ROUND 1 - Sequatchie County

Here is Coach Loopes recount of ROUND 1 -

HARPETH SCALPS SEQUATCHIE TO ADVANCE IN PLAYOFFS

The Indians from South Cheatham traveled to Sequatchie County Friday to open the TSSAA football playoffs and emerged with a convincing 28-14 win.  After a two and a half hour bus ride, Harpeth made themselves right at home with a 61-yard drive finished by Travis Tice and a 58-yard run scoring dash by Bryce Baker.  In between the scores, Tice jumped in front of a Sequatchie pass attempt for the interception and stopped home team’s initial drive.  Owen Canady was perfect on extra-point conversions, going four for four.

Sequatchie battled back with a long scoring pass to close the score to 14-7, but Jason Fennell responded for Harpeth with a 22-yard sweep for six..  The home team made it 21-14 on a fourth down keeper by the quarterback, but they would get no closer. 

The Harpeth defense rose to the occasion and limited Sequatchie star running back Jerry Fain to a mere 38 yards rushing, the first time he had been held under 100 yards this season.  The defense also caused four turnovers against a team that had only turned the ball over seven times throughout the 10-game regular season. 

Hunter Spencer led the charge with 13 tackles and a forced fumble, Austin Deal had 10 stops and a pair of tackles for loss, Kyle Odum picked up nine tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack. Tice had seven tackles to go with his interception, and Baker pitched in seven tackles and 131 yards rushing as well.  Dalton Patterson and Brent Burger both had six stops while Josh Dillon made five.  Drew LaCour finished the game with three tackles, and Andrew McWright had two.  Will Weston, Sam Thompson, Brandon Foriest, Tanner Newton and Cedric Carter all had one tackle, and Carter recovered a big fumble too.  

Andrew McWright made a brilliant throw to Josh “Sunshine” Dillon for a score that accounted for the final 28-14 margin.  Dillon made an acrobatic interception soon after his score to halt a Sequatchie comeback attempt, and the countdown to celebration was on.  After the final seconds ticked off, which included a sack by Kyle Odum on the final play, the victorious Indians moved their huddle close to the sidelines to thank the large group of Harpeth’s best fans who made the long trek to Dunlap.

Coach Loope was impressed and proud of the total team effort.  “We came out strong, finished strong, and bent very little in between.”  “Our O line stepped up, and our defense was opportunistic.” “Our coordinators, Huffines and Weatherly, deserve a lot of credit-as does the whole staff and senior class-for getting the team prepared, able to withstand the long road trip, and focus on the task at hand.”

The victory earned Harpeth a home game this Friday in the second round.  Pearl Cohn, which upset number one seed Smith County, is the opponent.  This is the first-ever meeting between the football teams and game time is 7 pm.  Playoff tickets are $8 and available at the school office and at the gate.  Don’t miss the excitement!