By Ed Greif
edbgreif@gmail.com

Zander Price rushed for 166 yards on 11 and scored two touchdowns, while Ryan McCain carried 11 times for 107 yards with two touchdowns to lead the Rockwood Tigers to a 41-13 victory on homecoming/senior night over the Cumberland Gap Panthers to earn a home game in the Class AA plays this Friday at 7 p.m. against Hampton.

The Tigers rushed for 390 yards on 40 carries., including Joe Ashburn (5 carries, 31 yards, 1 TD), Caleb Bowen (9 carries, 31 yards), Nate Brackett (2 carries, 6 yards) and Tre’ Falls (2 rushes, 49 yards).

Brackett completed 3-of-9 passes for 41 yards with one touchdown. Trey Treadway caught two passes for 21 yards with one touchdown, while Dylan Williams had one catch for 21 yards.The Tiger defense held the Panthers to 205 yards rushing on 42 rushes and 34 yards passing on 3-of-9 passes with two interceptions – one each Ashburn and Price.

Bowen’s 12-yard kickoff return gave the Tigers the ball at their 17. Price then exploded into the Panther secondary for a 52-yard gain to the Panther 31 and scored three plays later on a 24-yard run for a 6-0 lead with 10:05 left in the quarter. McCain and Ashburn combined for 7 yards on two carries. Treadway’s PAT was good for the 7-0 advantage.

The Panthers wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, driving 75 yards on 10 plays to score on a 5-yard run by Gage Ellision with 4:57 left in the period. Nick Neverwitch booted the PAT to tie the game at 7-7. Matt Muggrridge carried five times for 13 yards, while Garland Ellis passed 34 yards to Jayson Upton.

A 17-yard kickoff return by Price put the Tigers back in business at their 33, where they drove the distance in seven plays to take a 13-7 lead on a 20-yard pass from Brackett to Treadway with 41.6 seconds left in the half. McCain, Ashburn, Price and Bowen carried the ball six times 21 yards, while Brackett passed 21 yards to Williams. The PAT was no good.

Cumberland Gap took the ensuing possession at their 43, but could only run one play before the quarter ended. The Panthers ran two more plays to open the second quarter, but their 15-yard punt gave the Tigers the ball at the Rockwood 47.

Price then weaved his way through the Panther defense for a 49 yards to the Cumberland Gap 4-yard line, where McCain followed his senior offensive line mates into the end zone for a TD and added the 2-point conversion for the 21-7 lead.

Cumberland Gap took over at their 27, but two plays later, Gage Ellison fumbled after a 16-yard gain, with Price returning the ball eight yards to the Panther 41. Four plays later, McCain rambled 32-yards into the end zone with 6:55 left in the half for a 27-7 lead. Treadway’s PAT made it 28-7.

Another nice kickoff return by Upton gave the Panthers the ball their 43, where Cumberland Gap drove the distance in four plays and scored on Garland Ellison’s 2-yard run with 5:06 left in the half. The PAT was no good, leaving the Panthers behind 28-13.

After a short kickoff return by Ashburn, the Tigers moved the ball to midfield, but penalties on both teams, put the ball back at the Cumberland Gap 45. Brackett was 1-of-4 passing for one yard, while Price picked up eight yards, but Rockwood was stopped and punted. Cumberland Gap ran two plays as the first half concluded, with the Tigers ahead 28-13.

The Panthers opened the second half at their 26, but three plays later, Ashburn picked off a Panther pass and returned 39 yards to the Panther 17. Price would score on a 15-yard run with 10:03 left in the quarter for a 34-13 advantage. Treadway’s PAT made it 35-13.

The Panthers took the enusing kick at their 36 and moved the ball on the running of Muggrridge (5 carries, 17 yards) and the passing of Garland Ellis (2-of-4, 10 yards), who sacked for a two-yard loss by McCain kill the drive on downs at the Tiger 36-yard line.

The running of Bowen, McCain and Price moved the pigskin for a first down at the Panther 14, as the third quarter concluded with their team ahead 35-13.

Ashburn sped his way into the end zone with 11:53 left in the game for a 41-13 advantage, but the PAT was no good.

Cumberland Gap’s ensuing possession ended on an interception by Price at the Tiger 12. After a personal foul on the Panthers, the Tigers took over at their 27. The running of Falls, McCain, Ashburn, Bowen and Brackett moved the ball to the Panther 37, but the Tigers were forced to punt.

Cumberland Gap went to their running and picked up three first downs, but time ran out before the Panthers could score.

Team Stats	CUM	RHS
Number of Plays	50	47
Total Offense	251	434
Rushing Attempts - Yards	41 - 207	38 - 390
Passing: Completions - Atts	3 - 9	3 - 9
Passing Yards	44	44
Passing: Touchdowns - Interceptions	0 - 2	1 - 0
Fumbles - Lost	1 - 1	0 - 0
Turnovers	3	0
First Downs	15	18
First Downs - Rushing	13	16
First Downs - Passing	2	2
First Downs - Penalties	0	0
Third Down Conversions/Attempts	4/10 (40%)	3/7 (42.9%)
Fourth Down Conversions/Attempts	1/2 (50%)	2/2 (100%)
Penalties - Yards	4 - 30	4 - 40
Punts - Average	1 - 15	1 - 28

 

Passing	Cmp	Att	Yds	Cmp%	TD	Int
#12 Nate Brackett	3	9	44	33.3%	1	0

Rushing	Att	Yds	Avg	TD
#7 Zander Price	10	164	16.4	2
#4 Ryan McCain	11	106	9.6	2
#14 Tre Falls	2	48	24	0
#34 Joe Ashburn	5	32	6.4	1
#17 Caleb Bowen	7	31	4.4	0
#12 Nate Brackett	3	9	3	0

Receiving	Rec	Yds	Avg	TD
#15 Trey Treadway	2	23	11.5	1
#10 Dylan Williams	1	21	21	0

Defense	Int
#7 Zander Price	1
#34 Joe Ashburn	1