It took me til the 2nd to last week of the regular season to do it, but I finally went to the same stadium twice to watch a game. This week Farragut was traveling to Maryville to try and hand the Rebels their first district loss in who knows how long. Coming off the huge win the previous week against Bearden, I thought maybe the Admirals would travel well and would have the possibility to pull off the upset. Alcoa's ground game had given the Rebels trouble in week 1 and Farragut ran a similar attack. This was the closest I believe I have come to getting caught with the press pass. I talked my way through the crisis though and was able to get in once again for free. May want to avoid Maryville for the rest of the year though. Anyway, before the game started though, we needed a game ball. At the moment however, the game ball was about 2,000 ft above head.
I have only seen a person parachute into a stadium once. That was in Sanford Stadium a few years back when Tennessee played Georgia. There were about 90,000 people in the stands, it was a primetime ESPN game, and both teams were ranked. That was the only time I had ever seen it happen, until tonight. There were about 88,000 less people and ESPN was nowhere to be found, but a member of the 101st Airborne Division Parachute Demonstration Team air dropped into the stadium carrying the game ball with the stars and bars in tow.
Right when I think I've seen it all with the streaker, some guy jumps out of a perfectly good airplane and I am surprised once again.
Now that the game ball had arrived, Farragut could kick off to Maryville. The return man for Maryville though fumbled the ball and allowed Farragut to recover, giving the Admirals the ball on the Rebel 20 yard line. The Admirals could only muster a field goal however and gave the ball back the Maryville up 3-0. This time the Rebels were able to first catch the kickoff then use a big play to score. Maryville quarterback Patton Robinette hooked up with Preston Burnette for a 55 yard touchdown pass. Farragut went three and out on their ensuing drive, and Maryville was able to gain another three points on the leg of Zach Sharp.
Just when it appeared that Maryville may have found its groove, Farragut began to move the ball. Eating up a lot clock, Farragut was able to score on a QB scramble from Cody Rule. Maryville got the ball back with plenty of time to run a two minute drill and possibly score just before halftime, but an inspired Farragut defense forced a punt. On the second play of the Farragut drive, Nathan Miranda of Maryville simply plucked the ball from the hands of Cody Rule and went 15 yards before being taken down at the Farragut 27. On the first play Maryville had from here on offense, Patton Robinette fumbled the snap and Farragut recovered. The half ended with the score tied at 10.
After Farragut went three and out to start the third quarter, Preston Burnette proved the touchdown he had earlier in the night wasn't all that he wanted to do. He caught the punt, went right, cut back left, and had a wall of blockers down the sideline. After cutting only once around the Farragut 5 yard line, Burnette scored. He had effectively taken a punt to the house from 66 yards away. I'm always glad to see special teams touchdowns because sometimes I forget what they are like, since Tennessee never has any.
Late in the third quarter Farragut QB Cody Rule took a nasty hit from Maryville safety Stian Romberg. Later it was announced that Rule had a possible ACL tear. This is bad news for Farragut who just last week lost Robbie Leonard for the remainder of the season due to multiple fractures in his leg. Farragut players are dropping like flies with leg injuries. Maryville put the game away with a short touchdown run from Jacob West to go up 24-10. Farragut scored late but never threatened to tie and with the 24-17 win, Maryville locked up the district championship.
Maryville could be headed to their 8th state title in 11 years. Maybe one day CCHS will have that trophy. . . or not.
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