Admirals Sail Past Jefferson County, 33-6

Farragut won its’ 17th consecutive game on Friday night, breaking the school record for longest win streak set by coach Ken Sparks’ Admirals from 1977-1978.  Farragut tied that mark last week, riding a streak that spans into last season.

The Admirals came out with guns blazing, as Gavin Wilkinson connected with Jacob Warren for 46 yards and a touchdown on the third play from scrimmage.

Jacob Warren shoves a would be tackler en route to a touchdown against Jefferson County on 9/15. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz/Ashley Wathen, CRFOTO.com

The Admirals found themselves leading 6-0 with less than 40 seconds off the clock in the opening quarter. When the Admiral defense took the field, senior linebacker Drew Butler made a little history of his own.  On the third play of the series, Butler recorded his first tackle of the game, his 344th career tackle, and surpassed former Admiral Nick Reveiz as the all-time leader for career tackles in Farragut history.

The Admirals defense get a big stop against Jefferson County on 9/15. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz/Ashley Wathen, CRFOTO.com

The defense would go on to force a punt three plays later, and give the ball back to the Farragut offense.  Three big drops would plague the offense and the Admirals were forced to punt after picking up one first down.  The Admiral defense remained stout, forcing a three and out on the Patriots’ ensuing possession. The Patriots and Admirals then traded punts for almost the remainder of the first half.

Isaiah Gibbs carries for a touchdown against Jefferson County on 9/15. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz/Ashley Wathen, CRFOTO.com

The Admirals found a spark on offense late in the 2nd quarter, when a 57-yard run by Isaiah Gibbs got the Admirals inside the red zone. Gibbs would score three plays later on a 3-yard carry, which extended the Admiral lead to 12-0 with at halftime.

Jefferson County began the second half receiving the second half kickoff, and the Admiral defense came up big again.  After a couple of first downs by the Patriots’ run game, the interior of the defensive line would force a turnover on downs after a stop on 4th-and-1 near midfield.

Neyland Harmon records a sack against Jefferson County on 9/15. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz/Ashley Wathen, CRFOTO.com

The Admirals would not capitalize initially, as a Wilkinson pass would be intercepted on the first play of the series.  Neyland Harmon and Anthony Lawson would combine for a 10-yard sack on first down that would lead to another Jefferson County 3-and-out.

Braden Collins catches a pass against Jefferson County on 9/15. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz/Ashley Wathen, CRFOTO.com

The Admirals’ offense embarked on a 10-play, 53-yard drive, that was capped off by a 7-yard Wilkinson to Braden Collins touchdown pass.  Isaiah Gibbs’ conversion run would bump the Admirals’ lead to 20-0 with 3:03 left in the 3rd quarter.

After another 3-and-out by the Admiral defense, Farragut setup shop at their own 27-yard line.

Isaiah Gibbs carries for a touchdown against Jefferson County on 9/15. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz/Ashley Wathen, CRFOTO.com

The Admirals’ would drive into Patriots’ territory with strong runs from Gibbs and Josh Moses, along with timely passing.  On the first play of the 4th quarter, Gibbs would cap off the drive scoring from 8 yards out.  With 7 seconds off the clock in the 4th, the Admirals lead the Patriots, 26-0.

Jake Evans carries for a long touchdown run against Jefferson County on 9/15. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz/Ashley Wathen, CRFOTO.com

 

After another 4th down stop,  the Admirals took over at their own 36-yard line.  QB Jake Evans would keep the ball on first down and sprint 64 yards for the Admiral touchdown.  Dalton Halliburton’s try was good and Farragut had extended the lead to 33-0 with 9:27 left in the game.  The Admirals were looking for their second shutout in as many weeks, but a blocked punt would give the Patriots the ball at the Admirals’ 5-yard line.  The Patriots went on to score three plays later on a 5-yard run to close out the scoring.  When the final horn sounded, the Admirals had beaten the Patriots 33-6 and improved their record to 5-0 overall, 2-0 in Region 1-6A.

