While Howard once again proved its football program is headed in the right direction for most of its Region 3-3A game Friday night, East Ridge's Traneil Moore proved why he is the highest-regarded running back in the Chattanooga area.
Against a stout Hustlin' Tigers defense, led by senior linemen Udarius Strawter and Tadarius Covington, Moore fought for 96 yards on 17 carries in a 14-7 win for the host Pioneers.
Despite looking like he was about to hit a brick wall a few yards past the line of scrimmage, Moore bounced a run from the middle to the left sideline and flashed his elite speed past defenders for a 29-yard go-ahead touchdown with 48.1 seconds left.
"It felt really good to break free on that run to help us win the game," said Moore, who as a junior was the first East Ridge player to win a state Mr. Football Award. "They were blitzing the box, so there was really nowhere to go, but I found a way to make something happen."
The victory ended a three-game losing skid for Pioneers (4-4, 2-2). Not much of the season has gone the way Moore would have written it after rushing for 2,000 yards last season and 25 touchdowns, but he has maintained an upbeat attitude, according to coach Tim James, and has scholarship offers from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Eastern Kentucky, Middle Tennessee, Tennessee Tech and Tennessee State.
"That play to end the game for him is what makes him special, and we hope it's a play that carries on to the rest of the season," James said. "Traneil is coming off a knee surgery and he's been hampered by some nagging injuries: a hand, a groin, an ankle injury. This was really his first night of being fully healthy.
"(Traneil) is just like a duck. When anything is going wrong, it just rolls off his back. He's always got a smile on, and he's a great kid."
Howard (4-5, 2-2) nearly came back to spoil Moore's heroics though, as senior quarterback Vincent Bowling completed a 41-yard pass to Kedarius Phinazee to the East Ridge 14 with 23 seconds remaining. However, B.J. Church stepped up and sealed the win at Raymond James Stadium with an interception in the end zone and took a knee for a touchback on the Pioneers' fourth forced turnover.
East Ridge sophomore Alonzo Russell also provided a key spark with 46 rushing yards and a 14-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Lindsey on a well-timed crossing route with 6:12 left in the fourth quarter to tie the game. He also contributed at safety with his fifth interception of the season.
"It's all about having confidence," Russell said. "I believe in the team and believe in myself to make big plays. We just have to keep working in practice, and I want to motivate my team to make a run these last few weeks and in the playoffs."
Howard appeared to roll with momentum up 7-0 and rushing for 114 yards in the third quarter alone out of its 165 team rushing yards. However, four penalties for 40 yards and a muffed punt in the final six minutes of the game came back to haunt John Starr's team.
The Hustlin' Tigers' touchdown came after Jacques Yarbrough had a 20-yard catch but then fumbled an extra 4 yards into the end zone. The ball was jumped on by teammate Juwan Gamble with 5:31 before halftime.
"John Starr is a class act," James said. "Those kids are playing hard and disciplined football. They are getting after people's tail. You hate to see anybody lose this type of ballgame, but I'm glad we came out on top."
East Ridge finished with 208 yards (177 rushing), while Howard had 262 yards (97 passing). Howard's Calvin Johnson had an interception and Cameron Thomas and Anthony Cal had sacks.
"That was a great high school football game," Starr said. "We gave the ball up too many times, and that came back to get us in the end. Our defense has been playing pretty well. They play with a lot of effort. We make a lot of stops and seem to get in the right place most of the time."
East Ridge will travel to Loudon next Friday and is finished with its home schedule, while Howard will conclude its regular season at Signal Mountain.
Contact Patrick MacCoon at sports@timesfreepress.com