The South Greene football team made plenty of big plays on Friday night, but in crunch time when they most need to move the ball the Rebels stalled and watched their season come to an end in the first round of the Class 2A playoffs.
Tellico Plains made the journey to Rebel Hill and used its ground game to take the lead in the second half before making a pair of decisive defensive stops for a 30-28 win, its first postseason victory since 2009.
“They wanted it more than us,” South Greene coach Shawn Jones said. “We played hard, but they beat on us all night. We didn’t play well, and in the playoffs you have to play well. We had a super year, but you hate for it to end like this. Self-inflicted stuff hurt us tonight, and that’s really frustrating for these seniors. But all we can we do now is move on.”
The Bears took control of the game in the fourth quarter, started on the first play of the period when Braden Reed hit Bradyn Enterline going across the middle for a 31-yard pickup. Ryan Shaffer followed with a 28-yard run up the left sideline. Tellico Plains went up 28-21 when Reed faked a pitch to the right and went around the corner to left for a 12-yard score.
On the two-point try Reed hit Enterline on a slant for a 30-28 advantage with 9:52 left to play.
South Greene did not take long to answer, and on the first play of the ensuing drive Jacob Susong delivered a swing pass to Tripp Neas. Neas brushed off a tackle near the line of scrimmage and then raced up the sideline for a 60-yard touchdown. Brant Wilhoit’s extra point closed the gap to 30-28.
The catch and run was one of three Rebels’ touchdowns that covered 60 or more yards on Friday.
The Rebels’ defense made a key stop on fourth down by dragging down Reed just short of the line to gain with 6:52 remaining, but the offense failed to get first down.
South Greene got one more chance with 2:32 left to play, but again could not move the ball. On fourth and one Susong tried to hit Trey Gentry on a crossing route while a defender was draped across his back. The ball hit the turf and no flag followed it.
Three knees by Tellico Plains ended the night.
After South Greene’s first drive of the night stalled the Bears marched 71 yards in 15 plays while taking 8:05 off the clock to Friday’s scoring started
Shaffer ran the ball eight times on the drive and finished things with a two-yard plunge up the middle. On the two-point try Reed hit Chance Shapiro for an 8-0 lead with 2:00 left in first quarter.
South Greene was able to answer quickly when Susong delivered a screen pass to Nash Rader. Rader patiently wove his way through the defense until he got to midfield where he turned on the burners and ran away from the defense for a 68-yard score. Wilhoit’s extra point closed the gap to 8-7.
The Bears went back in front 14-7 when Reed got loose around the left side for a 26-yard touchdown.
A 43-yard kickoff return by Rader set the Rebels up with a short field and South Greene evened the score at 14-14 when Susong hit Gentry on a post that covered 37 yards.
Rader then got South Greene’s first defensive stop when he picked off Reed. On the next snap he took a handoff up the middle, and once he got through the line of scrimmage he saw nothing but open space. Rader dashed 65 yards and put South Greene in front 21-14 with 5:08 left in the first half.
Just like on its first drive of the of the first half Tellico Plains started the second half with a long scoring drive. The Bears used 12 plays to move 63 yards and Shaffer ended things with an eight-yard touchdown run. Reed hit Enterline on the two-point try to give the Bears the lead at 22-21.
Tellico Plains went three for four on two-point tries, and ultimately that decided the final margin.
South Greene had a chance to take the lead before the third quarter ended but Wilhoit’s 42-yard field goal attempt was off target.
Tellico Plains ran the ball 59 times on Friday and gained 308 yards. Shaffer led the way with 168 yards and two touchdowns. The Bears produced 373 yards of total offense.
Susong led South Greene with a 13-of-22 performance through the air for 236 yards with three touchdowns. Nash Rader ran for 69 yards and had 79 receiving yards with two touchdowns. Neas caught five passes for 83 yards with a touchdown. Gentry caught three passes for 69 yards with a touchdown.
South Greene ends the year with an 8-2 record, having won eight straight games to close the regular season. They were perfect in Region 1-2A play and finished the regular season ranked No.9 in the TSWA Class 2A Poll.
“These senior never had a losing season while here, and that is something to be proud of,” Jones said. “They won the conference and that’s big. But now it’s over, and we’ll have to move on.”
