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SM opens season with win at Hendersonville
Smoky Mountain’s season-opening 21-13 football win Friday at Hendersonville could be labeled special for many reasons.
For starters, it was special because the Mustangs snapped an eight-game losing streak matched their win total for each of the past two seasons and won their opener for the first time since 1999.
The victory was also special because it made a winner of Dale Galloway in his first game as SM’s head coach.
Smoky Mountain’s Dayne Bowers pulls away from a Hendersonville defender to score the first touchdown in SM’s 21-13 win Friday. – Photo by Mark Haskett
But the main reason for the special label was the play of the special teams. Grant Schallock averaged 42.2 yards on five punts and was three of three on extra points. His punts and kickoffs forced the Bearcats to start five possessions inside their 20.
Meanwhile, Hendersonville had all kinds of trouble with its kicking game. Each time they faced a punting situation, the Bearcats instead lined up in field goal formation. One of the kicks was blocked and returned for a touchdown and a bad snap on another set up a TD. They also missed an extra point due to a bad snap.
The Mustangs won despite Hendersonville having no turnovers or penalties and enjoying a total offense advantage of 266-127.
Defense dominated early with both teams going three-and-out on their first two possessions.
Coach Dale Galloway talks to his Smoky Mountain football players moments after the Mustangs made Galloway a winner in his first game at the helm with a 21-13 victory Friday at Hendersonville. – Photo by Mark Haskett
The Bearcats then put together the game’s first drive by moving from their 24 to the SM 3 before stalling. Will Roper missed a 19-yard field goal, his only legitimate field goal attempt of the night.
Jared Deitz had an 11-yard return of one of Roper’s “field goals” putting the Mustangs in business at the Hendersonville 31. Facing fourth-and-two, Nick Zoda ripped off an 8-yard gain for a first down at the 15. Colton Hunt gained 2 yards on a quarterback sneak to convert a fourth-and-1 at the 4. An apparent TD on the next play was nullified by a penalty, but that miscue was overcome when Hunt completed a 15-yard scoring pass to Dayne Bowers. Schallock converted his first extra point for a 7-0 lead with 5:02 to play in the first half.
The Bearcats tied the game less than a minute later as sophomore speedster Darryl Demps, who wasn’t even listed on the roster, broke loose on an 85-yard TD run down the left sideline. Roper’s PAT made it 7-7 with 4:25 on the clock.
Hendersonville had a chance to take the lead moments later when Cedrick Allen recovered Dillon Dunford’s fumble at the SM 24.
The defense rose to the occasion by stopping the Bearcats for losses on two of the next three plays.
The game’s key play came in the third period when Billy Ayers blocked Roper’s kick. Ethan Crowe scooped up the ball and returned it 10 yards for a TD and a 14-7 Mustang advantage at the 6:37 mark.
The Bearcats responded quickly as Tyler Smith completed a 45-yard scoring pass to Jamie Hatten with 4:03 to go in the third stanza. SM maintained a 14-13 edge as a bad snap on the PAT forced Hendersonville to attempt a run that failed.
Schallock’s punt backed the Bearcats up to their 9 on the first play of the fourth quarter. They picked up a couple of first downs before being stopped. A bad snap on a kick forced a desperation pass that resulted in a 19-yard loss giving the Mustangs the ball at the 14.
C.J. Franks picked up 3 yards on fourth-and-1 from the 5 then scored from the 2 for a 21-13 lead with 6:48 on the clock.
Hendersonville wasn’t through and kept the ball until the final seconds with a drive that started at its 23. Three first downs moved the ball to the SM 29. On fourth-and-5, the Mustangs jumped offsides giving the Bearcats a first down at the 19 with about a minute to play. Ayers sacked Smith for a 10-yard loss on third down, and a fourth-down pass fell incomplete preserving the win.
Zoda was SM’s top rusher as he gained 35 yards in eight carries. Bowers finished with 28 yards in six attempts, and Franks netted 26 yards in eight tries.
Hunt completed three of eight passes for 31 yards.
Other than the long TD run, the Mustangs kept Demps bottled up. He finished with 84 yards in six carries. Allen added 43 yards in 10 attempts.
Smith completed four of 10 passes for 108 yards.
SM H’ville
10 First Downs 11
42-96 Rushes-Yds. 40-177
3-8-0 Passing 5-11-0
31 Passing Yds. 89
5-42.2 Punts-Avg. 0-0
4-1 Fumbles-Lost 2-0
5-45 Penalties-Yds. 0-0
SM 0 7 7 7 21
H’ville 0 7 6 0 13
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