McMinn County’s ground attack was on point from the opening drive Friday night.
The Cherokees ran for 391 yards and six touchdowns in a 46-20 win at East Hamilton to open Region 4-5A play, and Jacob Sharp led the attack, gaining 141 yards on 10 carries, including two first-quarter touchdowns to set the tone early.
“We always try to come out as fast as we can and as physical as we can,” Sharp said, adding that scoring early “gave us a boost of confidence that helped carry us.”
McMinn County (2-2) used a variety of players in the running game to build its early lead. But on the fourth play from scrimmage, it was Sharp who broke free around the left side of the line and raced 67 yards for the opening score. After forcing a pair of East Hamilton punts, the Cherokees scored again in the opening period, with Sharp diving in from 2 yards to give the visitors a 13-0 lead with 1:59 remaining in the quarter.
(READ MORE: Final scores and photos from Friday night’s Chattanooga-area prep football games)