With the 17th straight win, the Admirals broke a 40-year old school record for the longest win streak, set during the 1977-78 seasons when Ken Sparks roamed the Farragut sideline.

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A special thanks to Carlos Reveiz and Ashley Wathen of CRFOTO for the action shots from the game.  Be sure to checkout CRFOTO.com every week for a full photo gallery from Friday’s game.  See a photo you like?  They are also available for purchase directly from his website.  Click here for this week’s photos.

OFFICIAL GAME STATS

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Farragut Blanks Oak Ridge, 41-0

The Admirals did something Friday night that hadn’t been done since 1993, hold Oak Ridge scoreless.  Farragut broke the 298-game streak that the Wildcats had compiled without a shutout.

The Wildcats returned the opening kickoff to their own forty yard line to begin their first series on offense.

Alex Williams recovers a fumble against Oak Ridge on 9/8. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz/Ashley Wathen, CRFOTO.com

A promising eight-play drive for the Wildcats ended as Drew Butler forced a fumble at the Admirals’ 15-yard line, and recovered by Alex Williams.  The Admiral offense took the field, but were forced to punt after a sack on third down.  Farragut’s defense would force a three-and-out on their next series, and a 23-yard punt return by Isaiah Gibbs gave the Admirals the ball at their own 37-yard line.

Kyle Carter carries for a touchdown against Oak Ridge on 9/8. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz/Ashley Wathen, CRFOTO.com

Isaiah would strike again, taking the first play for a 35-yard burst into Wildcat territory.  Three plays later, Kyle Carter would sprint 19 yards for a TD run on third-and-1.  Farragut led Oak Ridge 7-0 with 4:54 left in the 1st quarter.

The Admirals and Wildcats traded punts to begin the second quarter, before the Admiral offense would begin to impose their will.  Starting from their own 20, the Admirals marched 67 yards in 14 plays but failed to convert on 4th-and-1 on the Wildcats’ 13-yard line.  Farragut’s defense would stand tough again, forcing a Wildcat punt.

Braden Collins catches a pass against Oak Ridge on 9/8. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz/Ashley Wathen, CRFOTO.com

The Admirals’ offense took over from their own 19-yard line with 3 timeouts and 1:05 on the clock before halftime.  Gavin Wilkinson passed 15 yards to Braden Collins, twice to Jaden Gibbs covering 14 yards, and then hit Collins again for 38 yards to get the Admirals in the red zone.  Gibbs was called on again and drew a pass interference penalty to move the ball down to the Wildcats’ 7-yard line.  Wilkinson would connect with Collins again, this time for a 7-yard TD in the corner of the end zone.

A Wyatt Lucas interception ended the half with the Admirals up 14-0 over the Wildcats at halftime.

Farragut opened the 2nd half receiving the Oak Ridge kickoff, and a 22-yard return by Kyle Carter set the Admirals up at their own 28-yard line.  On third down, Wilkinson would connect with Collins again.  This time for a 70-yard catch and run, down to the Wildcats’ 1-yard line.  Isaiah Gibbs would punch it in on the next play, boosting the Admirals’ lead to 21-0 with 10:44 left in the third quarter.

The Wildcats would march into the red zone on their ensuing possession, but a fumble recovery by defensive end Caleb Kuhn would thwart the drive with 8:05 left in the quarter.

The Admirals’ offense then marched 85 yards on 17 plays, capped off by Kyle Carter’s 7-yard TD run.  The Admirals would have many contributors on the scoring drive.  A sequence of tough runs by both Carter and Gibbs along with two, 3rd-down receptions by Jaden Gibbs would fuel the drive.  The big play in the series was a 19-yard reception by Andrew Williams after the offense had been backed up by a holding penalty.  Carter would then carry for 17 yards up the middle on 3rd-and-2 to set up his own scoring run.  The Admirals would take a 28-0 lead over the Wildcats going into the 4th quarter.

