Halftime lead evaporates quickly; FHS season ends
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Hitting a Kingsport Dobyns-Bennett ballcarrier high and low are senior defensive tackle Bryce Thompson (8, top) and sophomore defensive back Harrison Smith (bottom). - Photos courtesy of Carlos Reveiz/crfoto.com
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Ken Carbaugh, Admirals senior defensive back, leaves his feet to make this stop on an Indians ballcarrier. Dobyns-Bennett scored 35 second-half points to beat FHS 42-24 Friday night, Nov. 8. - Photos courtesy of Carlos Reveiz/crfoto.com
KINGSPORT — For one half, Farragut was the better team at Kingsport Dobyns-Bennett, outplaying the No. 1 seed from Region 1-6A while knowing its 10-7 edge at the break of this first-round TSSAA football playoff game could have been bigger without a couple of huge mistakes.
But make no mistake about the second half: the Indians became quite effective using their power running game — while mixing in key play-action pass completions — and a smothering pass rush to dominate the Admirals, building a 25-point lead before winning 42-24 Friday night, Nov. 8.
“They were able to start running the football, then they made some things happen in the passing game,” Ads skipper Geoff Courtney said.
But looking back, “Our 14 seniors have led all year,” the coach said. “I’m so proud of this group and what they’ve helped me to accomplish as a first-year coach.”
Farragut’s season ends with a 4-7 record as the No. 4 seed from Region 2-6A. The Indians improved to 9-2 while preparing to host the explosive Bearden Bulldogs (8-3), fresh off a 49-14 thrashing of 1-6A No. 3 seed Jefferson County, where the Dawgs scored 42 of those points in the first half. (See story on page 2B).
Corbin Hobson, Ads sophomore quarterback, hit senior receiver Robbie Jacobs in stride for a 71-yard touchdown pass midway into the second quarter. Junior kicker Ryan McCue nailed a 33-yard field goal with 18 seconds left in the half, set up by senior receiver Landon Collins’ leaping catch of 31 yards over a KDB defender. Hobson scrambled for 11 yards on the field goal drive, while senior Kent Carbaugh added a 10-yard “wildcat” run.
Collins also came down with a one-handed interception of a deep Indians toss late in the first quarter.
Henry Dee, senior linebacker, recovered a fumble for the Ads that killed a Dobyns-Bennett drive reaching the FHS 16 in the opening quarter. About his fellow seniors, “This is a small group ... but it’s a close group of guys,” Dee said. “I’m glad I got to play with them these four years and I’m really grateful for them.”
Charlie Noble, Ads junior running back, had an 11-yard catch and two runs of 11 yards and one for 10 — all in the first quarter.
Junior Zain Kureshi-Smith hauled in a 71-yard TD strike from Hobson midway into the fourth quarter. Senior Luke Finnegan ran for the final FHS score from 45 yards out late in the game.
