Phillips’ 71-yard TD highlights Dragons’ night
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Austyn Phillips
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Bryson Maddox
Two of the top wide receivers in the state took the field Thursday for the annual FirstBank 5Star Preps Jamboree at Carson-Newman University, and neither disappointed.
Clinton’s Bryson Maddox, on the radar of several major-college programs, and Tennessee commit Tyreek King of Knoxville Catholic both scored touchdowns in the opening moments of the teams’ two-quarter jamboree game, won by the Fighting Irish 21-14.
But it was Dragon receiver Austyn Phillips who had game highs with three catches for 110 yards, including a 71-yard touchdown, the longest play of the game.
The Dragons won two of the four skills contests held at the midpoint of the jamboree. Jaxon Herrell of Clinton took the punting competition with a boot of 42 yards, and Mason Eckerson captured the longest-pass crown with a 60-yard toss.
In the other jamboree games, Lakeway Christian defeated Jellico 6-0, Greeneville blanked Morristown East 14-0, and Christian Academy of Knoxville shut out Campbell County 14-0.
As the Dragons did in an Aug. 1 scrimmage against Grace Christian, they alternated two quarterbacks in the jamboree. Jaylon Benjamin started the first series, with Eckerson coming in on the next drive. Eckerson finished 2-for-6 for 107 yards and a TD, and Benjamin went 4-for-9 for 63 yards and a TD.
The Dragons piled up more passing yards than Catholic, 170 to 138, while the Fighting Irish had the edge in total offense, 224-207. Ryin Jones made a nice play on a 37-yard catch for Clinton.
Jamboree possessions began at the 30-yard line, and Knoxville Catholic opened the game by fumbling the first snap. Clinton’s Ryker Armes pounced on the loose ball at the Irish 16. On the next play, Benjamin hit Maddox in the center of the end zone for a TD. Emmanuel Ortiz booted the first of his two extra points for a 7-0 Dragon lead with only 15 seconds gone in the quarter.
Catholic QB Mack Bartholomew, however, answered immediately with a short push-pass to King, who stiff-armed his way down the right sideline for a 70-yard TD to tie the game 7-7.
A Dragon fumble on a lateral pass was recovered by the Irish’s Skylan Johnson and returned to the Dragon 14, and Bartholomew ran in a TD on the next play for a 14-7 advantage.
In the JV quarter, Catholic capped a 99-yard drive begun by the varsity with a 5-yard TD run by Isaac Hooper.
Eckerson then hit a wide-open Phillips for a 71-yard TD on the next Dragon drive.
Clinton’s Noah Hill stripped a Catholic receiver of the ball and returned the fumble 11 yards near the end of the game.
The Dragons open the regular season this Saturday at home against Heritage.
