Coffee County did a lot of things right Friday night against Cookeville.
But in the end, the Cavaliers made one more play than the Raiders and escaped with a 20-19 in at Eddie Watson Stadium in Cookeville.
Cavalier quarterback Stockton Owen scored his third touchdown of the night with 1:56 to play, scampering into the end zone from five yards out to give Cookeville the 20-19 lead. Coffee County’s last ditch effort to drive the field came up short when a Conner Shemwell pass was intercepted by Owen.
Cookeville was able to take the lead just 2 minutes after the Raiders jumped in front. Konor Heaton put CHS in front with 4:40 to play on a one-yard score. Heaton’s touchdown was set up by a 38 yard completion from Shemwell to Andrew Hite on fourth and nine. The Raider two point conversion failed, putting CHS up 19-14.
The Raider defense seized all of the momentum from Cookeville late in the first half. With Cookeville driving the field at the Raider 18, Owen fumbled a snap and Derrick Scott picked it up and rumbled 80 yards for a touchdown. The extra point was no good after an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the Raider bench, but the score put Coffee Count up 13-7 at the half. Coffee County’s first score came with four minutes to play on a 1-yard touchdown plunge from Marshall Haney.
Owen led both teams on the ground, finishing with 192 yards on 21 carries for the Cavaliers – he accounted for all three Cookeville scores.
For Coffee County, Haney had 49 yards on 17 touches. He also caught two passes for 11 yards. Six different Red Raiders caught passes from Shemwell, who was 10-for-22 for 104 yards. He also rushed for 22 yards on four carries.
The loss drops Coffee County to 2-3 on the season and 1-2 in Region 3-6A competition. CHS travels to Rockvale on Friday, Oct. 2. That game will be broadcast on Thunder Radio, beginning with Friday Night Thunder Pregame at 6 p.m. You can listen at 107.9 FM, 1320 AM, 106.7 FM, stream on the Manchester Go app and thunder1320.com
Miss the game? Listen to the first half call on Thunder Radio HERE. Listen to the second half HERE.