The Wildcats would again put together a good offensive drive that would threaten inside the Farragut 35, but this time Devin Yarborough would step in front of a pass and tack on a 71-yard interception return for a touchdown.  Farragut led 35-0 with 8:45 left in the game.

Devin Yarborough returns an interception 70 yard for a touchdown against Oak Ridge on 9/8. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz/Ashley Wathen, CRFOTO.com

On the next series, the Admiral defense remained stout, forcing another 3-and-out.  The Admiral offense would start at their own 36-yard line with a running clock and less than 6 minutes to play. The 8-play drive would finish with a 17-yard TD pass from Jake Evans to Alec Keathley, his first touchdown reception of his career.  As the final horn sounded, the Admirals had avenged their lone loss from 2016 in a big way, with a resounding 41-0 victory against Oak Ridge.

 

The Admirals will travel to Dandrige next Friday night to take on the Jefferson County Patriots.  This will be the first meeting since a 1st round playoff matchup in 2007, and only the second meeting since 2000.  The Admirals will look to improve to 2-0 in the region next Friday night against Jeff County.

A special thanks to Carlos Reveiz and Ashley Wathen of CRFOTO for the action shots from the game.  Be sure to checkout CRFOTO.com every week for a full photo gallery from Friday’s game.  See a photo you like?  They are also available for purchase directly from his website.  Click here for this week’s photos.

OFFICIAL GAME STATS

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Admirals Beat Morristown West 33-10

Thursday night was a special night at Bill Clabo Field, not only did the Admirals have their 2017 home opener and debut a new scoreboard, they also remembered five members of the Admiral family that were lost over the past offseason.  Coach Ken Sparks, Coach Lendon Welch, Teacher Charlotte Welch, Longtime Statistician Shannon Gossage, and Coach Buddy Fisher, who all played vital roles in Farragut Football’s history, were honored before kickoff on the new Jumbotron.

On the gridiron, the Admirals found themselves in unfamiliar territory by opening the game with the ball and punting, as opposed to scoring on the first drive of the game as they did at McMinn and Bradley.  Luckily, the Admiral defense locked in and forced a Morristown West punt on the ensuing drive, setting up Farragut with the ball at their own 19 yard line.

Andrew Williams catches a long touchdown pass against Mo-West 8/31. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz/Ashley Wathen, CRFOTO.com

First time starter at QB Gavin Wilkinson, a sophomore, found Jacob Warren for a 28-yard pass reception, that setup a 51-yard touchdown pass from Wilkinson to Andrew Williams two plays later.  This put the Admirals on the board 6-0 with 5:59 left in the first quarter.  The Admiral defense stayed strong on the next drive, forcing a 3-and-out to set up the Admirals offense up at their own 45  yard line following the Trojans’ punt.

Tanner Corum catches a long pass against Mo-West 8/31. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz/Ashley Wathen, CRFOTO.com

A 39-yard pass from Wilkinson to Tanner Corum, paved the way for a 2-yard Isaiah Gibbs touchdown run. The Admiral defense would again force a 3-and-out for the Trojans, and a 46-yard punt return by Isaiah Gibbs would give the ball to the Admiral offense on the 20 yard line going in.  First down would see a four yard loss on a sack, but a facemark penalty would replay the first down play.

Jaden Gibbs catches his first touchdown pass of the season against Mo-West 8/31. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz/Ashley Wathen, CRFOTO.com

Isaiah Gibbs carried for 5 yards.  Then, on second down, Wilkinson would find WR Jaden Gibbs for his first touchdown catch of the year.  At the end of the first quarter, the Admirals led 20-0.

The Trojan offense would find some life of its own, marching 80 yards on 11 plays, to punch it in from the 2-yard line on 4th down.  The Admiral offense found themselves way behind the sticks due to a 14-yard loss on a bad snap.  Farragut would punt the ball away, and Mo-West would take over on their 47 yard line.

