CLEVELAND, Tenn. – It was a statement from the opening drive.
McMinn County came into Friday night’s Region 4-5A showdown at Benny Monroe Stadium with a clear intention that it was going to be the more physical team.
After setting the tone with a 15-play, 70-yard touchdown drive to open the game, the Cherokees continued to dominate at the line of scrimmage, claiming a convincing 28-0 win over the Blue Raiders.
On that opening possession, McMinn County converted three fourth downs, including a 3-yard pass from Bradley Hayes to Colin Hockman. That was the only pass after 14 consecutive runs.
“That first drive was huge. It was exactly what we had to do to win this game,” said Cherokees coach Bo Cagle, whose team converted four of five fourth-down attempts into firsts. “We had to take some chances, convert some fourth downs and run the clock to keep the ball out of their hands, and that’s just what we did.