CLINTON – The Greeneville football team could not figure things out in the second half as Anderson County scored 21 unanswered points on the way to a 28-14 win that ended the Greene Devils’ season in the Class 4A quarterfinals.
“We obviously didn’t play our best football in the second half,” Greeneville coach Eddie Spradlen said. “We had a good scheme I felt like. I’m proud of my guys’ effort and giving it their all for four quarters. In the first half we were able to do what we wanted to do. The quarterback run was open. Carson (Quillen) was running the ball hard. But in the second half we had a lot of opportunities to make plays, and we didn’t.”
Greenville finishes the year with a 9-3 record and as the Region 1-4A champions. The Devils’ seniors finish their careers with a 44-6 record and as four-time region champions.
“Those kids bought in and did everything we asked them to. They have played hard all year and they have done everything to the best of their ability,” Spradlen said.
Friday’s second half started with Greeneville leading 14-7 and the Greene Devils got the ball first in the third quarter. They quickly moved into scoring position on a 15-yard run by Carson Quillen and a 35-yard run by Caden Baugh.
That set up Greeneville on the 15-yard line, but then things began to turn. Two stops in the backfield made it fourth and 20. For a brief moment Greeneville looked to have taken control of the game when Taren Claridy made an athletic touchdown grab of a halfback pass from Quillen.
But a flag was thrown because the Devils did not have enough players on the line scrimmage and the score was waived off. Greeneville could not convert the fourth and 25 that followed.
“That was huge, we come out of the second half and go up 21-7. Then they call back because of an illegal formation. That killed our momentum and they were able to get back in the game,” Spradlen said. “The guys said they checked with the referee and he said they were on, but then he threw the penalty, I don’t know.”
Anderson County answered by marching 75 yards in nine plays and evening the score at 14-14 with 5:26 left in the third quarter.
Mr. Football semifinalist running back Waylon LaRue was held to just 17 yards rushing in the first half, but on the scoring drive he carried the ball four time for 31 yards. The drive ended when Landen Hensley hit Riley Wolfenbarger on a 17-yard corner route that finished at the left pylon.
After a Greene Devil punt the Mavericks took their first lead of the night on the first play of the fourth quarter. Trent Strickland got the drive going when his catch run picked up 21 yards to convert a third and long.
Strickland then capped the series when he found himself covered by a linebacker on deep route that turned a fourth down into a 29-yard touchdown. With 11:53 left to play the Greene Devils were playing from behind for the first time at 21-14.
Strickland had the biggest day of anyone on the field, hauling in eight passes for 140 yards with three touchdowns.
“Zaydyn Anderson going out early in the first quarter didn’t help us,” Spradlen said. “We were playing two or three different corners, and they were able to take advantage of some stuff. They were picking on that.”
An interception by Evan Pyatt ended the Devils’ next drive, and again Anderson County mounted another long scoring drive. This one took 13 plays to move 78 yards and took and ended with 2:35 left to play.
It was again the Hensley to Strickland connection that got the job done as they finished things off with a quick pass to the flat that covered eight yards and pushed the Mavericks’ lead to 28-14.
Greeneville put together an effective two-minute drill and quickly found itself at the Mavericks’ 23-yard line, but a sack set up a fourth and 17 that the Devils could not convert.
Greeneville was the first team to find the endzone on Friday, and took a 7-0 lead with 2:54 left in the first quarter. After Jackson Nicholls recovered a Mavericks’ fumble Quillen got the Greene Devils going with five carries on the six-play drive. He capped the drive with a 28-yard run around the corner to the left. He wiped away a defensive back five yards down field and then was off to the races for his 35th touchdown of the season.
Quillen carried the ball 16 times in the first half for 102 yards, but he was held to 17 yards on 10 carries in the second half.
“Carson has been a big part of why we have been successful for a long time,” Spradlen said. “He’s an unreal football players and a really special baseball player as well. He’s going to have a bright future. I’m glad that I’ve been able to be a part of his life.”
Anderson County did not waste any time answering and needed just 1:34 to even things at 7-7. Hensley hit Strickland on a 32-yard seam route in which the Devils secondary got mixed up and forgot to cover him.
Greeneville used an 8:40, 15-play drive to regain the lead before halftime. Most of the damage was done on the ground with Quillen and Baugh alternating carries. Baugh finished things off by going off tackle to the left and scampering 11 yards untouched into the endzone. With 1:24 left in the first half Greeneville led 14-7.
Baugh finished the day with 115 rushing yards and 94 passing yards for Greeneville.
For Anderson County Hensley was 19-for-29 for 297 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran for 48 yards.
LaRue finished the day with 97 rushing yards and 81 receiving yards.
