Ads fall, playoff hopes still alive
The Wildcats (9-0 overall, 5-0 in Region 2-6A) will play for a league championship at Maryville High School Thursday night at Jim Renfroe Field in Blount County and ORHS coach Derek Rang said his team must believe it can knock off the Rebels (9-1, 5-0).
“We’ve got to go down there and believe,” said Rang, who is in his third season as the ORHS head coach. “We’ve got to go down there believing we can win the dang thing.
“Maryville is going to make some big plays and we’re going to go down there and make some big plays because we’re both good football teams.
Oak Ridge had to get a big boost of confidence as it routed Farragut, 45-21, Thursday night at Bill Clabo Field in Farragut Thursday night in front of a regional television audience in West Knox County, avenging last year’s loss to the Admirals (2-7. 2-4).
The Wildcats got off to a fast start out of the gate as they opened an early 14-0 lead. They darted out to a 7-0 advantage when quarterback Blaine Stansberry scored on a 9-yard run, capping off an 85-yard scoring run. He would add another scoring scamper, this one from five yards out, to extend Oak Ridge’s advantage to 14-0.
The Admirals, who will also look to clinch a postseason bid with a win at Cleveland Thursday night trimmed their deficit to 14-7 with 9 minutes, 37 seconds remaining in the second stanza when quarterback Corbin Hobson connected with Max Garfield on a 28-yard touchdown pass, making the score 14-6. Farragut’s Ryan McCue added the extra point, making the score, 14-7.
Oak Ridge would score the final 10 points of the opening half as Stansberry connected with Malik Howard on a 79-yard scoring strike and Eli Pearson converted a 37-yard field goal, giving the Wildcats the 24-7 lead they enjoyed at halftime.
The Admirals were able to pull to within 24-14 early in the third stanza when Hobson connected with Garfield on a scoring pass from 58 yards out.
“I give our kids credit, they battled hard all night,” Admirals’ coach Geoff Courtney said. “They battled back and got it to 14-7 and 24-14 against a good football team.
“We’re where we want to be. We have a chance to make the playoffs in the final week of the regular season. We would’ve liked to clinch before now, but we are where we are and we’re in control of our own destiny.”
Stansberry helped the Wildcats regain control of the contest when he lofted a 31-yard scoring toss to Ja’Rell Jemerson midway through the third frame, making it 31-14.
Howard, a tight end, had a scoring catch with 11:40 remaining in the final frame. Howard recoded another TD reception midway through the final stanza, making the score, 45-14.
“Their quarterback had a great night,” Courtney said. “And their receivers, Malik Howard and Jemerson, had great nights.
Farragut running back Charlie Noble rushed for a touchdown late to close out the scoring in the contest.
