Cyclones turn back Boone in freshman contest, 20-13

from staff reports

   GRAY -- Another Thursday night, another good performance from the Elizabethton freshman football team.
   Overcoming a 7-6 halftime deficit, the Cyclones used an excellent defensive effort to capture a 20-13 victory over Daniel Boone.
   "Our defense played really, really well," said Elizabethton head coach Ryan Witten, his team improving to 4-0 in the conference and 5-1 overall. "These kids keep finding ways to win. Boone was really, really good, too. They ran the power-I right at us."
   Methodically driving the ball down the field throughout the third quarter, the Trailblazers allowed the Cyclones just three offensive plays during the period. However, Ryan Kennedy neutralized the Boone effort with one big play, intercepting a pass and returning it 80 yards for a touchdown.
   "That broke their backs," said Witten, adding that Curtis McKeehan and Jesse Hampton threw key blocks on the return.
   J.C. Atkinson ran for the two-point conversion and the Cyclones had a 14-7 advantage.
   Elizabethton pushed its lead to 20-7 in the fourth quarter, with McKeehan scoring on an 8-yard run. James Peterson delivered a monster block on the play, and got help from teammates Logan Hyatt and Justin Conway.
   Boone, which punched in a late touchdown, grabbed a 7-0 lead in this contest. 'Betsy got on the board in the second stanza as Weston Jeffers scored on a 1-yard quarterback sneak.
   Defensively, the Cyclones were sparked by the play of defensive ends Hyatt and Justin Conner, and linebackers Adam Grindstaff and David Bray.