DUNLAP -- The East Ridge Pioneers won a nailbiting double-overtime game in the second round of the TSSAA Class 3-A football playoffs last week against Red Bank, but they weren't as fortunate this week against the unbeaten Sequatchie County Indians.
The Indians scored in the first overtime and the Pioneers didn't, allowing the proud Sequatchie County squad to advance to the semifinals next week with a heart-stopping 21-14 victory Friday night in front of a near-capacity crowd at Sequatchie County High School.
The Indians, now 13-0, will host Alcoa next Friday after Alcoa eliminated Elizabethton by a 17-14 final.
Friday’s game was a dandy, a contest pitting two proud teams against each other. The Pioneers had won their first two playoff games with upset victories, but they weren’t able to pull it off for the third straight week.
It was a heartbreaking loss for everyone on the East Ridge sideline, including head coach Tim James.
“Disappointed,” James said before talking to his team at the end.
“We had our opportunities and we played our tails off the entire game, but I hate that we just came up a little bit short. We struggled on offense, but that’s football. I’m really let down as I hate to lose in overtime, but it just didn’t turn out our way this week. We had our chances, but it just didn’t fall our way this time,” he added.
Sequatchie County coach Adam Caine was almost overcome by the joy of a team he’s been the head coach of for two season winning for the 13th straight week without a defeat.
“I’m at a loss for words right now,” he told his team once the outcome had been determined.
“What I was really wanting tonight was lucky number 13, but what a gut check. That’s why I got into coaching, so I could enjoy seeing a team win after playing their hearts out.
“This was just a great playoff game and we somehow found a way to win. Ethan Barker ran like a man possessed in the second half, but he basically piggy-backed us to that win. We seemed to play uptight after our first fumble in the first half, but we found a way to pull it out.
“And the best news is that Alcoa will have to come over to the valley to play next week,” he added.
Barker is the hard-nosed quarterback for the Indians who really did carry the load by himself in the game.
Barker had 29 yards on seven carries in the first half before adding 67 yards on 13 more attempts, including the game-winning touchdown on a keeper from the 10 on the first play.
He had a hand in all three Indian TDs as his 25-yard pass to Austin Stephens with five minutes remaining in the first half allowed his team to take a 7-6 lead after East Ridge had scored first at the 9:50 mark.
Then he scored on a keeper from the 4 with 10:16 left in the fourth quarter to put his team up, 14-6.
East Ridge came right back after that second TD to tie the score as Traneil Moore scored on a run from the 7 with 5:37 left, capping a nine-play, 66-yard drive that began with a 26-yard burst by Moore.
The Pioneer defense was stout all night as they forced two fumbles in the first half, but it was turnovers by the East Ridge offense that ultimately cost them the game.
The Pioneers got the ball back with 22.3 seconds left in regulation following an Indian punt, but a long pass from southpaw QB Eric Bennett was intercepted by Dylan Sanders and returned some 60 yards, only to run out of gas and get tackled at the 7 on the final play of the fourth quarter.
Then on East Ridge’s second play in overtime, another Bennett pass was batted around before Adam Pickett snagged it to end the game.
The Indians finished the game with 258 total yards, including 218 on the ground.
Barker was the leading rusher with 96 yards on 20 trips while Stephens was next with 72 yards on 19 carries. Hunter Davenport had 43 yards in 11 trips.
Moore was the leading rusher for East Ridge with 107 yards on 23 carries as the Pioneers finished with 189 total yards, including 128 on the ground.
Bennett had 61 passing yards on eight completions with Jordan Lindsey leading the way with three catches for 18 yards. Alonzo Russell had one catch for 21 yards while Kashawn Cosey had two for 16 yards.
Sequatchie County finished the game with 17 first downs while East Ridge countered with 11.
The Pioneers finish the season at 7-6.
EAST RIDGE O 6 0 8 0 -- 14
SEQUATCHIE CO. 0 7 0 7 7 -- 21
ER – Alonzo Russell 21 pass from Eric Bennett (kick failed), 9:50 left in second;
SEQ – Austin Stephens 25 pass from Ethan Barker (Abraham Martinez kick), 5:00 left in second;
SEQ – Barker 4 run (Martinez kick), 10:16 left in fourth;
ER – Traneil Moore 7 run (Moore run), 5:37 left in fourth;
SEQ – Barker 10 run (Martinez kick), first over time.
(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@gmail.com)