Cyclones blitz Seymour in regular-season finale
Published 11:52 pm Friday, October 29, 2021
Star Photo/Randall Bennett Elizabethton wide receiver Jake Roberts goes up for one of his four scores in the game against the Eagles of Seymour.
Star Photo/Randall Bennett Eli Williams (16) and Trenton Taylor (74) leap in front of intended pass by the Seymour quarterback.
Star Photo/Randall Bennett Cyclone defenders Blake Stewart and Brad Cannon (80) bring down an Eagle running back during Friday action.
Star Photo/Randall Bennett The Cyclone defense was swarming everything that Seymour attempted to do Friday night.
Star Photo/Randall Bennett Cyclone quarterback Bryson Rollins rolls out looking for an open receiver.
Star Photo/Randall Bennett Elizabethton running back Cade Russell searches for a running lane against the Seymour defense.
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FROM STAFF REPORTS
The Elizabethton Cyclones were looking to make quick work of Seymour on the road in the regular-season finale for both teams heading into next week’s start of playoff action across the state.
Behind quick strikes coming from all angles, the Cyclones mission was accomplished with a 56-8 pasting of the home-standing Eagles who were celebrating Senior Night.
Cade Russell kicked things off on the right foot in the first quarter as the junior running back put the Cyclones on the board with a 12-yard run that gave Elizabethton a quick 7-0 lead with 8:16 remaining in the opening quarter after Sean Smithdeal connected on one of his eight point-after attempts of the contest.
Just a few ticks over a minute later, Cyclone defensive back Blake Stewart stepped in front of an Eagle pass and romped 28-yards to the end zone to make it 14-0.
The Cyclones kept applying the defensive pressure and that paid off as Luke Whaley recovered an Eagle fumble and returned it three yards for another ‘Betsy score. The kick made it a 21-0 game with 5:33 still remaining to play in the first quarter.
For good measure, Jake Roberts took a punt on the bounce and 29 yards later stood in the end zone to give his team a 28-0 lead after the PAT.
The Cyclones led by the same 28-0 score at the end of the first quarter of play.
Roberts added his second score of the game on a 21-yard pass reception from quarterback Bryson Rollins to make it a 35-0 game with 7:31 left to play before the intermission.
The half ended with the same 35-0 score.
Coming out of the locker room, Roberts picked back up where he left off in the first half as the senior defensive back plucked an Eagle pass out of the air and returned it 27 yards for a pick-six. Smithdeal again was true and the scoreboard read 42-0 with 10:48 showing on the third-quarter clock.
Roberts wasn’t finished there as he added his fourth score of the contest on an 11-yard pass from Rollins with Smithdeal’s kick making it a 49-0 game with the continuous clock showing 3:52 in the third quarter.
The Cyclones added their final score of the contest just 10 ticks into the final quarter when Teddy Orton hauled in a 19-yard pass from Rollins to make it a 56-0 game on Smithdeal’s PAT.
Seymour recorded their only score in the contest with 1:35 remaining to play when Dylan King rolled into the end zone for a 25-yard scoring run. The two-point conversion was good making it a 56-8 final.
For the game, Rollins finished 9-of-16 for 113 yards and three scores. Russell racked up 115 yards on 13 carries and the lone score.
Defensively, Harrison Lane and Trenton Taylor were credited with a sack apiece while Brad Cannon and Blake Stewart were credited with a half-sack apiece.
Roberts had two interceptions while Stewart added the one. Rollins and Whaley were credited with a fumble recovery apiece.
Elizabethton finished with 272 total yards to Seymour’s 138. The Cyclones were whistled 10 times for 95 yards in penalties while Seymour saw two yellow hankies for 25 yards.
The Cyclones will host a first-round playoff game Friday at home with a 7 p.m. kickoff.
