Pioneers ‘eyeing’ a region win
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Warren County enters tonight’s game at 2-4 overall and 0-2 in league play, and will be looking for its first region victory since a 1997 win over then league-mate Oakland. The Jets, at 1-4 overall but 1-1 in the region thanks to a win over Coffee County, can all but lock up a playoff spot with a victory in their Homecoming matchup tonight.
The Jets return 24 players from last year’s 4-6 team — a squad which picked up its most lopsided win by downing the Pioneers 49-7 at Nunley Stadium.
With 23 seniors listed on their opening-day roster, most of the veterans for this year’s Jet team are up front and on the defensive side of the ball, resulting in a team which has turned in several strong defensive showings, but struggles at times to find the end zone.
Defense and special teams have turned in a pair of big plays recently for the Jets. In a 24-6 loss to Franklin County early in September, senior Tim Bargayo returned an interception 40 yards to avoid the shutout, while in the lone CCHS win, a 90-yard kickoff return from Casey Patterson keyed a 15-point second half which ruined Coffee County’s homecoming.
Last week, the Jets came up empty on the scoreboard, but allowed just 14 points to White County — a team which Warren County fans don’t need to be reminded bested the Pioneers 34-17 earlier this fall.
In the loss, the Jets put up just 45 yards off offense, with 44 coming on the ground courtesy of senior Craig Ragsdale. Cumberland County used three quarterbacks in the game, and completed just one of its nine passing attempts, which was good for just one yard.
“We didn’t make the plays,” Jet coach Mark Wattenbarger told the Crossville Chronicle’s Ed Greif after the game. “Our defense played well enough to win the game, but we first must find a way to generate some points.”
One way the Jets might be hoping to generate those points tonight would be to keep their offense on the field.
White County dominated the time-of-possession stats against the Jets last week, beginning with a 7-minute, 57-second drive for their opening score. In the end, Cumberland County allowed 160 total rushing yards to the Warriors, and gave up 80 more yards through the air on six completions.
Defensively, the Jets were led by John Bostaph and Doug Porter, who recorded nine tackles each.
Rumors began circulating this week regarding the suspension of three Cumberland County starters, with the punishment stemming from an unknown off-the-field incident. The names of the players involved, or whether or not any suspensions would begin tonight, were not released by the CCHS program.
Kickoff for tonight’s game in Crossville is scheduled for 7:30.