EAST RIDGE 35, RED BANK 28 (2 OT)
THE STAR: Eric Bennett finished with four total touchdowns and tossed the game-winner to Jordan Harvey in the second overtime period.WHAT’S NEXT: East Ridge will travel to Sequatchie County, which defeated Notre Dame 56-28.
Second chances are even more valuable come postseason time, and the East Ridge Pioneers made the most of theirs in a 35-28 Class 3A second-round win Friday at Red Bank in a heavyweight bout on the football field.
It took two overtimes to separate the rival teams that slugged it out to a 21-21 tie at the end of regulation.
“That was typical East Ridge and Red Bank football, wasn’t it?” Pioneers coach Tim James said. “It’s good to come up on the winning side. Our guys are fighters. It isn’t always pretty, and they’re like the cardiac kids, but they found a way.”
A missed East Ridge field-goal try as time ticked below 30 seconds was followed by Red Bank (8-4) scoring on its first overtime possession with three straight runs from Zay Brown, who finished with 133 yards rushing. Then the Pioneers (7-5) faced fourth down and the end of their season on the ensuing possession.