ANDERSON CO.— The Elizabethton Cyclones knew going into Friday night’s TSSAA second-round contest against the state’s number-two ranked Anderson County Mavericks that keeping the Maverick’s junior quarterback Stanton Martin penned up was key to winning the contest.

Unfortunately for Elizabethton, Martin was off the charts accounting for over 500 yards in total offense to propel Anderson County over the Cyclones, 38-21, and ending Elizabethton’s season with a 9-3 mark.

The Mavericks jumped out to a 14-0 lead with 9:52 remaining before half before the Cyclones dented the scoreboard.

Corey Russell burst over from the two-yard line for the Cyclones first score with 3:47 remaining before intermission making it 14-7 after Jaxton Holly’s point-after attempt was good.

Anderson County pushed their advantage to 17-7 on a 33-yard field goal from Clayton Utley with 8.7 seconds left in the half.

The Mavericks added two more scores to take a 31-7 edge with on a Martin nine-yard scoring run and a 45-yard touchdown pass to Michael Carroll just six minutes into the third quarter.

Elizabethton responded with a Russell one-yard score as Russell was stood up and stretched the ball across the goal line while lifted in the air.

Holly’s PAT was wide and the scoreboard read 31-13 Mavericks with 1:34 left in the third quarter.

Anderson County scored just a minute and a half into the fourth quarter on a Mason Phillips three-yard bolt extending their lead to 38-13.

‘Betsy would get one last score with 4:29 left to play in the contest when Russell scored his third rushing touchdown of the game on a 10-yard jaunt.

Carter Everett found Evan Perkins for the two-point conversion to give the game its final score of 38-21.

Despite the loss, the Cyclone defense held the state’s top-scoring team under 50 points for the first time all season.

Coach Shawn Witten was proud of the fight his team showed in not giving up until the very end.

Anderson County advances to play Greeneville next Friday night for what appears for all intents and purposes to be the state championship game for Class 4-A as the game pits one against two in the state rankings.