The Rhea County High School Senior Football players get together for the last time on a football field after their exit from the TSSAA playoffs on 11/8/24 at Oak Ridge.(Photo:Submitted)
Rhea County Ends Season at 5-5 After Loss to Oak Ridge
Oak Ridge, TN -- Rhea County High School football opened on the road in TSSAA playoffs with Rhea traveling to Oak Ridge to play the Wildcats on their off campus field. It was nice weather for the game and as usual, Rhea County represented well in the stands. Regretfully the Eagles were not fully represented on the field due to injuries in the previous game. Rhea County played Oak Ridge for the fifth time in 10 years in the playoffs. Not playing were kicker, receiver and defensive back Austun Fugate and Receiver, defensive back and kick/punt returner Aiden Wilkerson. The Eagles played with what they had and this game was not a pretty game, but it was an intense, exciting game that would not get its first score until late in the 4th quarter.
Rhea County won the flip and deferred to the second half and Oak Ridge chose to receive the kickoff. Oak Ridge came in with a 52-11 record in home playoff games. Oak Ridge only lost one game at home this year and that was against 6A team Farragut. Oak Ridge like Rhea County came in at less than full strength.
Oak Ridge returned the Leo Villanueva kick to the 20. The Wildcats moved the ball down the field until a nice tackle-for-loss had put Oak Ridge in 4th and 2 situation. The Wildcats lineup possibly got for it or tried to draw the defense offsides and they succeeded in getting the five yard penalty and a first down at the Rhea County 43 yard line. Kaden Knox had a tackle for loss and the defense forced a punt from the 46 yardline. L.T. Donegan brought the kick back to the 10 yard line.
Senior Caleb Carr led the Eagles at quarterback. Odum began the game at running back. On the offensive line. Oak Ridge defense forced a three and out and the punt was returned to the Eagle 43 yard line. Stansbury was quarterback for the Wildcats. Kaden Knox put an end to the drive at the 35 yard line with a fumble recovery as there was a bad exchange between the quarterback and the running back.
Carr found Laterrius Donegan for a short pass that he took for a 9 yard gain. Ford's first down run was negated by an illegal formation penalty. Ford got a nice run to force a chain measurement that showed the Eagles just short of the first down. Carr found a nice run for the first down just across midfield. Rhea County's drive ended on an interception that was returned from the Wildcats 33 to the Rhea County 35 yard line. Rhea County's defensive line was dominating the line of scrimmage. A bad snap cost the Wildcats a decent chance of converting a third down and the 4th down pass was high, turning off the ball to the Eagles at the 35 yard line of the Eagles. Carr found KeShawn Smith for a first down at the 47 yard line. Odum had a tough grinding run for 9 yards and Carr had a first down run down to the 38 yard line. Wildcats' defense forced a punt from the 48 yarline and Oak Ridge came up with the block and recovered the ball at the Eagles' 36 yard line. Eagles defense stopped a 4th down try by Oak Ridge for turnover on downs at the Eagles' 19 yard line. Smith came up with a leaping catch for first down at the 33 yard line and then made a nice turn on a looping throw from Carr for the first down at the 46 yard line of Oak Ridge. The next pass was intercepted with a minute to play as the defensive back broke on the catch, beating the receiver to the ball. Wildcats Howard had a nice run to take the ball over midfield as time ran out on the half.
The Eagles received the second half kickoff and began play at their own 20 yard line. The Eagles made an unusual move by going for it on 4th down at their own 29 yard line. The Wildcats defense held and had a great opportunity with a first down deep into Eagles' territory. The Wildcats killed themselves with a hold to push them back 10 yards. Oak Ridge got a little inventive with a flea flicker, but it was unsuccessful and next play, Rector stepped into passing lane for the interception, which he returned to the 37 of Eagles. Rhea went 3 and out and punt gave the Wildcats the ball at their 31 yard line. Wildcats returned the favour with a 3 and out and Eagles began their possession at their own 33 yard line with 6:16 left in the 3rd quarter. Carr found Smith for the first down. Carr came back to Smith and he was an ankle grab away from scoring the touchdown but had to settle for a first down at the Oak Ridge 13 yard line. Carr to Smith took the ball to the 5 after a personal foul call. The Eagles did not get a first down with the penalty and faced a 4th and 1, but a penalty moved them back and Rhea decided to go for the field goal. Kick was blocked and the game remained scoreless with Wildcats getting the ball at the 20 yard line.
