CLEVELAND, Tenn. – Bradley Central took out 10 years worth of frustration on Coffee County in Friday’s Class 6A high school football game at Bradley.
Playing in the state playoffs for the first time in a decade, the Bears defeated the Manchester school 34-7.
Bradley (9-2) will play Oak Ridge in next week’s second round.
“It’s been a long time coming,” said Bradley coach and former Bears player Damon Floyd. “A lot of guys are proud Bradley’s back where they need to be at in the playoffs. This school has a lot of tradition. This season you could tell. One of the best reasons for being a coach here or a player here is the support you get each week.”
The Bears’ first possession was at their 8, but the second time they got the ball they drove it 80 yards in 10 plays for a touchdown.
“The first punt they put us inside the 10,” Floyd said. “It’s tough to run an offense coming out from the goal line. Once we started going, we started clicking.”
The second quarter is when Bradley began to impose its will. All of the Bears’ 85 first-half passing yards came in that period, when they gained 136 yards and held the Raiders to minus-2 on the way to a 21-0 halftime lead.
The star: Defensive lineman Tucker Bolton forced a fumble and also had a sack in the second quarter of Bradley Central’s 34-7 victory over Coffee County, when the Bears outscored the Raiders 14-0 and held them to minus-2 yards of offense.Up next: Oak Ridge.
Defensive lineman Tucker Bolton forced a fumble and also had a sack in the pivotal second period.
“We’ve been working real hard to get in the playoffs,” Bolton said. “The first game we knew we had to have it. We had to come out and hit.
“It’s been pretty tough not making the playoffs. Every year since we were freshmen it’s been ‘Well, you still have next year.’ It’s our last year as seniors. It looks like we made it, but we’re still not done yet.”
The shutout was intact until the final minute.
“The second half we didn’t play very well offensively,” Floyd said, “but the defense played pretty good all night.”
Wide receiver James Stovall had a diving catch on a 37-yard reception that made it first-and-goal at the 4 and set up the second touchdown. He had another at the 1 on a 31-yard gain that led to the Bears’ final score.
Stovall ended with three catches for 76 yards. Massengill was Bradley’s top rusher with 59 yards on nine carries.
Deangelo Rozier had 10 carries for 52 yards for Coffee County (3-8). Ronnie Manus had 13 carries for 51 yards and scored the Raiders’ touchdown on a 1-yard plunge with 57 seconds remaining.
Contact Kelley Smiddie at ksmiddie@timesfreepress.com or (423) 757-6653.