The Road to the BlueCross Bowl… Elizabethton set to face Greeneville in rematch with semifinals on the line
Published 12:59 am Friday, November 22, 2019
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BY IVAN SANDERS
STAR SPORTS EDITOR
In years past, Elizabethton has gotten close – really close but Greeneville has made it all the way to the state championship.
Could it be that this season will mark the changing of the guard as the winner of this game will more than likely be the favorite to take the state’s gold ball for 2019?
Elizabethton took a giant step on October 18th by taking down the Greene Devils in their regular-season showdown 24-21 which had roughly 5,000 people watch the exhilarating game in person and thousands more on television.
This time there is no television and word on the street is that this is a must-see game so another huge, overflow crowd is being expected regardless of the weather forecast which is calling for a 30 percent chance of rain currently at kickoff time.
Coach Shawn Witten has been around football all his life having played in big games such as this and then at the collegiate level at Virginia Tech.
For 13 years, Witten has been trying to push the Cyclone program over the hump and this year could just be that year.
“We just know that every play is going to be tough. Emotionally, physically, and mentally there is a lot on the line. I’m sure there’s a sour taste from October 18th,” Witten said.
“At the same point and time, we really didn’t play our best football game that day. We left a lot of plays out there but it’s going to be an exciting game.”
Witten had an inkling that the first meeting wouldn’t be the last as it was highly anticipated that the Greene Devils or possibly the Anderson County Mavericks could be coming to Citizens Bank Stadium in the third round game.
“We expected nothing less than Greeneville to be here. The Road to the BlueCross Bowl was going to have to go through Greeneville eventually somehow and in some way,” Witten continued.
“Our guys are prepared like any other week. We know in round three you got to be even better. We have to be even tougher and it’s a challenging task to play a team twice especially as physical as Greeneville is.
“They make you have to earn everything that you can do.”
With the Cyclones being relatively young when it comes to playoff experience, the boys in orange and black have grown leaps and bounds throughout the season.
Even so, a team like Greeneville who has made consistent trips to Cookeville brings a slight edge in experience in the big games to the field but Elizabethton has shown no signs of being willing just to tuck their tails and run.
“Obviously going against (Mason) Gudger, (Ty) Youngblood, and (Will) Albright – those guys have been there and done that,” stated Witten. “We are 12-0 and have a lot of confidence. We played one of our best and exciting football game a week ago. We did it throwing the football.
“Our defense has played a lot of power football teams throughout the year and this one is no different.”
With the weather possibly playing a factor with rain in the forecast, Witten was asked if that changed the Cyclones approach to the game offensively with the way that sophomore quarterback Bryson Rollins has been throwing the ball as of late.
“You still have to be balanced and make some plays in the passing game,” Witten said. “The biggest thing that we did last week was spread the football around and got our running backs involved.
“We had three different receivers who scored a touchdown. You have to be able to hit those intermediate routes and that’s what we did Friday against South. You have to finish drives and finish possessions.”
Greeneville has always been a team that may give up some yards between the 20’s but when an opponent gets close to the red zone, those yards diminish.
“We didn’t capitalize on some short-yardage situations,” stated Witten about the first meeting. “It seems like the closer you get to the end zone the tougher they are – they are really stingy.
“It’s really what has made them a championship ball club over the years. Their defense makes you earn every snap. With Albright and Youngblood at the inside linebackers and as big as they are upfront they make it extremely tough to run and throw the football.”
Most that took in the first meeting would say that Greeneville was given a couple of gifts compliments of special team play that were converted into scores.
Witten was asked how important it was that the special team units were zeroed in on taking away those opportunities this contest.
“We had terrible field position all night long. How many times do you get a punt blocked and win the game? They returned the second-half kickoff 70 yards,” continued Witten.
“We stopped them twice on our side of the field. Special teams become critical and that’s been an emphasis. It’s not about offense and defense – a lot of it is but it’s about certain situations and special teams.
“You know, Jake (Roberts) has to fair catch the football and not let the punt roll,” added Witten. “We have to cover on kickoffs.
“We can’t let them have an edge on special teams. They are going to make us have to punt it. We have to protect and get the ball on the ground and let it roll.
“We have to do all those small detail things. That has been the message we have been preaching since Monday was attention to detail. It has to be about the focus on the small detail things.”
It will definitely be one for the ages – a battle between the final number one and number two teams in the state at the end of the regular season with the Cyclones holding down the top position.
A game that fans will be talking about for years to come and one that could change the course of high school football in Northeast Tennessee for the future.
Come one, come all – it’s football time in Carter County.