McMinn Central's Jackson Long (4) breaks into the open against Central. Six area football teams scrimmaged at Bradley Central High School in Cleveland, Tennessee on Saturday, July30, 2016.Honorable mention
Omar Brown, North Jackson: In a win over DAR, Brown gained 273 yards and scored five touchdowns on 24 carries.Dee King, Ringgold: He ran for 225 yards on just 12 carries and scored four touchdowns in the Tigers’ victory over Fannin County.Robert Riddle, McCallie: He completed 76 percent of his passes (19 of 25) for 316 yards and two scores as the Blue Tornado bested Father Ryan.
Jackson Long knows how to roll.
Much of that depends on teammates and much of it depends on competition.
Long and his McMinn Central teammates quit battling the higher-classification bullies and dropped back into their own Class 3A neighborhood Friday.
"We definitely did our best blocking of the season," coach Josh Goodin said. "Although we're still not at the standard we're trying to get to, we had some good play up front."
The Chargers also had some good play from the back in the form of Long, a 5-foot-11, 215-pound senior who entered the game with a total of 40 yards against Class 5A members McMinn County and Rhea County.
Against Region 2-3A rival Kingston, Long exploded for 295 rushing yards and three touchdowns in a 23-20 win, McMinn Central's first victory of 2016. For his performance, he has been selected by the Times Free Press as the Waffle House All-Star player of the week.
"It's nice to get back where we belong. It's tough playing McMinn and Rhea," Goodin said. "They're not only higher-classification teams but they're also good football teams."
The win gave McMinn Central a leg up on securing a playoff berth. Most in the region figure two spots are going to wind up in the hands of perennial powers Alcoa and Christian Academy of Knoxville, leaving the two remaining slots up for grabs between Kingston, Loudon, McMinn Central and Scott County.
"It was huge for the region," Goodin said. "Winning this one doesn't mean we're in the playoffs, but with the region we're in, losing that one all but ends playoff hopes."
And it wouldn't have happened without Long, who also had one catch for 40 yards.
"If not for the way he ran, we don't win that game," Goodin said.
Goodin was almost at a loss trying to describe the efforts of Long, who was also a player of the week as a sophomore.
"On that first touchdown, there were literally seven kids that hit him and he either dragged them, they bounced off or they slid off," the coach said. "But really all three touchdown runs and that pass reception were like that.
"The last touchdown he probably got 15 yards before he got hit, but he just couldn't be brought down. On that catch, he got about 40 yards before two of their guys jumped on him and they got their feet tangled."
Goodin said it was the kind of effort that can rejuvenate and enliven the Chargers.
"Getting that type effort and also getting the result we got, that can carry through the season," he said. "He busted his butt, carried us on his back, and I think kids are going to say 'I need to do the same for him.'"
Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765. Follow him on Twitter @wardgossett.