BENTON, Tenn. — The legendary Tennessee Volunteers football coach, General Robert Neyland said it best; “The team that makes the fewest mistakes will win.”
That's just how it was when rivals Polk County and McMinn Central clashed Friday inside the Larry G. Davis Football Complex in Benton.
The Wildcats put the ball on the ground five times to the Chargers' one with a crucial turnover coming in the final minutes of a close contest. Although Polk lost just one of the drops, the momentum slowed just enough to give the visitors an unwelcome advantage.
With just more than three minutes left to play, the Chargers picked off a Wildcats' pass, the third of the night, and turned a two-point lead into a 10-point margin and a 22-12 win in the non-region fight.
“The kids played hard tonight. We made too many mistakes. I can't fault their effort. The kids played extremely hard all the way to the end. I'm proud of those guys,” said Wildcats head coach Derrick Davis. “I told them we've got 10 more games that we're guaranteed and this is one of the early ones. We'll come in and get better.”
After a scoreless first quarter, the Wildcats (0-1) turned a McMinn Central (1-0) punt into six points driving 51 yards to take a 6-0 lead on a Cecil Burns 5-yard run. The extra point attempt clanged off the left upright.
The Chargers answered marching 92 yards for a score and a 2-point conversion to take the lead, 8-6 heading into the half.
The 'Cats came out of the break ready for business pushing 65 yards in 10 plays that included a fumble and recovery to push out front 12-8. Cecil Burns carried the rock for the 6-yard plunge giving Polk the lead with 6:35 left in the third quarter. The two-point conversion try failed leaving the Wildcats with a four point advantage.
Once again, the Chargers responded moving 70 yards in nine plays culminating in a 26-yard TD pass from Bryce Mullins to Mayfield. The conversion attempt failed leaving the Wildcats trailing 14-12.
A series of miscues, punts and a defensive stand by the Wildcats set up the game changing final score late in the fourth quarter.
After forcing a Chargers punt with just over four minuted left in the game, the Wildcats failed to take advantage of the opportunity as Central intercepted a pass at the Polk 18-yard line. The next play saw Samuel Miller race in from 18 yards out to put the Chargers out front 22-12 after the two-point conversion.
Another interception by Central with just over two minutes left in the game sealed the fate for the Wildcats.
“There was some hurt in this locker room and shows how much it meant to them. We sure didn't mail it in there when things turned a little bit. We kept fighting. That's all you can ask, really. But, we'll try to cut out mistakes and see if we can get better starting Monday,” said a disappointed Davis.
The Wildcats will have their hands full Friday as they travel to the home of the Warriors looking for win No. 1.
“It doesn't get any easier. We're going to the home of the defending state champs at Marion County. We'll just come in Monday and go to work,” Davis stated. “We've come a long way since June. But, there are things we have to correct like fumbled snaps. We didn't have many penalties, But I will say No. 10 for them (William Mayfield) has hurt us for a couple of years. He's a very good ball player, a good kid. He was one of the difference makers for them.”
GAME SUMMARY
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MCMINN CENTRAL
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0
|
8
|
6
|
8
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--22
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|
POLK COUNTY
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0
|
6
|
6
|
0
|
-- 12
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SCORING SUMMARY:
Second Quarter
PC — Cecil Burns 5 run (kick failed), 7:08
MC — Jesse Holden 1 run (Jake Goodin pass from Mullins), 2:29
Third Quarter
PC — Burns 2 run (conversion failed), 6:35
MC — Miller 26 pass from Mullins (conversion failed), 2:27
Fourth Quarter
MC — Miller 18 run (Mullins convert) 3:30
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STATS
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MC
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PC
|
|
First Downs
|
16
|
13
|
|
Rushes-Yards
|
36-208
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37-143
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|
Passing Yards
|
99
|
58
|
|
Total yards
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307
|
291
|
|
Passing (Comp-Att-Int)
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5-13-0
|
9-12-0
|
|
Penalties-Yards
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5-37
|
4-22
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|
Punts-Average
|
5-37.6
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2-20.5
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|
Fumbles-Lost
|
1-0
|
5-1
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Highlights
Rushing: Gabe Adams 20-113, Jackson Cox 6-22, Burns 10-5 2TD (PC); Hunter Rayburn 14-125, Samuel Miller 9-54 TD, Kage McCroskey 3-12 (MC).
Passing: Burns 5-13-58 (PC); Mullins 9-12-99
Receiving: Adams 3-35, Matthew Maxwell 1-16, Burns 1-7 (PC); Goodin 5-69, Landin McInturff 3-20, Jesse Holden 1-10 (MC).
Records: McMinn Central 1-0; Polk Co. 0-1.
Next up: McMinn Central at Eagleton Academy; Polk Co. is at Marion Co
(Contact Richard Roberts at richardvol55@yahoo.com)