CHS takes Battle of Broadway, 31-12
By Ken Leinart
The 2024 installment of “The Battle of Broadway” belongs to the Knoxville Central High School Bobcats after first year Head Coach Kevin Lane’s squad dealt visiting Knoxville Fulton a 31-12 setback Friday night at Dany Y. Boring Stadium at Joe Helton Field in Fountain City.
The game was tight in the first half, but the Bobcats opened the third quarter with a punishing ground game and began to slowly dismantle the Falcons’ defense.
“We play a lot of kids both ways,” Lane said of the Bobcats. “We were a little gassed in the second quarter, but at halftime we made some adjustments up front and found a way to run the ball.”
The Bobcats used the legs of junior running back Jaedyn Harris and the arm of sophomore quarterback Kaden Long to grab the lead on the first possession of the game. Harris carried the ball five times for 33 of the scoring drive’s 55 yards. Long zipped a laser to junior J.J. Smith from nine yards out for a touchdown with 9:12 to play in the first quarter.
Devon Cole nailed the point after and the Bobcats held a 7-0 lead.
The Falcons found some success against the Bobcat defense in its first drive of the game, senior quarterback Javon Moulden connected with Rehuan Womble and Raymond Thomas to move the sticks, but the Central defense held and forced a punt.
The Bobcats put together a 13-play drive that bridged the first two quarters with Long moving the ball with a couple of nice tosses to Smith and then senior tight end Daniel Sackie.
But it would be another Sackie, sophomore J.J., who got the call for the score rumbling into the end zone from two yards out for a touchdown. Cole’s point after gave the Bobcats a 14-0 lead with 10:46 to play in the first half.
Both teams struggled to find rhythm until the Falcons put together a nice little drive to close out the first half.
Moulden led the Falcons to the end zone in a three-play drive covering 48 yards with a 15-yard strike to senior wideout Travis Ballinger.
The kick failed, but the Falcons put a dent on the Bobcat led at 14-6 with 2:32 left in the first half.
The second saw the Bobcats go old school.
After stopping the Falcons to open the third stanza, Central let Harris do the talking.
Harris had his number called seven straight times while moving the ball from the 45 to the 13-yard line.
The Falcons stiffened on defense however, forced a couple of hurried pass attempts and almost got away with allowing no points when a Cole field goal try sailed left from 32 yards out.
Cole was leveled on the kick though and the hosts were given a fresh set of downs at the nine yard line. Again the Falcon defense stood tall and Cole nailed a 23-yarder for a 17-6 Bobcat lead after a drive that ate up more than five minutes of clock.
The Falcon offense was having trouble gaining traction though.
“We made a few adjustments at halftime,” Lane said. “We were able to take away their screen pass and forced them to try and run the ball inside.”
The Bobcats got the ball back with just over three minutes to play in the third and it appeared Harris capped off a quick 52-yard drive with a four-yard score.
A holding penalty negated the points though and the Bobcats would wait until the first pay of the final stanza to put up points when junior Nick Chittum took it in from 14 yards. Cole’s point after made it 24-6.
The rest of the night’s scoring came in a flurry.
Fulton’s Albert Johnson scored from six yards out on a seven-play drive that covered 52 yards in just over three minutes. The drive was helped by a facemask and pass interference calls against the Bobcats. The two-point attempt failed and Fulton trailed 24-12 with 8:09 left to play.
That score remained until the 7:58 mark.
Keshun Jenkins took the ensuing kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown.
Cole’s kick made it 31-12.
Fulton’s last chance to score was cut short when Demario Chapman recovered at Falcon fumble. The Bobcats picked up two first downs then took a knee for the win.
The Bobcats will host 1-0 Maryville next Friday.
Fulton will host 0-1 Campbell County.
