COLUMBIA, Tenn. - Copper Basin's bid to pull an upset of Region 4 No. 1 seed Columbia Academy vanished quickly Friday night. The Bulldogs scored all seven of their touchdowns in the first half of the 49-0 win in the first round of the Class 1A state playoffs.
The major difference in the two teams was speed, and Columbia Academy displayed that when Mr. Football Kicker of the Year semifinalist Thomas Garrison outraced the Cougars for a 60-yard touchdown on the home team's first offensive snap.
Columbia Academy wingback Taylor Thompson, a semifinalist for Class 1A Back of the Year, caught a 53-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Dylan Johnson for one of his three second-period scores.
Thompson had scoring runs of 1 and 5 yards as the Bulldogs (10-1) outrushed Copper Basin 244-39 and had a 110-16 advantage through the air. Hudson Primm added two short touchdown plunges and Logan Neal had one for Columbia Academy.
Copper Basin (3-8) experienced a tough blow when senior quarterback Jackson Ledford was injured late in the first quarter. Tyler Miller, another senior, filled the role but was limited by an apparent cramp with the clock running because of the mercy rule in the second half.
The Cougars crossed midfield for the first time in the third period when Miller picked off a pass. The visitors drove from the 49 to a first-and-goal at the 9 but lost the ball on a fumble two plays later at the Bulldogs' 8.
While the season concludes for Copper Basin, Columbia Academy carries a 10-game winning streak into a second-round home game against Whitwell.
' In the 3A playoffs, Will Patton had a 75-yard touchdown run and added a 29-yard field goal and a pair of extra points as Chattanooga Christian won 23-22 at DeKalb County. Brandon Mason's 33-yard touchdown catch on a pass thrown by Kade Oglesby with 5:18 to play was the game's final score and pushed the Chargers' historically successfuly season to 8-3. They'll play at East Ridge next week in the second round. Also in the 3A bracket, Red Bank's season ended at 3-8 with a first-round loss to Upperman (9-2).
' In the 2A playoffs, Tyner rolled to a 34-7 win at Watertown and will play at top-ranked Boyd-Buchanan next week. Tyner is 8-3, while the Buccaneers are 11-0 after winning 41-0 against Eagleville on Thursday night.