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Turnovers help Mustangs cruise by Hendersonville
Smoky Mountain scored three touchdowns in the final 3:45 of the first half Friday and cruised to a 30-6 season-opening football victory over Hendersonville at Carr Hooper Stadium/Babe Howell Field.
The Bearcats committed six turnovers, three of which led to scores.
SM’s Colton Hunt completed six of eight passes for 119 yards.
Jared Jones had three receptions totaling 68 yards.
Dillon Dunford’s 23-yard touchdown catch of a pass from Colton Hunt just before halftime gave Smoky Mountain a 28-0 lead over Hendersonville in Friday’s season opener. The Mustangs won 30-6. – Photo by Mark Haskett
Dillon Dunford was the leading rusher with 51 yards in six carries. He caught two passes for 46 yards.
Matt Bryson carried 13 times for 36 yards. Chad Harper finished with 26 yards in eight attempts, and Nick Zoda added 24 yards in nine tries.
The Bearcats were led by Darren Perry, who gained 62 yards six carries, all in the second half. Cedrick Allen netted 43 yards in 13 attempts.
The Mustangs wasted little time getting on the board after Travis Buchanan recovered Allen’s fumble at the Hendersonville 42 on the game’s first play.
Smoky Mountain’s Jared Jones (white jersey) hauls in a 29-yard pass from Colton Hunt helping lead to the Mustangs’ first touchdown of the season in Friday’s 30-6 victory over Hendersonville. – Photo by Mark Haskett
A 29-yard pass from Hunt to Jones keyed the seven-play drive, which was capped by Zoda’s 2-yard run. Matt Dougherty, who was four of four on extra points in his first varsity game, made it 7-0 with 8:36 to go in the first quarter.
SM found itself in the hole inside its 10 after a Bearcat punt. Dunford had a 31-yard run and caught a 23-yard pass from Hunt, but penalties helped stall the march.
The Mustangs drove 71 yards in nine plays to take a 14-0 advantage when Hunt went in from 2 yards out with 3:45 to play in the half. The highlight was a 30-year pass from Hunt to Jones, who caught the ball between two defenders.
Allen fumbled on the first play after the kickoff, and Andy Potter recovered at the 20. Hunt tossed a 5-yard pass to Zoda to convert a fourth-and-4 at the 9. Harper scored from the 2 extending the lead to 21-0 at the 1:03 mark.
The turnovers continued as Dunford recovered yet another Allen fumble at the 23. Hunt found Dunford on a scoring strike from that spot for a 28-0 advantage with 35 seconds on the clock.
The Mustangs did not attempt a pass in the second half as they were content to keep the ball on the ground and let the clock run.
They did manage two more points when the ball sailed over the head of punter Jamie Hatten for a safety and a 30-0 lead with 2:51 to go in the third period.
The teams combined to turn the ball over on four of the next five possessions, but none of the miscues led to points. Potter and Ethan Crowe came up with interceptions for the Mustangs, and Harper recovered a fumble.
The Bearcats averted the shutout by moving 74 yards in five plays. Hatten caught a 15-yard pass from Ben Walgenbach, and Perry had 12- and 25-yard runs before scoring from 19 yards out. Will Roper missed the extra point leaving the score 30-6 with 4:38 left in the game.
H’ville SM
10 First Downs 14
26-122 Rushes-Yds. 53-159
4-16-2 Passing 6-8-0
64 Passing Yds. 119
4-30.5 Punts-Avg. 6-29.6
4-4 Fumbles-Lost 2-2
7-55 Penalties-Yds. 9-88
H’ville 0 0 0 6 6
SM 7 21 2 0 30
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