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Star Photo/Larry N. Souders Happy Valley’s Will Tittle (4) breaks up a pass intended for the Golden Knights Bryant Herron late in the second quarter.

Star Photo/Larry N. Souders The Warriors Marquise Cole (21) and Timmy Mounts (2) corral Sullivan North’s Bryant Herron (1) for a loss of 15 yards forcing a fourth down play.

Star Photo/Larry N. Souders The Warriors Matthew Bahn (22) lowers his shoulder and drives through the Golden Raiders defense for 17 yards setting up a first and goal on Happy Valley’s opening drive of the game.

Star Photo/Larry N. Souders Happy Valley’s Will Tittle (4) and other members of the Warrior defense wrap up the Golden Knights Dale Potter (3) after a short gain in the first quarter.

Star Photo/Larry N. Souders Happy Valley’s Will Tittle (4) makes an over the shoulder catch, in stride, on the pass for a 30 pluss yard gain and a first down on the Warriors opening drive.

Star Photo/Larry N. Souders With a helpful shove from the offensive line the Warriors Jordan Campbell (24) gives Happy Valley the lead on their opening drive of the game.

BY ALLEN LAMOUNTAIN

STAR CORRESPONDENT

KINGSPORT – The duo of senior running backs – Yancy Dolen and Dale Potter – for Sullivan North were too much for Happy Valley on Friday night on Benny Compton Field as the Warriors fell 24-14 in Mountain East Conference action.

“Missed opportunities finally caught up with us,” said Warriors head coach Jason Jarrett. “We have had missed opportunities all year but found a way to win, but my hats off to North.

“They played well and we knew it was going to be a challenge it always is. Their style is what it is – they run hard and pound the football.”

Dolen rushed for 133 yards on 11 carries including the game-clinching 40-yard touchdown run that sealed the win for the Golden Raiders while Potter tacked on 125 yards on 21 tries.

The Warriors (6-2, 2-1 MEC) opened with a big play as junior quarterback Eli Ayers found senior receiver Will Tittle on a 45-yard toss on first and 15 to the North 17 yard line. Five plays later senior RB Jordan Campbell scored on a two-yard plunge for a 7-0 HV lead.

Sullivan North (5-3, 2-2) answered with a 15-play, 65-yard drive capped off by a five-yard run by senior fullback Yancy Dolen. Dale Potter ran in the two-point conversion for an 8-7 Golden Raider lead.

Happy Valley lost a pair of fumbles in the first half that stymied drives, the last coming at the North 16-yard line.

The Raiders rushed for 101 first-half yards with Potter gaining 51 yards on nine carries while the Warriors were held to 56 rush yards with Tittle running for 27 out of the Wildcat formation.

Ayers completed 1-for-4 passes for 45 yards and Andrew Little tossed a 29-yard halfback pass to Tittle on a drive the Warriors eventually turned it over on their second fumble of the half.

HV’s initial fumble occurred on the Warriors 15-yard line but a staunch defensive effort along with a personal foul penalty helped HV halt the drive on downs.

In the third period, HV drove for a score after senior LB Timmy Mounts recovered a North fumble. The Warriors drove 54-yards on 10 plays with Ayers connecting with tight end Ty Pierce on a 13-yard scoring play.

North forced a punt on the next HV possession which went just 19 yards giving the Raiders the ball at the 40-yard line. The Raiders quickly took advantage of the field possession gift with Potter steaming for a 20 yard gain on first down to the 20-yard line.

Three plays later Potter scored on a six-yard run and added the deuce for a 16-14 North lead. Little recovered a third North fumble giving HV the ball at the 40-yard line but this drive stalled when Ayers was sacked on a fourth down play and Dolen took over from there.

Busting up the middle Dolen took on the middle of the HV defense and broke free and didn’t stop until he crossed the goal line. Potter added the deuce once again for the final margin of victory for the Raiders.

“Our kids showed a lot of heart, and usually you can’t have that many turnovers and win,” said Raiders head coach Preston Patrick. “We played a lot better upfront and the skill guys played their tail off. We tried to give them as many looks as we could and stretch the field vertically.”

Happy Valley takes on Trinity Academy next week before finishing the season with South Greene.

—

Sullivan North 24-14

Happy Valley   7 0   7 0 – 14

Sullivan North 8 0 16 0 – 24

Scoring summary

First Quarter

H – Campbell 2 run (Cochran kick) 8:41

S – Dolen 5 run (Potter run) 2:33

Third Quarter

H – Pierce 13 pass from Ayers (Cochran kick) 2:49

Fourth Quarter

S – Potter 6 run (Potter run) 8:56

S – Dolen 40 run (Potter run) 2:20