Holston defeats Rural Retreat

By SUSAN WHALEN/Correspondent

The Rural Retreat Indians dropped a game to district rival the Holston Cavaliers Friday night at Rural Retreat. Holston took the victory 30-7.
Rural Retreat’s offense scored once while racking up multiple first downs. The defense held strong; most of Holston’s scores came on long plays.
The Indians took control of the ball at their 11 to begin the game. Tyler Hash and Adam Evans took handoffs from quarterback Jake Whalen to move the line of scrimmage to the 47. Terry Fields was called on to punt.
The Cavs took over at their 21. Jeremy Cregger and Kyle Testerman held them to three yards in the Cavs’ first two plays. Holston QB John Pratt went to the air with Zayne Williams and Blake Holman stopping the play at RR’s 48.
Eric Reasor, Hash and Testerman pushed the Cavs back before Pratt hit Blevins for six points. The PAT was no good. With 5:36 left in the first, Holston led by 6.
Fields fielded the ball at the 15. He made it to the 47 before being drug down. Evans, Whalen and Holman combined for a RR first down. The offensive line made a huge hole for Evans on the next play, resulting in another first down.
Hash and Whalen gained positive yards as time ran out in the first.  Whalen, Evans and Hash kept the ball moving with Hash going in for RR’s 6 points. Hall’s PAT was good, moving RR into a one point lead.
Michael Smith, Josh Hall, Reasor and Cregger, along with the other defenders, came up with nice tackles slowing Holston’s progress. The Cavs would not be denied another score. Mefford went left from the 4 yard line for 6.  Dustin Cox picked off Pratt’s two point pass attempt.
Rural Retreat had under two minutes left in the half when it got the ball back. Whalen connected with Isaac Hayes for a first down. Pratt picked off Whalen a few plays later to end the half. Holston led 12-7.
Holston started the second half on its 35. The first play had Bramlett picking up several good blocks on his was to the end zone. The two point pass attempt was again picked by Cox. Holston led by 11 points with 11:31 left in the third.
Rural Retreat’s next possession ended in a punt.
Bramlett had a 15 yard run called back due to holding. Smith held Pratt to 5 yards rushing, before he went to the air again. Hash made a touchdown saving tackle a few yards shy of the goal line. Mefford toted the ball across for another 6. The PAT was no good. RR trailed 24-7 with 7 minutes left in the third.
Hash handed the ball off to Fields at the 10. Fields was stopped at the 43. The Indians ate up six minutes on their next series. They advanced from their 43 to Holston’s 27 before turning the ball over on downs.
RR’s defense had Holston facing third and 16 at its own 20 at the start of the fourth quarter. Pratt hit Mefford at the 43 for the first down. A Cavs TD was called back due to illegal procedure.  Daniel Baggerly added his name to the tackle list on this series. Mefford advanced the ball for Holston. Pratt followed his blocks to the end zone for 6. The PAT was again no good.
Zayne Williams took over quarterback duties for RR with 9:30 left in the game. Evans, Williams and Hash picked up about 20 yards before Holston recovered the first fumble on the night. Holston also substituted several players at this time.
Josh Kaulfuss, Stepp, Cody Tate and Derick Rhodes and William Motley made tackles for RR forcing Holston to turn the ball over on downs.
Rural Retreat had 1:15 left on the clock when they took over at its own 11. Williams rushed for 9 yards, but a false start took 5 back.. Williams hit Travis Foster for a 29 yard gain. A incomplete pass followed, with the game ending with Holston sacking the quarterback. RR travels to Northwood next Friday for another district contest.