Ooltewah rallies past Cleveland to win 34-20

Ooltewah defense helps turn away Blue Raiders

Ooltewah's Perry Fisher (12) stretches for a pass but cannot pull it in against Cleveland at Ooltewah High School's James N. Monroe Stadium on Friday, Oct. 19, 2018 in Ooltewah, Tenn.
Ooltewah's Perry Fisher (12) stretches for a pass but cannot pull it in against Cleveland at Ooltewah High School's James N. Monroe Stadium on Friday, Oct. 19, 2018 in Ooltewah, Tenn.

Ooltewah senior football player Sincere Quinn was upset all day Friday. A newspaper quote in the middle of the week by a Cleveland player saying the Owls would "lay down" if the Blue Raiders took it to them physically had the explosive running back huffing and puffing hours before their Region 2-6A matchup.

"That's not going to happen," Quinn said before the game. "It's just not going to happen."

It didn't. After a typically slow start that had the host Owls trailing 14-7 at the half, the Ooltewah defense sparked a surge in the third quarter that allowed Quinn and quarterback Kyrell Sanford to lead the way to a 34-20 win over Cleveland at James M. Monroe Stadium.

"We sent them a message in the second half about who was going to lay down," Quinn said. "We just weren't focused in the first half, but we got it going after halftime."

Quinn rushed 23 times for 157 yards while Sanford threw two touchdown passes and ran for two more in the second half for the Owls (7-2, 4-1) virtually assured themselves of a home game in the first round of the state playoffs. Sanford finished with 88 rushing yards on seven carries.

"The defense turned it around tonight," Owls coach Scott Chandler said. "I do not know why we cannot start better, but we do know how to finish."

Linebacker Jarian Green, defensive tackle Elijah Isaac and defensive back Chase Sanders led the Ooltewah defense, which gave up big yards to Cleveland's talented offense in the first half but delivered nothing but hard hits in the second.

With the game tied at 20, Sanford hit sophomore wide receiver Fisher Perry for a score that put Ooltewah ahead 27-20 with 8:25 left in the third quarter. Cleveland (3-5, 2-3) responded with its best drive of the second half, moving the ball to the Ooltewah 17 before being stopped on downs.

Ooltewah took over on its own 14 and drove 86 yards in nine plays, with Sanford scoring from 16 yards. Braeden Haynes kicked the extra point, and Ooltewah led by the final margin.

Cleveland jumped out to a 14-0 lead on a 5-yard run by Josiah Bowman and a 60-yard touchdown pass on a screen from quarterback Jackson Moore to Robert Flowers.

Ooltewah answered with a touchdown run by Tyler Cargle and a 58-run by Sanford.

Contact Davis Lundy at sports@timesfreepress.com.

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