East Ridge used a fourth quarter safety and a touchdown for a come-from-behind win against visiting Chattanooga Central, 13-6, Friday night in a high school football game.
East Ridge (3-1) led 3-0 on a Muhammid Hasan 27-yard field goal in the first quarter, but Central (1-3) took the lead in the second quarter on a 70-yard scoring drive capped by D.J. Baxter’s 3-yard scoring run.
After a scoreless third quarter, East Ridge scored a safety on the first play of the fourth quarter when the Central center snapped the ball over the punter’s head and out of the back of the end zone as the Pioneers then trailed 6-5 with 11:55 remaining in the game.
After the safety, the Pioneers drove 45 yards capped by Traneil Moore, the 2015 TSSAA Mr. Football, scoring what proved to be the winning touchdown from 16 yards out. Moore accounted for 40 of the 45 yards on three carries, while Kashawn Cosey gained the other five yards.
Central had one final possession in the last four minutes and drove to the Pioneer 27 yard line, but a pair of incomplete passes on third and fourth downs with less than 90 seconds remaining in the game gave the ball back to East Ridge which the ran out the clock.
“I am proud of our defense tonight as it wasn’t a pretty win, but we will enjoy it,” said East Ridge coach Tim James
“Traneil Moore (11 carries, 70 yards) was finally able to get loose on some runs in the fourth quarter and he and Kashawn Cosey (12 carries, 83 yards) ran the ball well for us.”
Work Horse: Central’s Michael McGhee led all rushers with 108 yards on 24 carries.
Central Coach Cortney Braswell
“We contained Tranel (Moore) most of the game, but in the fourth quarter we let him get loose on some big runs because we tried to arm tackle him and it didn’t work.”
“It was a hard hitting game as we lost four starters which really hurt us.”
Scary Moment: Central’s junior lineman Jake Biddy was taken off the field by ambulance with 1:08 remaining in the game after he was not able to get up after a play.
“I think he will be okay, but we wanted to take him to the hospital for precautionary measures,”
said coach Braswell.
East Ridge Coach Tim James
“We did not play our best game and had way too many mistakes which we will need to correct going forward.
“One holding penalty cost us a touchdown in the second quarter and it seemed every time I looked up we were behind the chains/”
Penalties: Central (9-96), East Ridge (14-120)
East Ridge 13, Central 6
Central 0 – 6 – 0 – 0 – 6
East Ridge 3 – 0 – 0 – 10 – 13
East Ridge (3-1), Central (1-3)
1stt Q
ER – Muhammid Hasan 27 field goal, 3-0
2nd Q
Central – D.J. Baxter 3 run (run failed), 6-3
4th Q
ER – safety, 6-5
ER- Traneil Moore 16 run (Kashawn Cosey run), 13-6