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Timely passes help Rhea County roll to region win at Ooltewah

Staff photo by Robin Rudd / Rhea County's Briley Mayberry, left, picks up yardage outside as Latron Alloway, right, blocks Ooltewah's Jasen Carmicheal during Friday night's Region 4-5A game at Ooltewah. Staff photo by Robin Rudd / Rhea County's Briley Mayberry, left, picks up yardage outside as Latron Alloway, right, blocks Ooltewah's Jasen Carmicheal during Friday night's Region 4-5A game at Ooltewah.

By Gene Henley September 18, 2021 3 min read

Briley Mayberry knows that if Rhea County can just be effective in the passing game, the Golden Eagles’ offense will be tough to stop.

Rhea County entered Friday’s Region 4-5A game at Ooltewah averaging 289 rushing yards per contest, a number it nearly matched in a sound 35-7 victory over the Owls. But it was Mayberry’s 123 receiving yards on four passes from Kaleb Martin – one of them a touchdown – that changed the scope of the game.

“If we can be good in the passing game, the defense will be all over the place,” said Mayberry, who added 32 rushing yards. “We know they expect us to run, and we’re able to blow past them for a wide-open 50-yard gain.”

Martin and Mayberry’s connections were few Friday, but each one seemed to come at a perfect time.