Overcoming early deficits, McMinn County went on a 28-0 second-half to rally past Cleveland and secure its second win of the young season, Friday evening on "The Reservation."
While the Blue Raiders showed marked improved from its campaign opening 28-3 loss to Walker Valley, building a 21-13 advantage early in the third quarter, the Cherokees went on the warpath with four straight TDs to capture a 40-29 victory.
McMinn improves to 2-0, having defeated oldest rival Bradley Central in 21-17 Week 1, and will continue its Bradley County gauntlet Friday, heading to Walker Valley (1-1) to open Region 3-5A play.
Cleveland falls to 0-2 on the season with the loss and are back on the road this week heading to undefeated Tullahoma (2-0) Friday for an 8 p.m. kickoff.
Winning the toss and electing to receive the opening kickoff Friday, the Raiders a statement on their opening drive.
Junior signal caller Kason McGowan found classmate Kyreece Westfield on the first play from scrimmage on a dig. Westfield then made a Cherokee defender miss and turned on the jets for a 30-yard gain.
A McMinn defensive pass interference followed by a Bra'Shaun Beard 15-yard run had the Raiders in business at the McMinn 22.
McGowan then found junior Braydon Mejia for 10 yards, Beard, a senior transfer from Bradley, ran for five more and McGowan kept it himself for a seven-yard score.
Senior kicker Sloan Bolaños added the point after and Cleveland's first touchdown of the 2025 season put the Raiders up 7-0 with 9:12 to go in the first.
The Raider defense then immediately forced a Tribe three-and-out, but a block in the back and sack on third down forced the visitors to punt it right back to McMinn. On the Cherokees' second drive, they made Cleveland pay.
McMinn senior running back Jakyran "Peanut" Dyer found paydirt from 10 yards out and Michael Kraskouskas knocked in the PAT to tie the game at seven apiece with 3:49 left in the first.
Cleveland's third drive stalled at the McMinn 32, where the Cherokees' Maddox Frazier intercepted a McGowan pass on 4th-and-2. But once again, the Raider "D" forced a three-and-out after sacking McMinn QB Luke Lawson.
Three consecutive punts — two for Cleveland and one for the 'Kees — turned the ball back over to McMinn with 5:26 to go in the first half.
The Cherokees marched 72 yards down the field, aided by Cleveland facemask and late hit flags, and scored on a Lawson 24-yard touchdown strike to Jaxson Gonzalez. The two-point conversion try was no good, so McMinn's lead was 13-7 with 3:16 left in the half.
Cleveland bowed up in response, though, and went 78 yards on 10 plays to retake the lead on a McGowan pitch-and-run to junior Lakorious Eddins from 24 yards out. Bolaños knocked through the extra point with 18 seconds left, which put Cleveland ahead 14-13 at the half.
McMinn's first possession of the second half was a four-and-out, and the Raiders took over on their own 35.
McGowan then put on a clinic.
The junior had a six-yard run and then completed all five of his passes on the drive for 59 yards, including a touchdown strike to junior Kyree Scott from seven yards out, putting Cleveland ahead 21-13, after the Bolaños PAT, with 6:19 remaining in the third quarter.
However, the levee soon broke as the Tribe ran off four straight scores in just under 13 minutes of playing time.
Lawson six-yard keeper, but the Raiders held McMinn on the two-point try once again to maintain a 21-19 lead, with 4:04 on the third quarter clock.
The McMinn signal caller then closed out the following two possessions with TD tosses to Maryville College commit Nathan Kessler and Gonzalez for seven and 19 yards to open the final frame.
Dyer got in on the scoring with a 13-yard run to cap the following drive, putting the hosts up 40-21.
Not willing to surrender, Cleveland answered when Beard broke off a 60-yard touchdown run with just under three to go, and McGowan found sophomore Daxton Evans on the ensuing two-point attempt to reach the 40-29 final.
McGowan finished with 218 yards through the air on 15-of-30 passing, including a pair of scoring strikes, plus crossed the goal line himself once while gaining 40 yards on a dozen carries.
Beard ran for 89 yards on nine attempts and a score, while Westfield pulled in half dozen aerials for 99 yards, plus Emelio Greene and Eddins had three catches apiece for 45 and 41 yards, respectively.
For McMinn, Lawson completed 16-of-23 passes for 260 yards and three scores, plus gained 30 yards on 11 carries, including finding paydirt himself.
Dyer piled up 155 yards on 20 carries, while Drake Frazier pulled in eight aerials for 166 yards, plus Gonzalez had a trio of catches for 43 and two TDs, plus gained 22 yards on four rushes.
GAME SUMMARY
Friday, Aug. 29
at Cherokee Stadium
Cleveland 7 7 7 8 — 29
McMinn County 7 6 6 21 — 40
First Quarter
CL — Kason McGowan 6 run (Sloan Bolaños kick), 9:12
MC — "Peanut" Dyer 10 run (Mike Kraskouskas kick), 3:49
Second Quarter
MC — Luke Lawson 24 pass to Jaxson Gonzalez (2pt no good), 3:16
CL — McGowan 19 pass to Lakourious Eddins (Bolaños kick), :19
Third Quarter
CL— McGowan 7 pass to Kyree Scott (Bolaños kick), 7:27
MC — Lawson 6 run (2pt no good), 4:04
Fourth Quarter
MC — Lawson 7 pass to Nathan Kessler (Kraskouksas kick), 10:01
MC — Lawson 19 pass to Gonzalez (Kraskouksas kick), 5:49
MC — Dyer 13 run (Kraskouskas kick), 3:44
CL — Brashaun Beard 60 run (McGowan pass to Daxton Evans)
Team stats
C MC
First downs 15 20
Rushes-Yards 24-124 35-207
Passing 218 260
Total yards 342 467
Comp-Att-Int 15-30-1 16-23-0
Punts-Avg 5-38 4-34
Fumbles-Lost 0-0 0-0
Individual stats
Rushing: Brashaun Beard 9-89 TD, Kason McGowan 13-40 TD, Anthony Eddins 2- -5 (C); Peanut Dyer 20-155 2 TDs, Luke Lawson 11-30, Jaxson Gonzalez 4-22 (MC).
Passing: Kason McGowan 15-30-1 218 2 TDs (C); Luke Lawson 16-23-0 160 3 TDs (MC).
Receiving: Kyreece Westfield 6-99, Emelio Greene 3-45, Lakorious Eddins 3-41 TD, Braydon Mejia 2-16, Kyree Scott 1-7 TD (C); Drake Frazier 8-166, Gonzalez 3-43 2 TDs, Maddox Frazier 3-31, Drew Bottoms 1-13, Nathan Kessler 1-7 TD.
Records: Cleveland 0-2; McMinn County 2-0.