Central's adjustments due to injured Mr. Football candidate Michael McGhee resulted in more than a handful of fumbles and bad snaps that paved the way for East Ridge to earn its first win of the season Friday night.
In the absence of McGhee, who was sidelined with a leg injury, the pressure from the East Ridge defense stifled the Central offense to its lowest point total of season in the 22-15 Region 2-4A win for the Pioneers.
"Any time you start off 0-6 it's a tough struggle to just get it going everyday, but these kids have continued to press and believe in the process," East Ridge coach Tim James said. "We were fortunate tonight. We did some good things, but Central was definitely out of rhythm missing McGhee. My heart breaks for him, but I'm sure he'll go on to the next level and do big things."
Central's Jaheim Jones gave his team the lead on its first possession of the game when he found T.J. Payne in the corner of the end zone on a 22-yard play. A two-point conversion made the score 8-0, but East Ridge (1-6, 1-2) responded and took the lead from Central (4-3, 3-1) before the halftime break.
The comeback started with a 1-yard touchdown run by senior quarterback Alonzo Russell to tighten the margin to one point, then three consecutive bad snaps for the Purple Pounders put the ball on the ground - the last of the three resulting in a safety for East Ridge.
Jones found Payne in the end zone again late in the third quarter to give Central the lead back momentarily, but a long fourth-quarter drive ended in a touchdown for the Pioneers to regain the advantage before Russell helped sealed the win with a 49-yard pass down the sideline to Nico Johnikin. Russell accounted for all three East Ridge touchdowns, and he led the game with 270 total yards.
"I was telling my coaches last night that I don't think we've put four good quarters together yet this season," Coach James said. "We needed to do that tonight, and we finally pulled it off."
Contact John Mitchell at sports@timesfreepress.com.