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East outlasts SM as teams combine for 103 points
Smoky Mountain and East Henderson combined for 103 points, a school record for the Mustangs, but East pulled away in the second half Friday to claim a 60-43 Western Athletic Conference football victory at East Flat Rock.
The Eagles scored most every way possible. They had touchdowns passing and rushing as well as by interception, kickoff and punt returns.
East’s Chase Hill was responsible for six TDs. He completed 13 of 18 passes for 219 yards and three scores while running for 98 yards and three TDs in just five carries.
Smoky Mountain’s Logan Buchanan threw for 116 yards and ran for 72 in Friday’s 60-43 loss at East Henderson. Also pictured is Lucas Brooks (22). – Photo by Mark Haskett
Smoky Mountain’s Matt Bryson finds a hole for part of his 59 rushing yards in Friday’s 60-43 loss at East Henderson. – Photo by Mark Haskett
Michael Robinson carried 13 times for 106 yards while catching four passes for 96 yards and a TD. He also had an interception return for a score.
Rakim Waters had five receptions for 91 yards to go along with a punt return and kickoff return for TDs.
The Mustangs (1-7, 0-2) were led by Logan Buchanan, who contributed to five TDs. He completed 11 of 23 passes for 116 yards and the team’s first two passing TDs of the season. He added 72 rushing yards and two scores in 18 attempts.
Colton Hunt carried 14 times for 83 yards and a TD and caught four passes for 32 yards.
Matt Bryson finished with 59 yards in 16 carries.
Josh Ammons had both TD receptions. His four catches totaled 71 yards.
Elliott Hooper also caught four passes for 29 yards.
The Eagles finished with 231 yards of total offense while SM had 372.
The offenses ruled from the opening kickoff as East needed just five plays to get on the board. Robinson had a 25-yard run then caught a slant pass from Hill that turned into a 39-yard score. The extra point was no good leaving the Eagles up 6-0 with 1:01 elapsed.
Hunt returned the kickoff 72 yards setting up Buchanan’s 6-yard TD run. Matt Dougherty kicked the first of his five extra points for a 7-6 edge with 9:58 to go in the first quarter.
Waters’ 71-yard punt return put East up 12-7 with 6:47 to go in the opening period. A conversion pass failed.
The Mustangs regained the lead at 14-12 on Buchanan’s 13-yard run with 11:30 to play in the half following a 58-yard drive in 14 plays.
The lead lasted 13 seconds as Waters returned the ensuing kickoff 85 yards. Brentley Thomas kicked the first of his six extra points for a 19-14 edge.
Two plays after the kickoff, Buchanan hooked up with Ammons on a 44-yard scoring strike, SM’s first passing TD of the season, making it 21-19 with 10:33 on the clock.
After starting near midfield following a punt, the Mustangs used a 19-yard run by Buchanan and his conversion run to go up 29-19 at the 7:47 mark.
While attempting to pass, Hill was flushed out of the pocket but scrambled 50 yards to the end zone cutting the gap to 29-26 with 5:39 on the clock.
The Eagles forced a punt and regained the lead at 33-29 on a 38-yard pass from Hill to Robinson at the 2:59 mark.
SM drove 73 yards in 11 plays following the kickoff. The highlight was a 16-yard pass from Hunt to Ammons on a fake punt. An 8-yard TD pass from Buchanan to Ammons with 33.5 seconds on the clock sent the Mustangs to the dressing room on top 36-33.
They drove 72 yards in 10 plays following the second-half kickoff. Hunt’s 36-yard run capped the march for a 43-33 lead with 7:26 remaining in the third stanza, but that would be their final points of the night.
Meanwhile, the Eagles kept on scoring. Hill completed passes of 17 yards to Stephen Land and 11 yards to Waters before finding Waters for a 29-yard TD narrowing the deficit to 43-40 with 5:14 to go in the third quarter.
SM turned the ball over on downs at the East 37 setting the stage for the Eagles to take the lead for good. Hill ran for 15 yards and passed to Robinson for 16 on consecutive plays. Robinson had a 24-yard run before Hill’s 13-yard TD run on a quarterback draw put his team up 47-43 with 2.2 seconds on the clock.
Following the kickoff, SM drove from its 35 to the East 20. When the drive stalled, Dougherty attempted a 38-yard field goal, which was blocked.
Starting at their 31, the Eagles needed just three plays to score. Hill completed a 25-yard pass to Waters and Robinson ran for 26 yards ahead of Hill’s 18-yard TD run on a quarterback draw extending the margin to 54-43 with 6:49 to play in the game.
Robinson ended the scoring when he intercepted Buchanan’s pass and returned it 22 yards with 5:49 on the clock. The extra point was no good.
SM’s Chad Harper was in on 11 tackles, including eight solos.
SM EH
23 First Downs 17
53-240 Rushes-Yds. 22-212
12-26-1 Passing 13-18-0
132 Passing Yds. 219
2-32.5 Punts-Avg. 3-29.7
0-0 Fumbles-Lost 0-0
6-36 Penalties-Yds. 7-57
SM 7 29 7 0 43
EH 12 21 14 13 60
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