It wasn’t the prettiest game of the season, but the Cyclones will take it.
Elizabethton survived and advanced in the Class 3A playoffs with a 17-14 victory over Scott on Friday night inside Citizen’s Bank Stadium. The Cyclones will host CAK in the second round next Friday.
The game was also the 10th straight win for the Cyclones.
After the teams traded punts to open the game, Jacob Turner struck for a 40-yard touchdown to give the Cyclones a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter.
Freshman Corey Russell stopped the next Highlander drive in the redzone with an interception that sent Elizabethton into the second quarter with a 7-0 lead. Hunter Tyree and Jeremiah Turner moved the Cyclones to midfield on the next drive, but the teams traded possessions for most of the second quarter.
A Drew Bowers interception regained possession for the Cyclones, and Dylan Nordby gave Elizabethton a 10-0 lead with a 27-yard field goal in the closing seconds of the second quarter.
The Cyclones struck again to take a 17-0 lead when Tyree found Jalen Smith for a 40-yard touchdown late in the third quarter.
The Highlanders, however, battled back with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Billy Hall to Joben Terry, and Hall added a six-yard touchdown and Scott closed the gap to three points with the two-point conversion.
Elizabethton secured the win and advanced by recovering the ensuing onside kick.
The Cyclones used a team approach to tally 120 yards rushing, while Tyree finished with 115 yards. Smith tallied 91 yards on six catches.
To view photo gallery from this game, click here.
