Bledsoe Co. Hands Sale Creek Its First Loss

Warriors Excel In All Phases To Earn 27-0 Victory

Saturday, September 2, 2023
John Hunt

The Sale Creek Panthers lost their first game of the season after two straight wins Friday night at home and they even got shutout in the process, but head coach Jason Fitzgerald didn’t seem to be the least bit bothered.

Facing the Bledsoe County Warriors, a team from a school almost twice as big as Sale Creek, it was a lopsided loss by a 27-0 final at Sale Creek’s Davidson Stadium and Sports Complex.

It was a defensive struggle for the most part as the two teams only had 306 total yards combined. Both teams are now 2-1 for the season.

“It’s a long season and we made more than our share of mistakes, but we never quit and that’s what I’m most proud of,” Fitzgerald told his team as they huddled near midfield following the game.

“We gave them a lot of free gifts, but we fought our tails off. This game wasn’t a region game, but it will help us prepare for the playoffs. We had too many mental breakdowns, but good things will come our way if we keep working hard,” he continued, doing his best to offer positive comments following a lopsided loss.

“We just have to pick ourselves up in a hurry and move on to the next one. I’m proud of our effort, but not so much our execution. Next week is our biggest game of the season so far as it’s a region game, but we just have to put this one behind us and keep getting better,” the veteran coach added.

Bledsoe County coach Dewayne Tabor felt like his teams took some big steps in the right direction with this win, his team’s second in a row after a season-opening loss to Sequatchie County.

“I feel like we grew up some tonight as we have a really young team,” he said shortly after the final horn sounded while his team was still moving his way.

“We haven’t done a very good job executing the first two games, but I’m pleased with our offense tonight and we were lights out on defense. And I was also pleased with our special teams as we kicked two field goals. I would have liked touchdowns instead of field goals, but I’ll take it,” he added.

The Warriors started at their own 35 after the opening kickoff went out of bounds and they marched 65 yards in 11 plays, keeping it on the ground all the way as they erased more than six minutes off the clock before quarterback Johnathan Thomas scored on a keeper from the 2 with 5:38 left in the opening stanza.

Kaiden Martin then recovered an onside kick for the Warriors at the 40. Bledsoe kept it on the ground for nine of the next 10 plays and the first quarter ended with Bledsoe up 7-0 and Sale Creek yet to take its first snap on offense.

Thomas completed an 11-yard pass to Jace Rains on third and 17, setting the stage for a 29-yard field goal by Mauricio Rojas on the second play of the second quarter.

The difference was 10-0 at halftime.

The first half rolled by in a hurry as 38 of the 41 offense plays were on the ground.

The Bledsoe County defense stepped into the spotlight in the second half as Thomas deflected a pass from Khari Escobar before picking it off and racing untouched 38 yards for the Warriors’ second TD, Rojas’ kick extending the lead to 17-0 with 3:59 left in the third.

Rojas kicked his second field goal, this one from 21 yards with 8:47 to play before another Sale Creek turnover led to Bledsoe’s final TD of the game.

Jake Agee recovered a bad snap on a Sale Creek punt and Justin Melton scored on the next play – an inside reverse from the 10 – to complete the scoring.

The Warriors finished the game with 207 total yards while Sale Creek only had 99.

Melton gained 68 yards on three carries to lead the Warrior running game as they finished with 196 yards after picking up 128 in the first half.

Sam Agee added 52 yards on nine trips.

Ridge Morgan gained 45 yards on a dozen rushing attempts for Sale Creek as the Panthers were limited to just 70 yards rushing and 29 yards passing.

Evan Higgins was the leading receiver for the Panthers with 13 yards on one catch.

Bledsoe County will be at home next week to host York Institute while Sale Creek will be on the road to face Chattanooga Prep.

BLEDSOE CO. 7 3 7 10 -- 27

SALE CREEK 0 0 0 0 -- 0

BC – Johnathan Thomas 2 run (Mauricio Rojas kick), 5:38 left in first;

BC – Rojas 29 field goal, 11:08 left in second;

BC – Thomas 38 interception return (Rojas kick), 3:59 left in third;

BC – Rojas 21 field goal, 8:47 left in fourth;