Perfection once again… Cyclones pound Cougars 70- 34 for second straight 10-0 regular season
Published 1:10 am Saturday, October 31, 2020
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Cyclone offensive lineman Conner Johnson picks up senior wide receiver Nic Vanover after Vanover took a reception into the end zone for the final Cyclone score.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Cyclone wide receiver Parker Hughes has his eye on the football as a Cougar defender attempts to knock the ball away to no avail as Hughes hauled in the touchdown reception late in Friday's game.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Cyclone running back Nate Stephens picks up a block allowing him to head to the end zone for one of his five scores on the night. Stephens had nine carries for 197 yards and the five scores.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Cyclone wide receiver Braden Holly attempts to make a move to elude a Cougar defender.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders A Central defender manages to knock the ball away from wide receiver Jake Roberts of Elizabethton.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Cyclone linebacker Deuce Morton puts the defensive pressure on the Cougar quarterback forcing an errant throw.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Bryson Rollins rolls into the end zone for an early score for the Cyclones.
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BY IVAN SANDERS
STAR SPORTS EDITOR
ivan.sanders@elizabethton.com
It was a special night for a lot of different reasons at Citizens Bank Stadium on Friday night as the Elizabethton Cyclones were celebrating 2020 Homecoming along with Senior Night while playing the Central Cougars for the final time as the Cougars will become a part of the West Ridge Wolves in 2021.
And the Cyclones sent its seniors out in grand fashion as Elizabethton won their 25th straight game and completed their second consecutive perfect 10-0 regular-season finish with a 70-34 whipping of the visiting Cougars.
As has been the case in the last few games, another Cyclone stepped to the forefront this week as sophomore running back Nate Stephens was slicker than a greased pig scrambling and rambling his way for 197 yards on only nine carries and scoring five times for Elizabethton.
Stephens just couldn’t be contained as his ability to turn on the afterburners was just too much for the Cougars to handle.
There were other contributors, however, as the Cyclones Bryson Rollins scored on a one-yard run as did Cade Russell while Rollins loaded up and hit Jordan Killion on a perfectly thrown 49-yard pass before Rollins departed with an aggravated hamstring.
Dalton Mitchell stepped in and finished the contest as Mitchell found senior wide receiver Parker Hughes on a 21-yard pass and then found Nic Vanover on a 24-yard pass that Vanover managed to shake and bake his way to the end zone for the final Cyclone score of the contest.
For the contest, Elizabethton had 27 rushes for 379 yards and completed 8-of-14 passes covering 164 yards. The Cyclones had 543 yards of offense in the game.
Central, meanwhile, didn’t have shabby numbers as the Cougars had 306 total yards in the contest balanced in the run and pass as Central had 160 yards on the ground on 33 carries and added 146 yards through the air.
“We got Nate Stephens going in the running game and we are just going to need multiple guys to step up as we make this final push,” said Cyclone head coach Shawn Witten.
“We have a lot of great backs and we have to go with the hot hand lately and last week Cade Russell really stepped in good and LaDarian Avery has had some big moments and Nate has really come on.
“How blessed are we to cap this thing off 25-0 and second consecutive 10-0 season,” Witten continued. “Just credit to the coaches, players, and the community standing behind us. We knew we could always do this – we just needed to push through. The kids have accepted the challenges and come to work hard every day.
“We are blessed to be in this great community and be able to work for a great administration that allows us to do our jobs.”
The Cyclones will be at home next week in the first round of the 2020 TSSAA Playoffs when they host East Ridge who managed to slide past Hixson 37-34 on Friday night.
Game time will be 7 pm.
