By Ernie Harris
Correspondent
EVENSVILLE, Tenn. – In a game tied at 7 inside the final seven minutes, Friday’s senior night festivities at Rhea County High School almost were dampened by more than the weather, as the feisty Stone Memorial Panthers gave the Eagles a fight no one expected.
Rhea sophomore wingback Cody Bice reached the end zone on a 13-yard run with 6:54 to go and again on a 37-yard scamper with 2:18 left to boost the Eagles to a 21-7 win that wrapped up a 10-0 regular season and a second consecutive District 6-AAA championship.
The Eagles’ high-powered ground attack that tallied 545 yards a week earlier at East Hamilton was held below average by the Panthers, as Rhea totaled 280 yards to Stone Memorial’s 162.