Cameron Sanders steals the show as East Ridge rolls past Sale Creek

Football on the Field / Getty Images
Football on the Field / Getty Images

Tim James said the only thing he could promise his football team was one game. Cameron Sanders took his coach's promise to heart Friday night at Raymond James Stadium.

The East Ridge High School senior quarterback and defensive back scored four touchdowns as the Pioneers opened the 2020 season with a 46-12 win over Sale Creek. Sanders scored on runs of 43, 55 and 70 yards and returned an interception 55 yards - all in a dominating first half in which the home team exploded for a 40-point halftime lead.

"People would expect us to be this explosive, but all this summer we worked hard and came together as a team," said Sanders, who finished with 164 rushing yards on four carries. "We're limited as a team numbers wise, so we have to play together as a brotherhood and that's what we did tonight.

"It's a blessing to be back playing. I thank God and Gov. (Bill) Lee because a lot of other states are canceling or cutting back, but we get to play."

The Class 4A Pioneers, a six-win playoff team a year ago, were unstoppable early against the Class 1A Panthers, scoring on five of six plays at one point, which also included a 91-yard punt return and a 63-yard run by Desmon Drake. But it was Sanders who provided the biggest highlights, displaying great balance, vision and speed as he broke big play after big play.

"It was the Cameron Sanders show in the first half, offensively and defensively," James said. "Cameron has worked his tail off in the offseason. He's a different kid than he was this time last year because he got serious with his training. He and several of our kids did."

As good as Sanders and Drake were offensively early, defensive end Chris Diaz was equally unstoppable. The senior had 10 tackles in the first half, five of them resulting in loss of yards and another ending a Sale Creek drive just before halftime for no gain.

"Chris is a great kid," James said. "He was probably 260 pounds this time last year, and he's got down to 215 and it's made him a much better football player."

James played his second-string teams for most of the second half, with Sale Creek taking advantage for two touchdowns, both by gutty quarterback Braden Penny. Coach Ron Cox's Panthers, after being held to 69 yards in the first half, doubled the output in the second.

After an offseason in which the TSSAA schedule was put in doubt by the coronavirus pandemic, teams were glad to play.

"Hey, Sale Creek is big and physical and they got after us," James said. "Oh, man, it's Friday night lights, so it's all good. We had a great crowd and they did a great job of socially distancing. It was just a fun football game. I feel great for these seniors. They've worked hard to play, and I was afraid they wouldn't get to."

Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @youngsports22.

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