Maryville's relentless Rebels rout Ooltewah, 42-0

Football tile
Football tile

MARYVILLE, Tenn. - The moment was too big for the Ooltewah Owls on Friday night. Way too big.

The state's top-ranked Maryville Rebels scored on all their first-half possessions, rolled up 384 yards of offense and routed Ooltewah 42-0 to secure the top seed in Region 2-6A.

"Sometimes you eat the bear, and sometimes the bear eats you," Ooltewah coach Scott Chandler said after his Owls fell to 6-2 for the season. "Instead of playing loose, we played tight from the beginning."

Maryville, winner of 12 state championships since 2000, scored on drives of 86, 48, 60 and 67 yards on its first-half possessions. The Rebels had 261 yards in the first half to Ooltewah's 91, and then the Owls managed only 4 yards of offense in the second half.

For the game, Maryville (7-1, 4-0) rushed for 183 yards and threw for 201. The Rebels had 19 first downs to Ooltewah's eight.

"We just got whipped," said Ooltewah senior quarterback Kyrell Sanford. "Their defense was calling out our plays at the line of scrimmage. We just couldn't get anything going."

The tandem of Sanford and senior running back Sincere Quinn, which had carried Ooltewah all season on the ground, managed only 53 yards between them.

"They played like this was just another game, because they have been in big games every year," Chandler said of the Rebels. "We have never played in a game of this magnitude, and it showed tonight."

The game turned early. Ooltewah appeared to stop the Rebels at the Ooltewah 49 on their first possession of the game, but Maryville ran a fake punt with standout running back Tee Hodge that resulted in 37 yards and a first down. One play later, quarterback Braden Carr hit receiver DaVon Kimble for a 12-yard touchdown with 7:34 remaining in the first quarter.

On the ensuing possession, Ooltewah turned the ball over for the first time all year when Sanford's pass was tipped and then intercepted by linebacker Mason Shelton. Starting from the Ooltewah 48, the Rebels scored seven plays later with Hodge getting the final 3 yards.

Ooltewah never recovered.

The Owls threatened late in the first half, but time expired with them at the Maryville 5-yard line. Ooltewah had one first down in the second half.

Contact Davis Lundy at sports@timesfreepress.com.

Upcoming Events