While Disney’s Beauty and the Beast wasn’t being shown at Citizens Bank Stadium, the Elizabethton Cyclones were putting on their own version of the popular movie as the Cyclone football team was in beast mode on the field, and there was plenty of beauty present for Homecoming 2018.
Fresh legs make all the difference
A week off was the difference in the contest as the Cyclones (7-0) simply had more kick to their step than Union (4-4) who were playing their eighth contest of the season.
Elizabethton jumped out to a 14-0 lead at the end of the first quarter behind the passing of senior quarterback Carter Everett who found Evan Perkins on a 9-yard scoring pass and followed that up by hitting his big tight end Remington Tyree on a 30-yard strike.
Jaxton Holly took care of the first point-after while his little brother Braden took over the kicking duties from there.
Air Everett never missed a landing
It was a big night for the Cyclone signal caller as Everett connected for a total of 6 passing touchdowns on the night.
Perkins hauled in a second receiving touchdown of the night on a 56-yard bomb while Corey Russell was targeted for two scoring heaves as well covering 8 and 52 yards.
Zach C. Hartley’s 13-yard reception closed out the passing scores for the contest.
Everett was almost perfect going 13 of 14 passing covering 258 yards and the 6 touchdowns.
Grounding it to an end
While Everett was having a big night, Outland and Gavin Lowe were working hard on the ground to help keep the clock ticking with the big lead.
Outland recorded two scores in his last Homecoming game on 9 rushes covering 62 yards. Lowe, meanwhile, took the opportunity to make the best of having his name called toting the football 9 times for 55 yards.
Freshman Bryson Rollins also had 6 touches for 17 yards.
“We are ready for next week,” said Outland about the Cyclones showdown with the Greeneville Green Devils in a huge Region 1 showdown. “We all have to be focused and physical and play our best.”
Talking a little defense
After the initial score by the Cyclones, Union drove the ball to the Cyclone 3, but the defensive unit made a big goal-line stand and took advantage of a Patriot holding call to get the ball back in the hands of their offense.
Lead by seniors Gabe DePrimo, Jared Grindstaff, Joseph Kechter, Kilroy Hill, and Drew Broome the Cyclones held the Patriots at bay for a large portion of the contest.
Happy for the win
“We wanted to come out and play really well,” said Cyclone head coach Shawn Witten. “We wanted to show the distractions this week really didn’t affect us the way we got ready to play.
“We had a chance to re-group and self-evaluate ourselves over the open week, and we looked fresh tonight. We want to close this thing out as best we can.
“We talked about it coming down to the last—the last game, the last practice, the last homecoming game, the last senior night coming up,” continued Witten. “We know we have some challenges ahead going on the road the next two weeks. We are excited about it because we have our best people on the field and we are ready to go.”
Storm brewing for next week
Undoubtedly the biggest game of the season so far across the state will be next Friday in Burley Stadium in Greeneville when the state’s number one and three-ranked teams in Class 4-A butt heads.
Fans better get there early as seating is tight on the visitor’s side and all eyes will be looking to see if the Cyclones can figure out the top-ranked Greene Devils.