Amid falling rain and the sweeping emotions of his program’s first 11-win season, Tracy Malone screamed one final time at Raymond James Stadium on Friday night.
“East Ridge,” the Pioneers coach yelled near midfield, “on me!”
Malone was surrounded by a celebrating collection of blue and orange after a 35-28 overtime win over upset-minded Smith County in the opening round of the Class 3A state playoffs. But he was not merely talking to his players.
East Ridge 35, Smith County 28
The star: Traneil Moore, the East Ridge junior running back, had all five of his team’s touchdowns and 291 total yards as the Pioneers moved to 11-0 for the first time in school history.Up next: East Ridge will host the winner of Friday’s Chattanooga Christian-DeKalb County matchup.
Sure, Malone wanted to make sure to see senior Quaesy Vinson, the cornerback who picked off the fourth-down pass that sealed the game, leaving Smith County’s season and his left shoe at the Pioneers’ 5-yard line in overtime.
Of course he wanted running back Traneil Moore there after the overpowering junior ran for 236 yards and four touchdowns and caught one pass for a 55-yard touchdown.
But Malone was also speaking to the students, his staff, the faculty and even the town as the Pioneers celebrated history in a season filled with dramatic wins and drama beyond the games.
“You know, it’s been such a strange year that it does feel a little bit like something special is happening here,” Malone said while standing in front of the condemned home stands as an announcement from the converted press box on a donated scissor lift informed the crowd that the condemned stadium – where the home stands are set for demolition during Christmas break – will host a second-round game next Friday night.
It’s a magic carpet ride the Pioneers have withstood and weathered. It hasn’t been easy, but making memories like these seldom is.
Friday night, early postgame jitters put the Pioneers behind early. A quick three-and-out was undone when East Ridge roughed the punter, and Smith County (6-5) converted the extra chance into a touchdown run.
East Ridge answered, returning serve with the ever-impressive blend of power and grace that is Moore, who now is closing in on the 1,700-yard rushing mark.
“We knew he was a phenomenal back,” Smith County coach Mike Dickerson said. “We had our hands full trying to stop him, but our kids have fought like that all year.”
Smith County had little interest in the magic carpet ride happening East Ridge. The Owls’ diverse offense used a heavy dose of senior Dustin Holder, who ran for 238 yards on 38 carries, and some timely throws from sophomore Carson Hackett, who threw for three scores, to put the Pioneers on the cusp of elimination.
But Moore and Co. refused.
“There’s a very good feeling happening here, from our teammates to the fans to the coaches to everybody,” Moore said. “It’s like being in a family and we all know we got each other’s backs.”
Moore’s five end zone entrances buoyed an offense that made the most of limited chances. Smith County ran almost twice as many plays Friday – 73 to East Ridge’s 40 – and pressured the Pioneers to make the most of each chance.
In fact, Vinson’s interception to end the game was the Owls’ eighth snap inside the 10 on their overtime possession. The pick ended Smith County’s season while pushing the Pioneers – and the old familiar facade that is the home stands at James Stadium – into at least one more Friday night under the lights.
“You’ve made history,” Malone shouted to the collection of folks at midfield who likely would have provided a quorum for an East Ridge election. “Now we get to try to do it again.”
Contact Jay Greeson at jgreeson@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6343. His Right to the Point column runs on A2 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.