BY IVAN SANDERS

CORRESPONDENT

AFTON— The Black Knights of Chuckey-Doak were celebrating Senior Night Friday night in the Black Hole, but the Elizabethton Cyclones could have cared less as the Cyclones blew through the Hole with ease, shutting down the Black Knights  44-3.

After a shaky start, the Cyclones started gaining strength and it didn’t take long to turn a 7-0 lead early in the first quarter to a 30-3 lead at the end of the first half.

“The guys are focusing, playing sharp and executing,” said Cyclone head coach Shawn Witten. “Our guys are hungry and after being disciplined against the Wing-T offense, we were able to adjust and shut it down.”

Freshman quarterback Carter Everett got the start and quickly led the Cyclones to a score on their opening possession. He found all the support he needed from senior running back Jeremiah Turner, who scored on a three-yard romp after rushing five straight times for 65 yards from the Elizabethton 35-yard line.

Dylan Nordby blasted the point after for the 7-0 lead.

The Black Knights, running from the Wing-T, had the Cyclones on their heels before Elizabethton forced Chuckey-Doak into a 29-yard field goal attempt which was way wide by placekicker Carlos Guiteriez.

Elizabethton then extended the lead on the ensuing possession as Logan Norman continued to shine as he crashed over the goal line from one-yard out to push the lead to 14-0 on Nordby’s PAT with 5:22 left in the first quarter.

Norman rushed for his third game of over 100 yards and said it was just a matter of confidence on his part.

“I’ve been doing what coach has asked me to do by following my blocks,” added Norman. “I have gained more confidence in my running ability from the start of the season until now.”

The Black Knights were forced deep on the kickoff as a result of two penalties and with their backs to the wall, Nestor Grubb corralled quarterback Tanner Barkley in the end zone for a safety to make it 16-0 Cyclones.

With the Cyclone defense playing solid football, the Cyclones got the ball back to start on the Black Knight 45-yard line.

Everett went to the air and found senior wide receiver Drew Bowers for a 33-yard touchdown pass to give ‘Betsy the 23-0 lead with 1:55 still left in the first quarter on Nordby’s kick.

The Black Knights finally erased the goose egg on their side of the scoreboard as Guiteriez connected from 28-yards out to make the score 23-3 with 5:02 left before the half.

Elizabethton tacked a final score on the board in the opening half as Turner once again found pay dirt from the three-yard line to push the score to 30-3 as Nordby remained perfect.

“The coaches are doing a good job of pushing us,” said Turner. “The playoffs are coming up so it’s all business for us now.”

The halftime score showed in favor of ‘Betsy 30-3.

Coming out of the locker room, the Cyclones quickly got the ball back from the Black Knights who had received the second half kickoff, and Elizabethton wasted little time finding the goal line again.

Senior signal caller Hunter Tyree found freshman Corey Russell in the flat and the shifty, fleet-footed receiver covered 21 yards to the end zone.

Nordby booted the PAT and the scoreboard read 37-3 Cyclones.

The game’s final score came just before the end of the third quarter, thanks to another Norman 12-yard scamper and Nordby’s PAT to compose the final 44-3 score as the game’s clock ran the remaining part of the contest.

The Cyclones will be celebrating Senior Night in the regular-season finale on Thursday at Citizens Bank Stadium when they welcome first year program Northview Academy.