The Happy Valley Warriors got back on track in a big way Friday night as they pitched the Panthers a 59-0 shutout at Cumberland Gap High School during a Region 1-2A matchup.
The win comes a week after Happy Valley dropped a close Region 1-2A contest to Gatlinburg-Pittman, 25-22, and Happy Valley head coach Jason Jarrett said it is nice to get back in the win column.
“It was nice to get the bad taste out of our mouths from last Friday,” said Jarrett. “To get back and compete together as a family was big for us. The thing about it was we came out and fought hard. We looked like a refocused group.”
The Warriors racked up 338 yards of offense with 285 yards coming from the ground. Happy Valley’s Austin Hicks (77 yards, 10 carries, 2 rushing TDs) Dylan Street (74 yards, 2 carries, 1 rushing TD), and Dustun Sams (66 yards, 5 carries, 2 rushing TDs) all contributed to the Warriors ground attack in the first half.
Street proved Friday night that, whether he is rushing, receiving or returning the ball, he is a threat. The speedy senior had a 75-yard touchdown run, a 44-yard touchdown reception, and a 65-yard punt return for a touchdown.
“He is a threat at any phase of the game,” Coach Jarrett said. “That is why we try to give him the ball as many times as we can.”
The Warriors during waste any time Friday as Sams rushed in a 40-yard touchdown on Happy Valley’s second play of the night. Sams TD run was set up by a 25-yard run by Hicks. The touchdown gave the Warriors a quick 7-0 lead after Happy Valley kicker Michael Harrah’s PAT kick was good.
The Panthers got nowhere on their first drive and had to punt after three downs. The Warriors struck swiftly on their ensuing drive as QB Sage Haun found Street on a 44-yard touchdown pass. The Warriors moved to 14-0 with 8:56 left to go in the first quarter.
The Warriors defense bared down again during the Panthers’ next drive after the touchdown. Happy Valley senior linebacker Dylan Townsend sacked Cumberland Gap’s Jacob Bullins for a four-yard loss before the Panthers lost another six yards on a fumble. The Panthers would punt again, and Happy Valley took over on C-Gap’s 37.
However, Happy Valley’s following drive didn’t go as planned as the Warriors’ struggled in the passing game and turned the ball over on downs.
After getting the ball on their own 24, the Panthers would go three and out after a big sack from Happy Valley D-lineman Seth Chesser, who brought down Bullins for a ten-yard loss. Happy Valley blocked and recovered the Panthers’ punt, before scoring on a 10-yard dash by Sams. The Warriors took a 20-0 lead with just 56 seconds left in the first quarter.
After the kickoff, the Panthers would drive to the 50-yard line in five plays before Sams sacked Bullins for an eight-yard loss setting up a fourth and long.
On the ensuing play after the punt, Street scooted to the endzone on a 75-yard run, and with the two-point conversion no good, the Warriors led 26-0 early in the second quarter.
The Warriors stalled the Panthers defense once again as Happy Valley’s large-and-in-charge Landon Morefield shoved down Bullins for a sack and a 11-yard loss to pin the Panther deep in their territory.
The Panther’s punt would give Happy Valley the ball on the 47-yard line from where the Warriors alternated runs to Sams and Hicks. Hicks rushed for 33 yards on the seven-play drive before blasting in from one yard out to give Happy Valley a 33-0 lead with 4:11 left in the first half.
Cumberland Gap went three and out again as Happy Valley’s Caleb Allen and Luke Naylor busted into the Panther’s backfield and sacked Bullin for a 12-yard loss. Street made a big punt return to give Happy Valley the ball on the Panther’s six, before Hicks busted in for a touchdown, giving Happy Valley a 40-0 edge.
The Warriors final touchdown came from Streets’ 75-yard punt return to give Happy Valley a 46-0 lead heading into the half.
To open the second half, Happy Valley sophomore Dakota Cochren picked up a Panthers’ fumble and took it to the house from 35-yards out to help give Happy Valley a 53-0 lead.
“That was big for him,” Jarrett said about Cochren. “He deserves that. Week in and week out, he works hard and continues to get better.
Happy Valley’s final touchdown of the game came from freshman Will Tittle, who rushed one in from eight yards out. Tittle finished the night with 29 yards rushing on two carries. Happy Valley’s Tyler Guinn and Cochren each had 19 yards rushing yards on the night.
Next Friday, the Warriors, who are now 5-1 in Region 1-2A and 8-1 overall, will host South Greene for their last regular season game.
“We have a big game next week as South Greene comes to Warrior Hill for Senior Night,” Jarrett said. “It is going to be an emotional night with all these great seniors on the team. We are playing for something big next, which is a share of the conference championship.”

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