Lions play tough in opener

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Cort Litchford (11) carries the ball for Cannon County High School in its season opener at Red Boiling Springs on Friday. Litchford was the leading rusher for the Lions with 77 yards on 24 carries. (Ronny Burks photo)
The Cannon County Lions football team felt they had the advantage going into their first game of the season on the road at Red Boiling Springs on Friday.

The Lions returned many starters on their offensive and defensive line and had a roster twice the number of players that the Bulldogs did.

The Lions took the first possession of the game and marched it down to the Bulldog 21. The Bulldogs' defense stepped up near the red zone causing two no gains and an incomplete pass and finished up defensively by sacking Lion quarterback Charlie Parrish.

Red Boiling Springs on their first offensive possession started moving the football, but Reece Smith caused a fumble on a second down play. Linebacker Cole Hill recovered the ball.

The Lions couldn't capitalize on the turnover as they had to punt on a four-downs-and-out sequence.

Both defenses would keep the opposing offenses in check in the first half. With 6:38 left to go before halftime, the Lions embarked on their longest drive of the game when they got the ball on their own 7-yard line.

Cannon County was able to get out of the tight space with a 26-yard pass from Parrish to wide receiver Wade Love; however, the drive would end four yards later as running back Cort Litchford lost the football with 46 seconds left.

Two plays later the Lions would get the ball back after Love intercepted the ball at the Lion 39-yard line to end the half with no team scoring.

The second half got started with the feeling that whichever team put points up first would likely win the game. That feeling came to reality when on the first possession of the third period Red Boiling Springs put together a successful 10-play, 60-yard drive with Bulldog running back Jordan Powell punching it in from the Lion 3 to lead 7-0.

The Lions would fumble away the ensuing kickoff but Cannon County's defense wouldn't allow Red Boiling Springs to go anywhere.

Both teams traded possessions and ended the third quarter 7-0.

The Lions started the fourth quarter trying to find something that would spark the team. On 4th down and 4 from the Bulldog 26, Lion punter Love saw the opportunity to give the team that spark when he took off on a fake punt after seeing a big wide open area to his left. That wide open area quickly closed and Love was only to gain two yards giving the Bulldogs the football back at the Lions 28 yard line.

That's when Red Boiling Springs would put it in the end zone again as reserve running back Jaylen Holley, who hadn't touched the football since he fumbled it on the first possession of the game, took off for a 23-yard touchdown run to give Red Boiling a 14-0 advantage.

Another opportunity for Cannon County came on the ensuing kickoff, after chasing the football down, kick returner Litchford found the left sideline and accelerated 99 yards for a touchdown, only for it to be called back due to a controversial block in the back and personal foul penalty.

Red Boiling declined the block in the back but the personal foul penalty put the Lions back all the way to their own 22.

With time winding down, the Lions couldn't do anything with the football, turning it over to Red Boiling Springs, who then ran the final five minutes off the clock and earned the win 14-0.

"It was a good learning experience for a lot of guys that hadn't played football in a long time," CCHS head coach TJ Daniel said.

One of those guys was quarterback Charlie Parrish, who was 1-7 for 26 yards. Several of Parrish's pass attempts sailed out of bounds. Parrish also rolled his ankle when converting a fourth down play in the second quarter. Parrish would come back in the second half of the game.

Parrish also collected a net total of just two yards on the ground. The junior quarterback did have the longest run of the night, collecting 17 yards during the first possession of the game.

Litchford was the leading Lion rusher with 77 yards on 24 carries.

Cannon County will meet Jackson County in the first of four consecutive home games this week. The game has been moved to Thursday night at 7. The Blue Devils are coming off a season opening loss to Clay County 32-7.

Game Stats
Cannon County:
Total Offensive Yards: 38 plays 116 yards
Rushing: 37 carries for 90 yards
Cort Litchford: 24-77
Brady Cunningham: 3-7
Pearson Hughes: 1-2
Charlie Parrish:8-2
Wade Love: 1-2
Passing: 1-7, 26 yards 0 TD, 0 Int.
Charlie Parrish 1-7, 26 yards 0 TD, 0 Int.
Total First Downs:7
Red Boiling Springs:
Total Offensive Yards: 53 plays 245 yards
Rushing: 51 Carries for 245 yards
Lee Pruitte: 24-98
Jordan Powell: 18-77, 1TD
Hunter Kirk: 7-37
Jaylen Hoffey 2-33, 1TD
Passing: 0-2, 0 yards, 0 TD, 1 Int
Hunter Kirk -0-2, 0 yards, 0 TD, 1 Int.
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