Bedeviled

Greeneville turns off the lights on Mavs’ season

November 21, 2018 by Conner McCarty

High school football fans from across the state prepared for last Friday’s TSSAA 4A Quarterfinal sequel.

Seats of the Anderson County grandstand were saved hours prior to kickoff, and the stands were packed 40 minutes before kickoff. However, much like many sequels, the 2018 version failed to live up to the hype — especially for the faithful of Anderson County.

The Anderson County Mavericks (12-1) hosted the Greeneville Devils (13-0) in the most anticipated high school football showdown in the state. It was a game in which many believed would result in the downfall of a powerhouse. However, the Greene Devils would quickly silence all critics and prove their dominance.

Greeneville scored 42 points in the first half, and it would be all the Devils needed to cruise to a 42-21 victory over Anderson County.

The Greene Devils quickly drew first blood, after forcing an Anderson County three-and-out. Greeneville’s standout quarterback Cade Ballard is a 4A Mr. Football Finalist and made his presence known on the first play of the football game.

Ballard called his own number, and rushed 78 yards on the first play of scrimmage. From the Mavs’ two-yard-line, two successive Ballard sneaks would cash in the Greene Devils’ first points of the contest. The extra point was good, and Greeneville led 7-0 with 10:00 left in the first quarter.

After a touchback, the Mavs’ offense started their second drive of the game from their own 20-yard-line. Senior quarterback and 4A Mr. Football Finalist Stanton Martin would find fellow Senior Logan Berry, and move Anderson County to the 50-yard-line.

However, Martin would be sacked for a ten-yard loss on the next play, and the Mavs’ drive would stall. After a Martin punt, the Devils would take over possession at their own 24-yard-line. After a first down and a Trey Noe sack on the ensuing second down, Greeneville faced a third-and-17 from their own 27-yard-line.

Yet, the Devils were able to convert and move into Anderson County territory. Once again, the Mavs’ defense held the Devils to a fourth-and-one. The Greeneville fourth down conversion play would result in a Ty Youngblood 34-yard touchdown run. The extra point put Greeneville ahead 14-0 with 4:26 left in the first quarter.

The teams would trade possessions, and Anderson County would take over on their own 40-yard-line after the defense forced the Devils to turn the football over on downs. The Mavs offense would capitalize on the momentum.

A big Quis Gallaher run gained extra yardage from a facemask penalty, and the Mavs had a fresh set of downs from the Greeneville 25-yard-line. Three plays later, Anderson County faced a fourth-and-five and needed to put points on the board. Martin would scramble away from pressure and fire a bullet to Austin Elliot down to the Devils’ five-yard-line.

Gallaher would bulldoze his way in for six on the next play. Wagner’s PAT cut Greeneville’s lead in half and the Devils led 14-7, with 10:09 remaining in the second quarter.

Yet, for Anderson County, a series of unfortunate events followed their first score. After a short kickoff, Greeneville would take over with good field position, at their own 44-yard-line. The Devils picked up a first down and moved into Anderson County territory, but had the ensuing big first down play erased on a holding penalty. However, on the next play, Ballard would throw a 42-yard touchdown bomb to Cameron Hite. The point after was good, and the Devils extended their lead to 21-7, with 7:52 left in the first half.

The ensuing kickoff was fielded by Senior Michael Carroll and returned back into Greeneville territory. However, a crack back block erased it, and the Mavs’ started the drive from their own 38-yard-line.

Anderson County would make up some of the yards from the penalty on a Greeneville defensive holding call. From the Devils’ 47-yard-line, the Mavs offense looked to take a shot downfield. However, Martin’s pass would be picked off by Dalton McClain and returned 86-yards for a Greeneville touchdown.

The extra point was good, and the Devils led 28-7 with 7:09 left until the break. In only a span of 43 seconds, Anderson County’s seven-point deficit turned into a 21-point hole—and that hole got deeper.

The Mavs’ offense returned to the field, only to be forced to go three-and-out. Martin punted from inside his own redzone out the Greeneville 40-yard-line. The Devils’ offense took over from there, and only needed three plays to capitalize on their good field position. On a first down from the Mavs’ 49-yard-line, Jaevon Gillespie took a draw play up the middle for six. The 49-yard touchdown run and successful PAT put Greeneville up 35-7, with 4:40 left in the first half.

Anderson County looked to slow the bleeding with a score before halftime, but a touchback on the kickoff meant they had to go 80-yards to do so. The Mavs’ offense would be handed 25-yards on two consecutive Greeneville penalties, and two plays later Martin would hit Cannon Carpenter for a 41-yard throw and catch. Now inside the Devils’ redzone, at the 12-yardline, Anderson County had the opportunity to capitalize.

After a Martin to Moog pass play, the Mavs were only nine yards out. However, an intentional grounding penalty resulted in lost yardage, plus a loss of down. Facing a third-and-24 from the 26-yard-line, Martin found Carpenter again for a big gain. However, an illegal man downfield penalty erased it, and Anderson County faced a third-and-29 from the 32-yard-line. In the attempt to convert, on the ensuing play, Martin would be picked off again.

Greeneville would take over from their own 40-yard-line, and use a two-minute offense scheme to march into the Anderson County redzone.

After a spike to stop the clock, the Devils faced a fourth-and-three from the Mavs’ six-yard-line. Ballard would find Dorien Goddard for a six-yard touchdown pass. The extra point made it a 42-7 Greeneville advantage, with 22.7 seconds left before halftime.

The Mavs were able to find the endzone twice in the second half. With 2:20 left in the third quarter, Gallaher found the endzone for a second time — when he took a handoff 18-yards around the right end of the line of scrimmage. In the fourth quarter, Stanton Martin capped off a 93-yard drive with a four-yard touchdown pass to fellow Senior Michael Carroll. However, the

Greene Devils would go on to defeat Anderson County 42-21.

It is the second straight year which the Devils have ended Anderson County’s state title hopes. With the win, Greeneville extends their win streak to 28 games and moves on to the TSSAA 4A Semifinals, where they will face Maplewood. For Anderson County, the 2018 season comes to an end. The Seniors can go out with their heads held high — during the past two years, they have earned a combined record of 24-2 and back-to-back Region 2-4A titles.