Smoky Bears Win Over Patriots In Nail-Biter Friday, 42-35
Patriots vs. Smoky Bears – Staff Photo by Tyler Bingle
October 25th, 2013 the Jefferson County Patriots faced off against the Sevier County Smoky Bears in their second to last game of the regular season. The Smoky Bears won the coin toss and elected to kickoff.
In the first quarter, the Patriots first drive ended without fanfare, when they were forced to punt the ball away. The Smoky Bears took advantage of the punt and returned the ball for a touchdown, score now seven to zero. The Smokey Bear’s first drive of the night ended with a touchdown pass with five minutes left to go in the quarter, score now being fourteen to zero. The Patriots next drive ended rather short when Sevier County intercepted a pass, but when the Smoky Bears fumbled the ball Jefferson County was there to recover it, this drive ending the quarter.
In the second quarter, Jones had a carry to score Jefferson County’s first touchdown of the game, fourteen to seven. The Jefferson County defense halted the Sevier County offense, forcing the Smoky Bears to punt the ball away. Jones had a ninety-five yard carry to score another Patriot touchdown, both teams tied at fourteen. The following drives ended with each team having to punt the ball and the sides were both looking to make the big play, until Seth Lattimer intercepted at ball during a Sevier County drive, ending the second quarter.
In the third quarter, Sevier County came back with a fury and scored another seven points within fifteen seconds of the quarter, score now twenty-one to fourteen. Jefferson County couldn’t convert on the next drive and Sevier County capitalized on their earlier momentum putting another seven points for the scoreboard, twenty-eight to fourteen. Jefferson County Patriot’s Styles had a forty-four yard carry to put some home team points on the board and close the point gap to twenty-eight to twenty-one. The Smoky Bears answered the call, again finding the end zone, with the score now being thirty-five to twenty-one- Ending the scoring of the quarter.
The Smoky Bears had the drive when the third quarter ended, and the Patriot’s Matt Oaks had an interception, but the Patriots couldn’t find their groove and the Smoky Bears scored another seven, to move the score to forty-two to twenty-one. Jefferson County punted the ball away, only to recover a fumble allowing Seth Lattimer to receive a pass and score another seven for the Patriots, forty-two to twenty-eight. The Patriots gave valiant effort, kicking an onside kick which they recovered to score another seven, but it wasn’t enough to give the Patriots the victory and they fell to Smoky Bears with a final score forty-two to thirty-five. Next week the Patriots will face off against the Morristown East Hurricanes which will be senior night and their last home game of the season.
