Home Breaking News Friday Night Football: Nashville Scrappers, Mineral Springs Hornets, Murfreesboro Rattlers & Dierks...
Friday Night Football: Nashville Scrappers, Mineral Springs Hornets, Murfreesboro Rattlers & Dierks Outlaws
News-Leader photo/JOHN BALCH PRESENTING THE CUP. Nashville News-Leader publisher Louie Graves (center) is surrounded by the Mineral Springs Hornets, coaching staff and cheerleaders Friday night when he presented the Howard County Cup to the Hornets following a 50-8 homecoming win over the Dierks Outlaws
Nashville Scrappers @ Ashdown Panthers
Kickoff 7 p.m.
Things were looking good for the Nashville Scrappers early in last Friday night's Homecoming game when Carmillias Morrisson ran 80 yards for a first-quarter touchdown and a 7-0 lead against Joe T. Robinson.
However, the Senators went on to score 21 unanswered points in the first half on their way to a 39-25 victory.
The Scrappers committed four turnovers against Robinson. They also had a number of missed assignments that contributed to the loss.
"The other night, we did things that are uncharacteristic of us. When you play a good team, you can't make simple mistakes. We made too many," Coach Mike Volarvich said Monday morning. "All year, we've done our assignments. We didn't go a good job against Robinson. We didn't go where we were supposed to go. From a mental standpoint, we have to get back to the point of being in the right place."
Volarvich said it was "tough talking about our first loss of the season. Give Robinson a lot of credit. They're a very talented football team. When it came down to it, we didn't make the kind of plays we need to make in a big football game."
Despite the loss, Volarvich said he was "really proud of the effort. Our guys played extremely hard. We had too many self-inflicted wounds. That's probably the hardest part of that loss. The big majority of things we did to ourselves."
For the night, Volarvich said he was "proud of our offensive line and fullbacks. It was their best game of the year against the best defensive front we've seen all season. Our running backs ran hard, Keyshawn Stewart and Carmillias Morrison."
Defensively, Davonte Witherspoon "had another great game. Ty Gordon, Levester Gillard, Darren May played very hard as well," Volarvich said.
Overall, the Scrappers "played really hard. We have to play a little smarter and execute better," Volarvich said.
After Morrisson scored in the first quarter and Jhonny Pioquinto kicked the PAT, Robinson put up three touchdowns on runs of 20, 7 and 5 yards to go ahead 21-78 at halftime.
The Scrappers came back in the third quarter with a one-yard TD run by Ty Gordon.
Later in the quarter, De'Vay Ragland scored on a 44-yard pass from Jake Moorer. The two-point conversion attempt failed.
Nashville gave up a safety later in the quarter to lead 23-19.
The Scrappers' final touchdown of the night came on a five-yard run by Keyshawn Stewart in the fourth quarter. Again, the two-point conversion attempt failed.
Robinson added two touchdowns and a field goal to wrap up the scoring.
Moorer completed 8 of 21 passes for Nashville for 120 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions. Tristen Jamison went one for five for six yards.
Morrisson led the Scrapper rushers with 20 carries for 152 yards and a TD. Stewart carried 15 times for 119 yards and a touchdown. Gordon's only run of the night resulted in the one-yard TD.
Ragland caught two passes for 72 yards and a touchdown. Dontrelle Robinson had four catches for 30 yards. Gillard made two catches for 14 yards. Morrison had one reception for 10 yards.
Defensively, Witherspoon led the team with 13 tackles. He also had a sack and two tackles for losses. Gordon had eight tackles, followed by Jordan White with seven.
Other Scrapper tacklers included Gilliam, Gillard, Hendrix, Easter, Jefferson, Verge, Robinson, Hanson, Phillips, Johnson, Pioquinto and May.
Hanson recovered a Robinson fumble. Colton Patterson picked off a pass.
The Scrappers ran 72 plays to 71 for Robinson.
Nashville had 376 yards total offense, including 126 passing and 250 rushing.
The Senators had 398 total yards.
Nashville recorded 18 first downs, while Robinson had 17.
The Scrappers lost four turnovers, including a fumble and three interceptions.
Robinson lost one fumble and an interception.
Nashville was penalized four times for 37 yards. The Senators had six penalties for 40 yards.
Mineral Springs Hornets @ Murfreesboro Rattlers
Dierks Outlaws @ Lafayette County Cougars
Before Andreka Alexander could be crowned Mineral Springs' Homecoming Queen during a halftime ceremony Friday night, the Hornets had already set the Mercy Rule in motion as they coasted to a 50-8 win over the Dierks Outlaws to keep the Howard County Cup on MS Coach David Bennett's desk for another season.
