S

On Friday night, it was the last home game of the season for the Coffee County Red Raiders, and they made sure to put on a show as they silenced the Ooltewah Owls.

Senior night is significant in many ways.

Firstly, it is a night to honor the seniors who not only played for the team, but also those who helped train them, those who played in the marching band and those who cheered on the sidelines throughout their four-year high school career.

Secondly, it is a last chance to go out and win one for your community, and with the season Coffee County has had, just one more win at Carden Jarrell Field would mean so much.

Before the game, members of the football team, Jaiden Foster, Xavier Randolph, Brendon Sheppard, Xavier Holland, Sahez Fernandez, Casey White, Jathan Cassel, Caden Green, Javon Simmons and Blayne Myers were all honored along with senior athletic trainers, band members and cheerleaders.

The Red Raiders would start the game out with a bang, scoring on the first drive to lead 7-0.

The Owls’ first drive would result in a three-and-out, and Coffee County would take the ball back down to the Ooltewah 32-yard line before failing a fourth down conversion.

Ooltewah would then score on the next drive but miss a PAT to make the score 7-6.

It would not take long for the Red Raiders to respond, as Caiden Martin would take a kick return to the house for a score, and Coffee County would go up 14-6.

The special teams unit for Coffee County showed out again after an Ooltewah drive ended with a punt that was returned by Jaiden Foster for another touchdown, making the score 21-6 with 29 seconds left in the first quarter.

The Red Raider offense finally got back on the field in the second quarter after another Ooltewah three-and-out. The drive for Coffee would end on another failed fourth down conversion at the Ooltewah 24-yard line.

After another three-and-out by the Owls, the Red Raiders started the next drive in good field position at the Ooltewah 45-yard line and capitalized with a touchdown to go up 28-6 with 3:24 left in the first half.

It would then be the defense’s time to shine for Coffee County, as they recovered the football on a strip sack.

The ensuing drive for Coffee would result in another touchdown, and the Red Raiders went into the half-time break up 35-6.

Ooltewah would manage to get on the scoreboard one more time in the second half with a touchdown midway through the third to make it a 35-12 ballgame. The score would stay the same through the end of the quarter.

Coffee County’s Blayne Myers had two big plays in the second half, with an interception in the third quarter, and a touchdown run that would put the Red Raiders up 42-12, and for the last eight minutes of the game, the Raiders never relinquished to stop a seven-game losing streak.

“These are a special group of kids,” said Coach Roger Haynes of his seniors. “They came out focused tonight and I’m really proud of them.”

John Massengill went 4 for 10 with 36 yards passing and a touchdown, Caiden Martin had 86 yards rushing, Deantae Short had 71 yards rushing and a touchdown and Jayden Carter had 61 yards rushing with 11 yards receiving and a touchdown.

The Raiders improved to 2-7 on the season and will play their last game of the year at Blackman on Friday, October 27.