Friday produced a most unusual scenario for Ooltewah. The Owls were actually behind at halftime.

They had pretty much dispatched perennial region toughies Farragut and Oak Ridge in the two previous weeks by halftime, leaving only a complete collapse on either side of the ball between them and victories.

Soddy-Daisy had other plans last week, though, and held a 21-20 lead despite having two interceptions returned for touchdowns.

So Ooltewah changed its scheme, shelved the trimmings and went back to its meat-and-potatoes — a stifling defense, a well-executed blocking scheme and running back Matthew Polk.

“Their offensive line did a good job and we helped them out a bunch, but he’s a good back, a speed back,” Soddy-Daisy coach E.K. Slaughter said.

Polk ran for 295 yards and four second-half touchdowns, earning Times Free Press player of the week honors while helping Ooltewah to a 55-21 victory and the Region 2-5A championship.

“He has great balance, and he doesn’t dance around and get lateral when he goes to make a move. He doesn’t take three steps to make a cut, and he’s a hard runner,” Slaughter said.

Polk’s touchdown runs came from 2, 18, 8 and 19 yards.

“Coach said we didn’t play very well (in the first half), that we didn’t have our minds into it,” Polk said. “I just did what he told me.”

That is until just five minutes left and Monroe went to reserves although Polk was just five yards shy of a 300-yard game.

“I tried to get back in there, but Coach pulled me,” Polk said.

The senior has now rushed for 717 yards the last three weeks against Farragut, Oak Ridge and Soddy-Daisy, giving him 1,435 yards for the year and a 159.4 per-game average in a nine-game regular season.

“You tell me of a better back than this one,” Ooltewah coach Benny Monroe said as he jerked a thumb toward Polk. “I don’t know how much he could improve on what he’s done.”

Polk, however, shared the credit with the Owls’ offensive line and fullback Brandon Bruell.

“It’s all those guys,” he said. “They opened holes, and I tried to hit them.”

Ooltewah begins postseason play Friday, hosting Campbell County (5-5).

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL HONOR ROLL

By Ward Gossett

wgossett@timesfreepress.com

(Coaches are invited to make nominations. Send an e-mail to Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com by 2 p.m. each Sunday.)

* Baylor: Brett Murray pulled in five catches for 137 yards and two touchdowns as the Red Raiders evened their record at 5-5 with a 27-23 win over Knox Webb.

* Boyd-Buchanan: Joey Glisson kicked a 29-yard field goal and an extra point and pulled in an 8-yard TD in the Bucs’ 20-18 loss to Tyner.

* Bradley Central: Deonte Lindsey ran 44 times for 300 yards and a pair of touchdowns, but the Bears fell 24-21 to McMinn County and saw their postseason hopes vanquished.

* Cleveland: Tucker Tipton scored twice, ran for 119 yards and passed for 132, but the Blue Raiders fell from first to fourth in Region 4-4A in a 28-27 loss to Walker Valley.

* Dade County: John Hampton scored the team’s only TD in a 35-6 loss to Chattooga.

* Dalton: Trae Beck scored a fourth-quarter touchdown and ran for 166 yards as the Catmounts defeated rival Northwest Whitfield 20-7.

* East Ridge: Austin Roden had three catches for 95 yards in the Pioneers’ 35-8 win over Grundy County. The win secured a playoff berth.

* Gordon Lee: Jordan Afman scored all three TDs and caught 12 passes for 173 yards, but Gordon Lee fell to Darlington 24-19.

* Grace Academy: Josh Blake picked up 70 yards rushing and 119 passing, but the playoff-bound Golden Eagles fell to South Pittsburg 38-10.

Hixson: Zach McCarter rushed for 87 yards and passed for 192 but the Wildcats fell to Red Bank 39-19.

* Howard: He gained 76 yards but also scored four touchdowns as the Tigers clinched the Region 3-3A championship with a 33-14 victory over McMinn Central.

* LaFayette: Sid Forrester had four catches for 74 yards 54 yards in the Ramblers’ 35-13 loss to Ridgeland.

* Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe: Cody Commons rushed for 92 yards and a touchdown as the Warriors held off Southeast Whitfield 16-13.

* Lookout Valley: Tayvaughn Wynn picked up 70 rushing yards and 135 passing yards, scoring two touchdowns and throwing for another in the Yellow Jackets’ 46-7 victory over Copper Basin.

* Marion County: Nick Wells scored two touchdowns and rushed for 90 yards as the Warriors sewed up a host role in next week’s first-round playoff games with a 28-0 win over Sequatchie County.

* McCallie: Rico Henderson caught two passes for 95 yards, but the Blue Tornado fell to MBA 35-16.

* McMinn Central: Josh Moss had a 71-yard punt return in the Chargers’ 33-14 loss to Howard.

* McMinn County: Stephen Stansell’s 26-yard field goal on the final play of the first half lifted the Cherokees within four points of Bradley Central and proved to be the difference in a 24-21 win over the Bears.

* North Jackson: A.J. Matthews turned in a 90-yard rushing performance with one touchdown in the Chiefs’ 19-14 victory over Etowah.

* Notre Dame: Brendan Dusevic ran 81 yards with a fumble recovery for the Irish’s lone score in a 21-7 loss to Polk County.

* Ooltewah: Matthew Polk scored four second-half TDs and ran for 295 yards as the Owls’ rallied for a 55-21 victory over Soddy-Daisy to clinch the Region 2-5A title.

* Polk County: Tyler Lee scored two TDs, the second on a 55-yard, fourth-quarter run as the Wildcats sewed up third place in Region 3-3A with a 21-7 win over Notre Dame. Lee finished with 128 yards on 14 carries.

* Rhea County: Cameron Tallent threw three TD passes as the Region 4-4A champion Golden Eagles defeated White County 31-7.

* Ridgeland: Terryl Freeman scored twice and rushed for 139 yards as the Panthers claimed the subregion championship with a 35-13 win over LaFayette.

* Ringgold: Vince Loveless scored a touchdown and ran for 87 yards in the Tigers’ 55-7 victory over Heritage.

* Sequatchie County: Jonathan Swafford ran for 44 yards and pulled in five catches for 33 yards but the Indians fell to Marion County 28-0.

* Silverdale Baptist: Aaron Sterzik scored a pair of touchdowns and rushed for 94 yards in the Seahawks’ 35-14 win over Whitwell.

* Soddy-Daisy: Donovan Barnes had two touchdown receptions among six catches for 59 yards in the Trojans’ 55-21 loss to Ooltewah.

* Southeast Whitfield: Carlos Ojeda kicked field goals of 19 and 36 yards in a 16-13 loss to Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe.

* South Pittsburg: David Jones scored three second-half touchdowns, finishing with 193 yards on 19 carries as the Pirates put the finishing touches on an undefeated season with a 38-10 win over Grace Academy.

* Trion: Glenn Emery ran for 78 yards and one of the Bulldogs’ two scores in a 49-14 loss to Bremen.

* Tyner: Brandon Scott scored two touchdowns, rushed for 67 yards and passed for 41 as the Rams held on to upset Region 3-2A champion Boyd-Buchanan 20-18.

* Walker Valley: Jace Meeks figured in all four of the Mustangs’ touchdowns, rushing for two and throwing for two more in their 28-27 upset over Cleveland.

* Whitwell: Nick Sartin had three catches for 63 yards and recorded 19 tackles in the Tigers’ 35-14 loss to Silverdale Baptist.

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