Yellow Jackets Refuse to Lose
By Terry Futrell – November 10, 2018
Coalfield fans who made the long trek to Happy Valley to watch the Yellow Jackets face the Cloudland Highlanders in Round 2 of the TSSAA playoffs received another special treat as the Jackets came from behind late in the fourth quarter to defeat Cloudland 29-24.
For the fifth year in a row, Coalfield put an end to Cloudland’s season by defeating the Highlanders in the Class 1A playoffs. The loss was especially devastating to Cloudland, who just one week earlier had romped over Midway in Round 1, defeating the Green Wave handily 36-22. The loss to Coalfield was Cloudland’s only loss to a Class 1A team in the 2018 season.
In this Round 2 playoff game with Cloudland, the stakes were high for both teams. The winner would move on to play the Greenback/Oliver Springs winner in Round 3 and the season would be over for the loser.
The Coalfield victory was almost a mirror image of the Jackets come from behind victory over Oliver Springs on October 19. In that game, the Yellow Jackets were down 16-7 with six minutes remaining. Coalfield then scored twice while shutting down the Bobcats offense, winning 22-16.
After stopping Cloudland’s opening drive, the Yellow Jackets moved downfield in 14 plays, with Ashton Jones scoring on fourth and goal. Cloudland immediately responded, scoring on a 48-yard run, taking the lead 8-7.
Both teams scored in the second quarter, Coalfield on a 47-yard pass from Peyton McKinney to Seth Lowe, and Cloudland on a 7-yard pass. Cloudland held a 16-15 lead at halftime.
Cloudland expanded their lead in the third quarter, cashing in on a 14-play drive with a 2-yard touchdown run. Cloudland led 24-15 at the end of three.
Just as things were beginning to look bleak for the Yellow Jackets, the team that Photographer Cathy Bird characterizes as “refusing to lose” sprang into action. Driving quickly downfield, the Jackets moved to within three points of the Highlanders on a 39-yard score by Jonathon Woodward with less than five minutes remaining.
The Jackets defense got tough and shut down the Highlanders at mid-field, giving the Coalfield offense one more opportunity with a little more than two minutes to play. The Jackets drove to the Cloudland 11-yard line, where Peyton McKinney connected with Isaac Vanwitzenburg for the game winning touchdown with 25 seconds left in the game. The Coalfield defense stopped Cloudland’s attempt at a miraculous comeback and the Jackets walked away with a 29-24 victory.
Coach Keith Henry now holds an 8-0 record over Cloudland while at Coalfield. The win over Cloudland is Henry’s 18th playoff victory while at Coalfield, tying him with Garry Kreis for the most playoff victories at the school.
Coalfield travels to Greenback next Friday where they will face the Cherokees at 7 PM, with the winner advancing to the State semifinals. Coalfield’s only Class 1A loss during the 2018 season was a 49-0 defeat by the Cherokees on October 5.