The Elizabethton Cyclones may have had tried to peek around their opening round opponent in the TSSAA football playoffs Friday night at Citizen’s Bank Stadium and almost overlooked a scrappy Howard Hustlin’ Tiger team from the Chattanooga area.

Fortunately for the Cyclones, they managed to pry their way out of the clutches of the upset-minded Tigers in the second half to capture a 28-14 win and advance to next week’s second round and a rematch against the Anderson County Mavericks who ended Elizabethton’s season just one year ago.

Painful first half

The first 24 minutes of the game were something that Cyclone fans weren’t used to seeing out of their team as nothing seemed to sync offensively for Elizabethton who even gave up their first safety of the season on a ball kicked to the end zone and fell on by a Cyclone.

Howard seemed to be the aggressor in the block taking advantage of big, bullish runs to take an 8-7 lead to the locker room.

The Cyclones lone score came on a Corey Russell 90-yard receiving touchdown from Carter Everett and a Jaxton Holly point-after.

Russell made a big stop on fourth down on the 10-yard line defensively just one play earlier before lighting a little fire on the Cyclone sideline with the catch and run.

Not the best

conditions

It was hard to determine who would be able to not only overcome their opponent but a nagging, cold rain that started to fall in earnest at the half.

Elizabethton managed to take the lead in the third quarter with 4:26 remaining when Russell scored his second score of the night on a 5-yard rushing touchdown.

Holly’s attempt was true, and the Cyclones were up 14-7 heading to the final 12 minutes of action.

The season

on the line

With one team facing an end to their season and the other living to play another week, Howard wasted little time in pulling even when Tawon Billips bulldozed over from the 1-yard line after the Cyclones held three straight times after the Tigers had first and goal from the 3-yard line.

Billips was actually popped in the backfield but rolled off the would-be tackler and into the end zone with 11:13 showing on the game clock. Howard’s biggest thorn in the flesh all night was the kicking game as their placekicker missed two extra points and a short field goal attempt.

With the game tied at 14-14, the Cyclones wasted little time in marching down the field and taking the lead for good on an Everett to Parker Hughes 23-yard passing touchdown just 64 seconds later.

Holly converted the PAT, and the Cyclones led 21-14.

Slamming

the door shut

Elizabethton finally was able to round the Tigers up thanks in part to Howard turning into their own worst enemy.

It all started as the Cyclones were driving and Russell was rode out of bounds gaining a late-hit penalty flag.

The Howard defender took exception to the yellow hanky and was tossed after the call. As he was going off the field, two more flags were tossed against two Howard defenders who also were shown to the sideline to join their teammate.

With the three ejections, the tally was standing at four ejections for the game.

The ball was placed at the 2-yard line, and the whole Tiger team went and stood on their side of the field as the Cyclones lined up and Russell did the Tennessee Waltz into the end zone untouched and undefended.

Holly split the uprights, and the Cyclones led 28-14.

Howard received the kickoff and was moving the ball a Tiger offensive lineman decided to do a little ground and pound MMA style on a Cyclone defender with 27 seconds left on the clock.

The officials called unsportsmanlike conduct, booted McCroskey, and ended the game at that point without another snap.

By the numbers

For the contest, Russell finished with 25 carries for 147 yards and two rushing touchdowns while hauling in five receptions for 114 yards and a score. For good measure, Russell also added three returns for 70 yards to tally 331 all-purpose yards.

Hughes finished with three catches for 40 yards and a touchdown.

Everett had a solid night in the air finishing 12-of-19 passing for 186 yards and two scores. He was also intercepted twice by the Howard defense.

Defensively, Deuce Morton recorded 10 stops in the contest while Gabe Deprimo followed with eight.

Coach Shawn Witten’s take on the contest

“We told the guys all week long that it wasn’t going to be easy. You can’t expect it to be easy in the playoffs. It was just a great challenge.

“We didn’t get off to a great, great start. We had a chance to put it in on a couple of drives and we got some penalties that backed us up.

“Give those guys credit because they played extremely hard. They are tough to tackle and they played one heck of a football game.”