Cloudland wasn’t going to be denied at Sullivan North.
The ‘Landers used a one-yard touchdown by Hunter Blair in overtime to take a 20-14 victory over the Raiders to wrap up the regular season. CHS finishes the regular season with a 5-5 record, and the program has went 4-1 since Scott Potter took over the reins.
Cloudland is set to open the Class A playoffs as the No. 1 seed from Region 1-A and will host Harriman in the first round.
There was a playoff-type feel throughout the game on Friday night.
The defenses set the tone early as neither team was able to get on the board – despite a pair of strong drives by Cloudland. Hunter Shell followed a strong push from the offensive line to break onto the board with a one-yard run to give CHS a 6-0 lead early in the second quarter.
After the CHS defense forced North off the field quickly, Tristan Lacy caught a pass from Shell and took it to the house from 70 yards out for the score. Shell hit Wyatt Julian for the two-point conversion to give Cloudland a 14-0 lead.
The Raiders, however, battled back in the closing seconds of the half as Dale Potter capped off a strong drive with a 14-yard touchdown run. Cloudland maintained a 14-6 lead at the break.
In the third quarter, Sullivan North went to work quickly on the opening drive as Austin Hartsock scored on a 53-yard run for a touchdown. The Potter two-point conversion tied the game at 14-14.
The defenses settled down and kept the offenses out of the end zone the rest of the way during regulation. The ‘Landers had an opportunity to try and win the game in regulation after a quick drive and a pass interference call as time expired set-up one untimed down at the two-yard line, but CHS was unable to break into the endzone.
In the first possession of overtime, the Raiders weren’t finding any running room as the Cloudland defense held them to negative yards on the four plays.
The senior Lacy set the tone for Cloudland’s possession as he wasn’t going to be denied yardage as he turned the corner and fought his way through Raider defenders to get to the two-yard line. After CHS was unable to gain a yard on second down, Blair and the CHS offensive line called game as the senior scored on a one-yard run to send Cloudland to the win.
Seth Birchfield and Shell had 57 yards apiece to lead Cloudland. Blair had 36 yards, while Shell went 4-of-6 passing for 105 yards. Lacy added 81 receiving yards.
Hartsock led North with 79 yards rushing.
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