The Hornets improved to 4-2 overall and 1-2 in conference play while Outlaws remain winless six games into the season.
Mineral Springs will travel to Murfreesboro Friday night to take on the Rattlers, who have a 2-4 overall record and also a 1-2 conference mark. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
The Outlaws will travel this week to Lafayette County to face the Cougars and their 1-5 overall and 1-2 conference record.
The Hornet piled on 404 yards of offense with 192 passing yards and 212 on the ground. Quarterback Peyton Haddan hit six of 11 passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns while back-up QB Terrell Fricks added 2/3 passes for 34 yards. Braden Williams led the receivers with three catches for 92 yards followed by Rayshawn Sanders with one catch for 37 yards and one TD, Tahji Beal with one for 25 yards and one TD, Ladarrius Hicks with two catches for 12 yards and KeJuan Hicks with one for 25 yards.
The Hornet ground game was led by Beal with eight carries for 106 yards and three TDs. Cameren Lee had two totes for 57 yards and one TD and Haddan carried three times for 28 yards and one TD. Adding to the rushing total was L. Hicks, Ka'Anthony Brown and K. Hicks.
Despite the score, the Outlaws turned in their best performance of the season and briefly held their first lead of the year in the first quarter 8-6. The Outlaws managed a total of 140 yards with 138 on the ground and 17 via the air.
Outlaw quarterback Chandler Lowery hit two of seven passes and also rushed eight times for 54 yards and the Outlaws' lone score, which came during the team's strong opening 11-play drive.
The scoring came quick for the Hornets after they covered an onside kick to open the game. On the first play of their first possession, Beal dashed 51 yards for the score and L. Hicks kicked the Hornets ahead 7-0.
After Dierks responded with their scoring drive, MS got the ball back and, again, on the first play were end zone bound. Lee scampered 55 yards for the score but the extra-point failed to give the Hornets a 13-8 lead with 8:31 still in the first quarter.
Hornet Peter Alexander covered a Dierks fumble to set up the next MS score.
On the second play of the possession, Haddan hit Sanders for a 37-yard TD strike and then ran in the two-point conversion for a 21-8 lead with 6:53 left in the first.
After trading punts, Dierks appeared destine for the end zone but ended up turning over the ball on downs. The Hornets used five plays to get Beal in the end zone for a 29-8 lead in the middle of the second quarter.
A Dierks fumble recovered by Trelyn Thomas set up the next Hornet score. Beal went in again from five yards out and with 1:24 left in the first half MS held a 35-8 lead. The Hornets added another score just before halftime to set the Mercy Rule and the game clock in motion with a 43-8 lead. Hornet Dontre Walton also aided the cause with two fumble recoveries.
MS opened the second half with another Beal TD run and L. Hicks kick to set the final score at 50-8 and run out the clock in the "V" formation.
Rattlers vs. Gurdon Go-Devils
The Murfreesboro High School Rattlers (2-4, 1-2) were on the wrong end of a 62-6 defeat last Friday night against the Gurdon Go-Devils.
Things looked up as the Rattlers went 68 yards on four plays with the opening possession of the game, capping the drive off with a 12 yard run by Zane Flaherty to take a 6-0 lead.
MHS then forced Gurdon to punt on their opening possession, but an interception derailed the ensuing Rattler drive and Go-Devils would find the end zone with their next seven offensive opportunities and an interception returned for a touchdown.
Murfreesboro was outgained 377-130 for the game, and had four turnovers.
Rattler QB Payten Diffee was 7/16 in the game for 99 yards and a pair of interceptions.
Flaherty would lead the team in rushing with 67 yards on 14 attempts and the team's lone TD.
Jakob Allmon would catch two passes for 64 yards to lead the receiving corps. Gavin Rawls would add three catches for 26 yards.
Dawson Watts led the Rattlers on defense with four tackles, followed by Flaherty, Allmon, Nathan Plyler, and Jase Kuykendall with three each. Kuykendall also recorded the lone tackle for loss by MHS.
Jameson Threadgill would lead the Gurdon offense with 128 yards on nine carries with three touchdowns.
This week Murfreesboro will host the Mineral Springs Hornets (4-2, 1-2).
The Hornets, who opened conference play with losses to the Mount Ida Lions and Gurdon Go-Devils, got back on track with a 50-8 victory over the Dierks Outlaws last week.
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