MARYVILLE, Tenn. — Facing the state's winningest football program (864-247-35 since 1922) with a depleted lineup, Cleveland gave a good effort, but second-ranked Maryville defended is stronghold well.
Cleveland (5-3, 1-2 Region 2-6A), which slipped out into a tie for 14th place in this week's state rankings after back-to-back losses, while the Rebels (8-0, 4-0) secured their 23rd region championship in the last 24 yards, while winning 190 of 199 home games since the turn of the century, with Friday's 37-15 victory.
"I’m happy with how the kids fought for four quarters against one of the top teams in the state," stated Raider head coach Chandler Tygard.
"We’ve had lots of injuries to overcome and added even more during the game, but a lot of young kids were able to go in and play very well.
"We will keep focusing on ourselves and getting better each week as we prepare for the biggest game of the year," Coach Tygard declared of this week's "Crosstown Clash" with archrival Bradley Central, at Bear Stadium.
After a scoreless opening quarter Friday, Maryville got the goose egg off the board with an eight-play, 58-yard drive, capped off by a seven-yard run by sophomore QB Will Jones with 9:09 left in the second frame.
The hosts scored again just over three minutes later with 36-yard return of a Cleveland punt, setting the Rebels up just 11 yards from paydirt.
Two plays later, Jones crossed the goalline again, this time from five yards out.
The Raiders answered on the ensuing possession with 44-yard pass from sophomore Kason McGowan to junior Brayden Carroll setting up senior speedster Isaiah Davis' 32-yard scoring sprint a few plays later.
Junior kicker Sloan Bolaños tacked on the extra point to cut the deficit in half at the 3:36 mark of the second quarter.
The "Legion of Blue" defense got the ball back on the first play after the ensuing kickoff when senior Lorenzo Tyson pounced on a fumbled Rebel snap.
Taking over on the Maryville 32, Cleveland quickly moved into the Red Zone and appeared to have scored on a 17-yard "Wildcat" dash to paydirt by junior Brayden Carroll, but a penalty flag negated the play.
Another flag before the next snap moved the Raiders back another five yards, from which they couldn't recover.
Taking over on downs at their own 22, the Rebels took advantage for another score before the intermission.
Driving 89 yards on nine plays, Jones hit Hudson Jamerson for the final eight yards.
Jamerson then split the uprights on the third of his five PATs on the evening for a 21-7 halftime edge.
Receiving the second half kickoff, Maryville used the opportunity to add to its lead, marching 75 yards on 11 plays with senior RB Price Davis capping the series with a three-yard plunge.
After forcing yet another change of possession, the hosts appeared on their way to another score, driving to the Raider 8, but sophomore La'Karius Eddins drilled Jones on a run, jarring the ball loose, where teammate AJ Westfield pounced on it.
The big hit inspired Cleveland to its second score, needing just seven plays to cover 96 yards.
Despite a pair of incomplete passes and a running play that lost a yard, after junior Sawyer Boyd caught a 14-yard aerial and had to be carried off on a stretcher after a vicious hit, Isaiah Davis broke off runs of 10, 56 and 17 yards, the latter finding paydirt.
The Raiders picked up a two-point conversion when Carroll took the snap on a "swinging gate" play and instead of running pulled up and found junior Chase Stephens, who had snapped the ball, in the end zone with an easy toss.
The trick play cut the difference to 28-15 with 9:51 left to play, but that was as close as the visitors would come.
Although Maryville wasn't able to take advantage of a failed onside kick attempt, getting the ball at midfield, four plays later Jamerson booted his only punt of the night to the Raider 1 yard line.
Cleveland fumbled the ball in its own end zone on the first snap, but the pigskin went out of the backline for a safety.
Two plays later Jones hit Casey Cobble across the middle for 76 yard score.
Cobble finished the night with a half dozen catches for 127 yards, while Jones completed 18-of-21 aerials for 229 yards.
Price Davis topped the Rebel's 208 rushing yards with 128 on 25 carries.
For Cleveland, Isaiah Davis gained 133 yards on just 13 carries, including both Raider scores, in just three quarters of play.
The visitors were limited to 168 rushing yards and completed only 11-of-29 passes, for 120 yards, plus threw a pair of interceptions.
Carroll had a pair of catches for 54 yards, but just one carry for five more to go with his two-point conversion pass.
Boyd collected 30 yards on a trio of catches and gave the home fans and his team at a thumbs up as he was carted off the field.
GAME SUMMARY
Region 2-6A
Friday, Oct. 18
at Maryville
Cleveland 0 7 0 8 — 15
Maryville 0 21 7 9 — 37
Scoring
Second Quarter
M — Will Jones 7-yd run (Hudson Jamerson kick), 9:09
M — Jones 5-yd run (Jamerson kick), 6:01
C — Isaiah Davis 32-yd run (Sloan Bolaños k ick), 3:36
M — Jamerson 8-yd pass from Jones (Jamerson kick), :30
Third Quarter
M — Price Davis 3-yd. run (Jamerson kick), 6:08
Fourth Quarter
C — Isiah Davis 17-yd run (Chase Stephens from Brayden Carroll), 9:51
M — Safety, 7:14
M — Casey Cobble 76-yd pass from Jones (Jamerson kick), 5:58
Team stats
C M
First downs 14 22
Rushes-Yards 26-168 37-208
Passing 120 229
Total yards 288 437
Comp-Att-Int 11-29-2 18-21-0
Punts-Avg 5-37.2 1-42
Fumbles-Lost 2-1 2-2
Penalties-Yards 8-60 4-40
Individual Stats
Rushing: Isaiah Davis 13-133 2 TDs, Trent Collins 2-17, David Yancey 2-15, No. 25 (not on roster) 2-7, Brayden Carroll 1-5, Kason McGowan 1-3, Devin Armstrong 1-2, Josther Caneles 1-0, Emilio Greene 2- -6, Reggie Hubbard 1- -6 (C); Price Davis 25-128 TD, Ory Vananda-Walker 5-44, Will Jones 5-28 2 TDs, No. 15 (not on roster) 1-7, No. 12 (not on roster) 1-1 (M).
Passing: Kason McGowan 7-20-2 91, Chase Stephens 3-7 26, Brayden Carroll 1-1 3 (C); Will Jones 18-21-0 229 2 TDs (MV).
Receiving:Brayden Carroll 2-54, Sawyer Boyd 3-30, Reggie Hubbard 3-19, David Yancey 1-6, Chase Stephens 1-3 (C); Casey Cobble 6-127 TD, Hudson Jamerson 4-48 TD, No. 12 (not on roster) 5-26, Britton Barrett 2-20, Price Davis 1-8 (M).
Records: No. 14 Cleveland 5-3, 1-2 Region 2-6A; No. 2 Maryville 8-0, 4-0 Region 2-6A.