Cyclones hold off South in thriller

Cameron Streseman came up big on Senior Night for Elizabethton.

The senior Streseman blocked what would have been the game-tying extra point with just over two minutes to play as the top-ranked Cyclones held on for a 14-13 victory over Sullivan South in Region 1-4A action at Citizens Bank Stadium.

With the win, Elizabethton improved to 9-0 on the season and will attempt to complete the program’s first perfect regular season since 1951 next week. EHS secured the No. 1 seed for the playoffs with the win.

The defense’s stole the show in the first half.

Elizabethton struck late in the first quarter as Bryson Rollins hit Parker Hughes for a 41-yard touchdown pass to give EHS a 7-0 lead. Neither team was able to get on the board in the second stanza as the Cyclones maintained a 7-0 advantage at the half.

In the third quarter, South evened things up with just under four minutes to play in the quarter as Eli Topping capped a 92-yard drive with a one-yard run.

Cade Maupin, however, answered quickly for Elizabethton with a 73-yard touchdown to give EHS a 14-7 advantage going to the fourth quarter.

South had an impressive drive in the fourth quarter and found the end zone on fourth down from the one on a QB sneak to pull within one point with 2:15 to play.

However, Streseman blocked the extra point and the offense was able to run out the clock to secure the win.

Rollins was 7-of-15 for 170 yards, while Maupin finished with 172 yards on 21 carries. Hughes had five catches for 112 yards.