians hadn’t faced multiple times this season. But when Coalfield started the second half by getting a stop on fourth-and-short and then marching to the end zone for a touchdown, the lead seemed insurmountable.
Stats That Stood Out: Coalfield limited Oneida to 111 yards of offense, while racking up 342 yards when it had the ball.
Scoring Summary: Jaiden Bunch 11-yard run (Jack Treece kick) … Bunch 5-yard run (pass failed) … Bunch 6-yard run (Treece kick) … Treece 41-yard pass to Cruze Shannon (kick failed) … Hadyn Hedrick 10-yard run (Treece kick).
What The Analysts Said: “They just outplayed us. Early on, you thought it was going to be a defensive battle back and forth. In the second quarter they really came to life … This is a heck of a football team. We’ve got a ways to go. We’ve got a lot of stuff to work on, but I know this bunch will get back after it.” — Mark Matthews, IHSN.
What The Coach Said: “We have times in the game where we kinda shoot ourselves in the foot a little bit. We get behind the chains and kinda turn it over, try to force it down the field. We’ve got a lot of stuff we’re going to clean up and get ready for Oliver Springs next week.” — Jimmy May.
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