The Admiral defense tackle a Mo-West runner on 8/31. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz/Ashley Wathen, CRFOTO.com

The Trojan drive would stall out, but left room for a 43-yard successful field goal try.  With  just two minutes left before halftime, the Admirals got into hurry-up mode to try and score before the horn sounded.  Unfortunately the drive stalled in the red zone, and the Admirals couldn’t connect on a 28-yard FG attempt.  At half, Farragut led 20-10.

Isaiah Gibbs returns an interception against Mo-West 8/31. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz/Ashley Wathen, CRFOTO.com

The second half proved to be all Farragut though, the defense set the tone early as it forced an interception on a tipped ball, as Isaiah Gibbs was able to catch the deflection and give the ball back to the Admirals.   Farragut would throw an interception of their own, but following a Trojan stop on 4th down, the Admirals would cash in on their ensuing drive.  It was the second touchdown connection from Wilkinson to Andrew Williams, this time for a 39-yard score.

Cade Burkey tackles a Mo-West rusher on 8/31. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz/Ashley Wathen, CRFOTO.com

At the end of the third quarter, the Admirals led Mo-West 27-10.  The defense again showed their grit, as they forced a turnover on downs, as the Trojans could not convert on a fourth-and-one.  The Admirals would then embark on a 9-play drive that saw them get into the end zone on three separate occasions.  The first being a 64-yard TD run by Isaiah Gibbs, only to be negated by a holding penalty.

Jacob Warren catches a pass against Mo-West 8/31. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz/Ashley Wathen, CRFOTO.com

The next was a 60-yard TD pass from Wilkinson to Jacob Warren, but this time a block in the back behind the play wiped the score off the board.  The third time was a charm though, as a broken-play off a bad snap found QB Gavin Wilkinson scrambling around to eventually find Wyatt Lucas for the 28-yard TD catch.  This made the final score 33-10 in favor of the Admirals.  Farragut improves to 3-0 overall, earning their first region 1-6A win of the season.

Farragut will play host next Friday, as the Oak Ridge Wildcats come to Bill Clabo Field.  The Admirals will look to avenge a loss a year ago to the Wildcats, the only blemish on state championship run of 2016.

A special thanks to Carlos Reveiz and Ashley Wathen of CRFOTO for the action shots from the game. Be sure to checkout CRFOTO.com every week for a full photo gallery from Friday’s game. See a photo you like? They are also available for purchase directly from his website. Click here for this week’s photos.

OFFICIAL GAME STATS

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Out With the Old, In With the New…Scoreboard Style

The last two years have brought many new upgrades to Bill Clabo Field and the surrounding facility, including a new track and the new artificial turf football field, both thanks to the generosity of the Haslam Family and Pilot Flying J, with the help of Mark Packer.  This year, the Farragut Football Booster Club and Coach Courtney set out to bring closure to a project that has been ongoing for nearly 5 years, bringing a new scoreboard and Jumbotron to our stadium.  When presented with the task from Coach Courtney, the football booster club, combated it head on.  Seeking bids from all the major players in the scoreboard  market, and working tirelessly to make it happen for the 2017 football season.

When the dust settled, Electro-Mech won the final bid, and then the real work began.  From choosing the resolution of the screen, to decorating the top arch, and choosing the color of the scoreboard itself, there was a lot of work to do in a short period of time.  Work began on August 22nd, digging four footers, 13-feet deep and 3-feet wide, for the new structure.  Two 48-foot and two 50-foot I-beams were lifted into position with each pole weighing in at over two tons.  After the poles were set, the concrete was left to settle and cure for 5 days.  In the meantime, work began to dismantle the existing scoreboard and structure.  On Saturday, August 26th, the scoreboard was removed, and the structure that stood for nearly 20 years was dismantled.  After the concrete and I-beams were settled, work quickly began on Monday, August 28th to construct the new scoreboard.  By sundown the new scoreboard and bottom advertising panel was assembled and welded to the structure.  With time running out, and 48 hours before kickoff for the 2017 home opener, crews finally assembled the video board on Tuesday evening.  On Wednesday, August 30th, crews completed the structure with the two ad panels that flank the video board, and topping it off with an illuminated Farragut Admirals arch.  Work quickly turned to connecting the scoreboard, video board, and play clocks to electricity, as well as connecting and provisioning the new scoreboard. Finally, after months of hard work by the football booster club, Coach Courtney, and Lee Ann Kelly of Electro-Mech, as well as gracious donations from our supporters and sponsors, the video board came alive on Wednesday, August 30th!