Oak Ridge in an amazing coincidence went for it on 4th and 1 from their 29 and made it. The Wildcat's good fortune did not last as Keshawn Smith snagged the pass from Oak Ridge at the 40 and returned the ball to the 36 to set up the Eagles in great field position with only 35 seconds left in the 3rd. Smith was again the focal point of the offense and a pass interference penalty gave Eagles a first down at the 21 yard line.
There was an unscheduled event at quarter break as a young child somehow ended up on the field, but removed with no harm. The Eagles could not move the ball in 4 plays and the Wildcats took over at their 20 with 11 minutes remaining in the game.
On their drive the Wildcats found some running room for a couple of first downs to move across midfield, but then Eagles stuffed the box to stop the run. On third down, Oak Ridge used a well setup screen for a gain just inside the 30. Later in the drive, quarterback Stansbury managed to drop the ball in between 3 defenders and the receiver Porter made a one-hand spinning catch and carried the ball into the end zone for the initial score of the game. The kick was good and the score went to 7-0 with 6 minutes and 34 seconds remaining in the game.
The Eagles began on their 20 after the kickoff. Donegan had a nice catch despite a big hit by the defender for a first down at the 34. Later in the drive, Carr faked the handoff, and with a defender just missed tipping the ball and Odum the running back he faked to drifted out and caught a looping throw and outran the defense into the end zone for the touchdown. Regretfully, there was a problem with the holder catching the ball and he then rolled out but could not find anyone to salvage the play and Eagles were 1 point short with 4:35 left in the game.
The onside kick was corralled by Oak Ridge at the 48 of the Eagles. Oak Ridge decided to put the game in the hands of the offensive line and they provided a hole for the first down run on a 4th and 2 try. With 1:36 left in the game, Oak Ridge was able to run out the clock.
On defense, Ace Robinson was again the leading tackler with 8 tackles, 2 of those for loss and Zander Yeager was second with 6 tackles. Kaden Knox had 5 tackles, 3 of those for loss and Ethan Mosley, Austin Dodd and KeShawn Smith each had 5 tackles. This defense left it all on the field with a great game. Lots of players stepped up for this game, including sophomores Jaxton Schmitt, L. Donegan and Tristen Odum.
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
| Rhea | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| Oak Ridge | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
Top performers: Keshawn Smith 8 catches 102 yards, 1 interception; Caleb Car 15/22 185 yards; Chaucey Odum 70 yards, 1 touchdown. OR - Damillyan Porter 12 carries 57 yards, 4 catches 54 yards, 1 touchdown.
Punting: Rhea: 31,32 OR - 37, 40
Passing: OR - 10/22 102 yards, 1 TD, 2 interception Rhea: 15/22 185 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions.
Receiving: Rhea: Donegan 4 for 13 yds, Smith: 8 for 102, Odum 2 for 70, Ford: 1 for 0.
| # | Player | Solo | Assist | Tot Tckls | TFL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Keshawn Smith (Sr) | 3 | 2 | 5 | 1.0 |
| 3 | Kaden Knox (Sr) | 3 | 2 | 5 | 3.0 |
| 6 | Austin Dodd (Sr) | 3 | 2 | 5 | |
| 8 | L. Donegan (So) | 1 | 1 | ||
| 10 | Kaiden Rector (Jr) | 3 | 3 | ||
| 17 | Jaxton Schmitt (So) | 3 | 3 | ||
| 19 | Ace Robinson (Sr) | 7 | 1 | 8 | 2.0 |
| 34 | Tristen Odum (So) | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 38 | Ethan Mosley (Sr) | 4 | 1 | 5 | |
| 48 | Zander Yeager (Sr) | 4 | 2 | 6 | |
| 55 | Max Daughtrey (Jr) | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| 72 | Chace Wilkey (Jr) | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 75 | Haiden Futrell (Sr) | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | |
| Team Totals | 35 | 16 | 51 | 7.0 |