It’s a groove thing… Cyclones are fitting right pieces together heading into second half of regular season
Published 12:01 am Friday, October 4, 2019
- File Photo/Ivan Sanders The Elizabethton offensive line that includes Wesley Erwin (58), Owen Slagle (60), Colby Garland (53) and Conner Johnson (66) have been doing an outstanding job opening running lanes and protecting their quarterback leading to big offensive numbers through the first five regular season games to date.
BY IVAN SANDERS
STAR SPORTS EDITOR
The Elizabethton Cyclones come into tonight’s contest against 6A William Blount riding a wave of success and a large portion of that is due to players starting to settle into the roles they have been given and that’s bad news for the opposition as Elizabethton is starting to mesh into a well-oiled machine.
Statistically, the Cyclones are getting the production they were counting on heading into the season as senior transfer Cade Maupin has carried the ball 83 times for 600 yards and five scores through five games while quarterback Bryson Rollins has added 74 carries for 407 yards and six touchdowns.
Through the air, Rollins has connected on 40-of-59 attempts for 563 yards and nine passing touchdowns. Junior wideout Parker Hughes has been targeted 30 times and pulled in 18 of those for 270 yards and six scores.
With all the numbers climbing, the Cyclones head into Blount County looking to continue to make statement wins already recording two over 5-A schools and one over a 6-A school and looking to make William Blount the second.
“We are trying to approach the game a little bit like a playoff game,” said Cyclone head coach Shawn Witten. “We know our road the last two years has gone through Anderson County and it’s about the same distance to travel.
“They are a 6-A team that’s in a tough league who are 2-4 basically playing Maryville, Ooltewah, and McMinn County and suffered a 52-51 loss to Sevier County last week so they are really in a tough league and tough part of the area knowing it’s a Blount County school.
“The kids play really hard and they have a good coach,” Witten continued. “They have great scheme. The coach comes from Murfreesboro from Blackman and everyone knows Blackman has a good football team.
“It’s definitely one more week for us that we have to grind it out before we can get into the fall break and can catch our breath and finish up for the final stretch.”
This week’s game will be the first of two straight weeks that the Cyclones have to take a long bus ride as the following week they will be back in conference action at Union County.
People around the state are starting chatter about the game two weeks from tonight as everyone knows that if things stand as they are now, one of the biggest battles of the year will be taking place at Citizens Bank Stadium with a potential one-two matchup between the top two teams in the state in Class 4A.
However, the Cyclones have to be wary and not let their guard down looking ahead to the showdown as both William Blount and Union County would love nothing better than to spoil the undefeated record.
For those traveling to William Blount, the school is located at 219 County Farm Rd. in Maryville, TN 37801.
Kickoff is slated for 7:30 pm tonight.