ERWIN – The Chuckey-Doak Black Knights walked into Gentry Stadium searching for a potential season-changing win over Unicoi County on Friday night, but were outgunned and couldn’t keep up in a 48-21 loss to the Blue Devils.
“We played a really good Unicoi County team. Credit to them they did a great job. I felt like we made a lot of mistakes and we didn’t play well on either side of the football. And when you play good football teams it bites you,” Chuckey-Doak Head Coach Billy Kaylor said.
It was a rough night at the office for Chuckey-Doak. It was a close and competitive matchup for the majority of the first half, but Chuckey-Doak’s turnovers and mistakes were turned costly by Unicoi’s strong rushing attack led by Blaze Rice. The Unicoi County tailback ran for 115 yards and 5 touchdowns in the win.
The Black Knights dropped to 3-1 this season and dropped to 0-1 in Region 1-3A competition.
Chuckey-Doak got the ball first but couldn’t get the ball moving and punted on the first drive.
Rice went to work and delivered his first of five touchdowns on Unicoi’s opening drive. The Blue Devil ran for a gain of 27 yards on 3rd-&-1 and put himself in position for a four-yard rushing touchdown. Chuckey-Doak trailed 6-0 with 8:46 left in the first.
Chuckey-Doak quickly responded on the ensuing series. Brody Myers completed a 19-yard catch to Skylar Davis on 3rd-&-5 from their own territory. Marcus Britt and Braxton Lowe completed first downs next and helped reach the red zone. Myers finished the drive with a two-yard rushing touchdown and helped Chuckey-Doak briefly lead 7-6 with 4:07 remaining in the first.
Rice capped off Unicoi’s second drive with his second touchdown, this one from 12 yards out, and helped the Blue Devils regain a 13-7 lead with 1:06 left in the first.
A fumble on Chuckey-Doak’s first play of the third drive proved to be a difference maker in the game. Unicoi County did not immediately score and the Black Knights still made them work for it. Aidyn Evely hauled in a 26-yard catch on 3rd-&-9 and set up, guess who, for another touchdown. Rice scampered 28 yards for his third touchdown. The Black Knights trailed 20-7 with 11:39 left in the half.
The Black Knights next drive looked to be a failure until a miraculous play saved it. Skylar Davis hauled in a tipped pass in the red zone on a 4th-&-long. It set up Marcus Britt for a three-yard rushing touchdown to close the gap to 20-14 with 8:40 left in the quarter.
Unicoi continued scoring at will. This time the Devils switched it up and scored through the air. Gunner Peterson connected with Alex Laningham on 4th-&-goal from the 6-yard line for another six points. The PAT made it 27-14 with 5:11 remaining until the break.
The Blue Devils forced another back-breaking turnover and scored once more before the half. Nehemiah Campbell flew in for an interception and carried it to the 4-yard line before he was brought down. Rice achieved his fourth touchdown on the next play with 27 seconds left in the half.
“We couldn’t get out of our own way and made too many mistakes down the stretch,” Coach Kaylor said.
Unicoi County led 34-14 at halftime.
The scoring didn’t stop in the first half. Rice continued torching Chuckey-Doak and scored an 11-yard rushing touchdown to end his night. The Blue Devils led 41-14 with 8:33 left in the third.
Unicoi’s Avery Hatcher quite literally snatched the ball away from a Black Knight receiver for the third forced turnover of the night.
Gunner Peterson found Alex Laningham again for a 16-yard touchdown and started the running clock with 5:24 left in the third, ahead 48-14. Peterson finished 11-for-15 with 166 passing yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Zaden Schacke scored Chuckey-Doak’s final touchdown late in the fourth with 4:25 remaining.
Chuckey-Doak suffered a 48-21 defeat to Region 1-3A rival Unicoi County on Friday night in Erwin.
“It’s a good football team and Coach Rice does a great job. They came out and played really well. We put our worst football of the year on the field tonight and they took advantage of it,” Coach Kaylor spoke.
The Knights finished with 253 total yards and allowed 342 yards on defense. Brody Myers went 6-for-7 for 104 yards, rushed for 27 yards, and received five rushing yards. Kiptyn Ball went 5-for-9.
Chuckey-Doak suffered their first loss of the season and fell to 3-1. The Black Knights host the South Greene Rebels next week in a friendly county rivalry game. The game will be presented as next week’s Bachman-Bernard Game Of The Week Presented By Tommie’s Plumbing.
“We’ve got a good South Greene team coming to our place next week so we’re gonna get ready for that,” Coach Kaylor said.
