Oak Ridge stands its ground at Dobyns-Bennett
Wildcat quarterback Ethan Garza gets off the pass with added pass protection against Kingsport Dobyns-Bennett last Friday. The Wildcats played well, but mistakes cost the Ridgers in the final non-region game of the year. (photo:Luther Simmons )
The miscues left first-year head coach Scott Cummings frustrated after Oak Ridge dropped a 21-12 decision to the Indians Friday night at J. Fred Johnson Stadium in Kingsport.
“Every time we don’t shoot ourselves in the foot, we do great things,” Cummings said. “I think we proved that we can play with anybody.”
After the Wildcats (4-5) and the Indians (8-1) slugged through a scoreless first quarter, Dobyns-Bennett scored first when quarterback Jake Carson threw a 70-yard touchdown pass to Hayden Russell. Kicker Titan Thomas added the extra point to give the Indians a 7-0 lead with 10 minutes, 54 seconds remaining in the second quarter.
The Indians would extend their advantage to 14-0 on Carson’s second scoring strike of the contest, a 54-yard screen pass to Peyton Franklin with 3:41 left in the period.
Oak Ridge got on the board on the final play before halftime when David Wilson kicked a 32-yard field goal, to make it 14-3, which was set up when the Wildcats recovered a D-B fumble on their own 12-yard line.
The field goal would give the Wildcats a boost of momentum heading into the locker room at the half.
The Indians received the kickoff to open the second half. After Oak Ridge’s defense forced a three-and-out, Brandon Heyward had a long punt return to give the Wildcats possession at the Dobyns-Bennett 47-yard line.
The Wildcats scored a short time later as Jai Hundley’s 1-yard touchdown plunge made the score 14-10 with 8:42 to go in the third stanza.
Oak Ridge would then pull to within 14-12 when it picked up a safety when an errant Dobyns-Bennett snap went through the end zone late in the frame and it appeared the Wildcats were poised for a possible comeback victory.
But disaster ensued as Oak Ridge fumbled the subsequent free kick after a lengthy return.
“It would’ve been interesting to see what would’ve happened after that free kick,” Cummings said.
Dobyns-Bennett scored early in the fourth quarter when Franklin found the end zone from 23-yards out with just over 10 minutes remaining in the contest.
The loss might’ve been hard to take for the Wildcats but they won’t have time to brood. Oak Ridge will travel to play Campbell County Friday with a No. 2 seed from Region 3-5A hanging in the balance.
“We’ve just got to get better,” Cummings said. “We have a chance for a home playoff game.
“We have to come out and enforce our will against Campbell County.”
Kickoff for the game against the Cougars (5-4, 2-2 in the region) in Jacksboro is slated for 7 p.m.
Oak Ridge enters the contest with a 3-1 league record.