Here is a gallery of the video board:

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Take a look back at the history of the Farragut Football scoreboards:

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Admirals Soar Past McMinn County, 34-14

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Jaden Gibbs catches a pass against McMinn 8/25. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz, CRFOTO.com

The Admirals got off to a quick start defensively, as Isaiah Gibbs returned a fumble 43 yards for the Admirals touchdown on the Cherokee’s first offensive play of the night.  The Admirals and Cherokees would both then trade series, forcing punts, before a Farragut fumble set up the Cherokees with the ball at the Farragut 12 yard line.

Cade Burkey tackles the McMinn quarterback for a loss on 8/25. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz, CRFOTO.com

Five plays later, McMinn County would punch it in, but a blocked XP try by Wyatt Lucas kept Farragut ahead 7-6 with :51 left in the 1st quarter.

 

 

The Admirals wasted little time answering, as Gavin Wilkinson found Jacob Warren three plays later on a 75-yard TD pass.

Jacob Warren catches a long touchdown pass against McMinn 8/25. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz, CRFOTO.com

The Admirals and Cherokees would then trade series until the Admirals were able to put together a potent two-minute drive as the 2nd quarter wained. Unfortunately, the 64 yard play drive would end at the Cherokee 12 yard line after a Farragut interception. McMinn would kneel the ball and head to halftime trailing Farragut 14-6.

Nnamdi McSwine tackles a McMinn ball carrier on 8/25. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz, CRFOTO.com

The Admiral defense opened the half with what would have been a 3-and-out, but a running into the kicker penalty on a McMinn punt put the Admiral defense back on the field.  The defense was able to force another McMinn punt five plays later.  The Admiral offense wasted no time, as it only needed one play to find the end zone, on a 74-yard Kyle Carter run to extend the lead to 21-6 in favor of the Admirals.

Kyle Carter breaks a 75 yard TD run against McMinn 8/25. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz, CRFOTO.com

The Cherokees did not give in though, instead answering with a 10-play touchdown drive, that also saw them convert a 2-pt conversion to cut the Admiral lead to 7 with 1:29 left in the 3rd.

 

Farragut’s ensuing drive spanned into the 4th quarter.  The Admirals moved in 7 plays for 55 yards, and was capped off by a 2-yard Kyle Carter touchdown run.  But, a missed extra point made the Farragut lead 27-14 with 11:35 left to play.

Drew Butler tackles the McMinn running back on 8/25. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz, CRFOTO.com

McMinn’s next drive started off promising, but stalled as the Cherokees failed to convert on a 4th and 5.  Again, the Admirals only needed one play to score, as Kyle Carter ran 55 yards for a touchdown to make the final score 34-14.

The Admirals improve to 2-0 and will have their first home game of the season, as they take on Morristown-West.  The game is on Thursday night, as it it being televised by Rivalry Thursday, and kickoff is set for 7:00pm at Bill Clabo Field.

A special thanks to Carlos Reveiz and Ashley Wathen of CRFOTO for the action shots from the game. Be sure to checkout CRFOTO.com every week for a full photo gallery from Friday’s game. See a photo you like? They are also available for purchase directly from his website. Click here for this week’s photos.

OFFICIAL GAME STATS

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