Elizabethton never saw momentum on Friday night.
The Cyclones dropped a 54-21 decision to undefeated Anderson County on Friday night in the second round of the Class 4A playoffs. Elizabethton finishes the season with an impressive 10-2 record.
Elizabethton saw things stack against them early.
After the Cyclones saw a drive that marched into Maverick territory come up scoreless, Anderson County’s Stanton Martin threw a touchdown pass to give the Mavs a 7-0 lead four minutes into the game.
The Cyclones suffered a huge setback on the second drive of the game as senior quarterback Carter Everett left the game with an injury. The drive stalled out, and Ryan Moog pushed the Anderson County lead to two scores with a 37-yard touchdown run.
That gave the Mavericks the momentum as they ran out to a 27-0 lead.
Elizabethton got on the board late in the second quarter as Corey Russell found sophomore Parker Hughes for a 37-yard touchdown pass to cut into the lead. However, Anderson County added a late score to take a 33-7 advantage into the half.
Russell and Hughes connected for touchdowns twice in the second half – one from 29 yards out and the other from 26 yards out. EHS, however, was unable to cut any further into the Mavericks lead.
Russell finished with 322 total offensive yards in the game (28 carries for 140 yards, 10-of-20 passing for 167 yards and two catches for 15 yards.
Hughes finished the game with 154 yards receiving on seven catches.
Martin led Anderson County as he went 12-of-18 for 185 yards with three touchdowns.
