Kaleb Martin heads for Endzone for the Eagles.(Photo:GaryBolden)

Eagles qualify for Post-Season Tournament With Win

10/19/22

Chattanooga, TN -- RCHS Won 45-7 over Howard on the road on Friday, 10/14/22, for their second win of the year, Eagles confirmed a spot in the post-season with the win. The Eagles still have two more games remaining on the schedule, including a Senior Night this Friday, October 21 vs Bradley County, who comes into the game 6-2. Eagles finish their regular season on the road against 6-2 Coffee County Central on 10/28/22 in Manchester Tennessee. Both games are scheduled for a 7:30 pm kickoff. Bradley owns an August win over Walker Valley 22-21 and a 42-24 win over Mcminn Central for comparision scoring. Eagles lost to both those teams, McMinn 43-14 and Walker Valley 25-14.

Rhea County 45 Howard 7

Rhea County received the opening kickoff and marched down the field behind Davis and Crowe, but after returning the kickoff at the Eagle 45 yard-line by Kaleb Martin. On the 7th play of the drive, quarterback Caleb Carr found Drew Massengill in the middle of the field and Massengill made a nice pivot and used a Kaleb Martin block to clear a path to the endzone. Cole Ruehling made the extra-point and Eagles led 7-0 with 8:41 left in first quarter. After returning the kickoff to around the 20, Howard moved the ball past midfield, before stalling and punting to set up the Eagles near at their own 29 Kaleb Martin looked to have scored second touchdown of night on a 50 yard reception, for Eagles, but penalty nullified the effort. After the penalty the Eagles saw another Martin big gain nulliefied by penalty, but Ethan Davis found the endzone from 36 yards out for the 14-0 lead for the Eagles after the kick with 10:49 left in 2nd quarter.

Howard had good kickoff return that put the ball near midfield after a penalty tacked on yardage. Howard moved the ball into Eagle territory at the 32 yard-line before penalties backed them up to 42 of Rhea and on third and long they went to air and Bryson Davis came away with interception around the 38 and he returned ball just past midfield to set up Ealges with good field position. Eagles moved the ball deep into Howard territory, but stalled and missed their first field goal attempt, but penalty gave Ruehling a second life and he made the 30 yard field goal to put Eagles up 17-0. Howard returned kickoff the 29 and not long after Tariq Morris found an outside lane on the run and found the endzone 60 yards later. The kick was good and Eagles had the 17-7 lead with 2:36 left in half. Ethan Davis tacked on the 3rd touchdown of the half for the Eagles with 1:29 left until halftime and Eagles led 24-7.

It was all Eagles in the second half. Kaleb Martin had nice 36 yard touchdown run on a reverse with 6;42 left in 3rd quarter. Caleb Carr then completed his 2nd touchdown pass of the night with 6-yard pass to Martin before Ethan Davis finished the scoring for the Eagles with 41 yard run with 6:29 left in 4th quarter to push the final score to 45-7.

Caleb Carr went 8 for 8 with 127 yards and 2 touchdowns in his first start at quarterback for the Eagles. Kaleb Martin had some nice runs and receptions for the Eagles and finished with 6 catches for 67 yards and 2 carries for 47 yards. Martin scored 2 touchdowns for the Eagles. Martin had a couple of very nice plays called back because of penalties. Ethan Davis had 154 yards rushing with 3 touchdowns on the night. Drew Massengill had the other touchdown with a 41 yard touchdown reception. Cole Ruehling had 9 points on 6 for 6 in extra-point attempts and 1-1 in field goals. Eagles had 13 first downs, while limiting Howard to 6. Total yards on the night was 392 to 158 in favor of Eagles. Rhea County did not punt on the night and came away with the only turnover of the game on the Davis interception. Tariq Morris lead the Hustlin' Tigers with 99 yards on 11 carries. Dante Sales had 1 catch for 23 yards. Hunter Crowe finished with 48 yards rushing on 7 attempts. On defense, Hunter Crowe led the Eagles with 10 tackles and sophomore Austin Dodd had 8 tackles on the night.