By Michael Lindsay
Football season in the Upper Cumberland kicked off Thursday night as the Smith County Owls traveled to Gordonsville and left with a 25-19 victory.
“They (Smith County) did a great job,” said Smith County head coach Matt Dyer. “Gordonsville is a well-coached team and was well-prepared. We’ve got a lot of things to fix and prepare for next week.”
Smith County never trailed in Thursday’s victory but Gordonsville threatened late as the Tigers drove inside Owl territory with less than 1 minute remaining. Smith County turned up the defensive pressure and forced an incomplete pass as time expired to seal the victory.
After a scoreless first quarter, Smith County found the end zone first with 8:38 remaining in the second period as Jermaine Cason took a short pass from quarterback Riley Martin on a sweep to the right side 31 yards for a touchdown to give the Owls a 7-0 lead.
Smith County wasn’t done there as the Owls recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff at the Gordonsville 37-yard line.
The Owls converted that turnover into points 3 minutes later as Ethan Madewell punched in a 3-yard touchdown run with 5:38 left until halftime to give Smith County a 13-0 lead.
Gordonsville answered with a touchdown from their bag of trick plays on the ensuing drive as the Tigers connected on a flea-flicker down the right sideline. Quarterback J Foster hit Dalton Hancock in the end zone for a touchdown to make the score 13-7 in favor of the Owls at halftime.
Smith County extended their lead on the first possession of the second half as a completion from Martin to Payton Hix set the Owls up in the red zone before Martin rushed in a 1-yard quarterback keeper with 6:59 remaining in the third period to give Smith County a 19-7 lead.
Gordonsville answered through the air again on their ensuing drive as Foster hit an uncovered Brady Gentry down the left sideline for a 44-yard touchdown pass with 3:59 remaining in the third period to make the score 19-13.
Smith County drove to the Gordonsville 14-yard line late in the third period but was turned away by the Tigers as they forced a turnover-on-downs to end the period.
After trading empty possessions, Smith County punted to Gordonsville with 7:00 remaining in the contest still leading 19-13.
Hix stepped up on the defensive end as he picked off a Gordonsville pass and took it 25 yards back to the end zone for a pick-six to give the Owls a 25-13 lead with 6:45 remaining.
Gordonsville wasn’t done yet as the Tigers answered with a 16-yard touchdown reception by Gentry with 2:04 left to make the score 25-19.
The Tigers would get a stop and get the ball back at their own 11 with 44.9 seconds left. Gordonsville drove inside Smith County territory with 10 seconds left, but the Owls held off the late rally and forced an incompletion as time expired to seal their 25-19 victory.
“You’ve got to go 1-0 each week,” Dyer said. “We can’t dwell on one win, we have to get better for next week to go 1-0.”
Smith County improves to 1-0 overall and travels to DeKalb County next Friday while Gordonsville hosts Watertown.
