Defense and Special Teams and long touchdowns powered Coffee County to a Region 3 6-A to a win over Rockvale in Murfreesboro on Friday night.
The Raiders got on the board first when their third offensive play was pass from Connor Shemwell to Travis Martin for 79-yard score.
Coffee County’s defense quickly stymied the Rockets offense and forced a punt. Henry Garcia exploded to the punter, blocking the kick, and scooped up the ball and ran into the endzone to make it 14-0 Red Raiders.
Coffee County’s defense stayed on the field a lot during the game as the offense at times against the blitzing Rockets. The Raider defense was able to stop Rockvale 3 times inside the Coffee County 20 yard-line. The Raider defense also forced 2 turnovers as Garcia had an interception and Zack Galey recovered a fumble. Garcia was later named the Crazy Daisies Player of the Game.
After not scoring since the first quarter Coffee County and seeing the Rockets cut the lead to 14-7 the offense hit another big play for a touchdown. On fourth down and 1 and only up 14-7 in the 4th quarter, RB Konor Heaton raced 37 yards for a Red Raider score. The extra-point was blocked, but Coffee County had control of the game with 20-7 lead. Rockvale would score one more time with less than a minute to go to make the final, 20-14
The Raiders have won 2 out of their last 3 games, falling only on the road at Cookeville by one.
This Friday Coffee County welcomes Maplewood for an out of region match-up at Carden-Jarrell Field. The Raiders are 2-2 in Region 3 6-A play and 3-3 overall. Maplewood is now 0-5 after the Panthers lost to then winless Spring Hill 35-0. Two of their losses were because of COVID-19 and two losses to East Nashville. The Panthers have only scored 6 points and given up 145 in the 3 games they have been on the field.
The Rooster 101.5 with Lucky Knott and Mike Ray will be on hand for the play by play with the Doug Greene Kickoff Show set for 6:30 p.m. and kickoff at 7 p.m.
Photo provided: Henry Garcia races to the endzone following his blocked kick.
