Jake Roberts (17) and the Elizabethton Fighting Cyclones knocked off the Haywood Tomcats in the TSSAA Division I Class 4A state championship on Overall Field at Tucker Stadium in Cookeville, Tennessee, on Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020. Elizabethton won. (Photo by Danny Parker)
By MIKE BLACKERBY
COOKEVILLE — Elizabethton just confirmed what most suspected all season long.
The Cyclones are the best team in the state in Class 4A for the second year in a row — and there’s not really any debate.
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Elizabethton ran its winning streak to 30 games as the Cyclones (15-0) handled Haywood (10-4) with ease, 41-14, Saturday in the BlueCross Bowl at Tennessee Tech’s Tucker Stadium.
Elizabethton coach Shawn Witten applauded the way his team handled the burden of frontrunners all season.
“It’s just amazing,” said Witten.
“We were the No. 1-ranked team all year long. Clearly, the pressure builds up and expectations are so high, but everybody embraced the grind.”
Roberts comes up big
Elizabethton wide receiver/defensive back Jake Roberts had a state championship game to remember.
Roberts scored on a 70-yard reception from quarterback Bryson Rollins in the first quarter and then came up with two defensive gems in the third quarter to earn game MVP honors.
Roberts tallied on consecutive series by the Tomcats, returning a fumble 82 yards and picking off a pass and racing 21 yards for a score.
“My role on the team is to come in and make plays wherever,” said the junior, who had two interceptions
“Jake’s a gamer,” said Witten. “He really came on strong this season.”
5STAR PHOTOS: Elizabethton 41, Haywood 14 (Class 4A BlueCross Bowl)
First-half scoring barrage
The Cyclones struck for three touchdowns in the first 10 minutes to take a 21-0 lead and were never seriously challenged by the Tomcats.
Parker Hughes set the tone for the game when he shredded a tackle on a run up the middle and raced 53 yards for a score on the fifth play from scrimmage.
Elizabethton added TDs on its next two series after Hughes picked off a Tomcats pass at the Cyclones’ 26.
Three plays later,Rollins hit Roberts on a 70-yard bomb to make it 14-0 with 8:33 to play in the first quarter.
“We were really amped up early and wanted to put our foot on the gas,” said Roberts.
The Cyclones stuck to the ground on their third possession, driving 46 yards on 10 consecutive running plays.
Rollins capped the series with a 2-yard touchdown run to up Elizabethton’s lead to 21-0 with 2:14 remaining in the first quarter.
“That’s our goal every game, take it and drive it down people’s throats,” said Hughes.
Haywood finally got on track midway through the second quarter as quarterback Kylan Newbern tallied on an 8-yard run.
Another interception, this one by Roberts, set up the Cyclones’ final touchdown of the half.
Rollins hit a sliding Hughes in the end zone on a 15-yard touchdown pass with 10 seconds to play in the first half to push the Elizabethton lead to 28-7.
The Cyclones racked up 290 yards in offense in the first half.
Hughes’ finale
Hughes hauled in five passes for 75 yards and ran for 66 yards on eight carries in his last game for the Cyclones.
His final senior numbers included 62 receptions for 1,327 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also had 538 yards rushing on 45 carries and seven scores as his role at running back increased in the playoffs.
For whatever reason, college recruiters have been slow to offer the 6-1, 200-pounder.
“Parker is as good as it gets,” said Witten.
“He’s a great player on both sides of the ball.”
Hughes said he is still weighing his options, but he has a preference.
“I’ve been talking to Appalachian State,” he said. “If they offer, I’ll go.”
Hughes and Rollins are Mr. Finalists for the Cyclones.
The winner of that award will be announced on Tuesday.
Rollins completed 9 of 13 passes for 172 yards against Haywood.
He wound up the season with 2,296 yards passing, 945 yards rushing and accounted for 53 touchdowns.
The legacy — and next year
Elizabethton suffers some key losses to graduation, but the Cyclones return a bevy of frontline players in 2021.
“It’s an exciting feeling,” said Witten, who acknowledged the target will only get bigger on the Cyclones’ back next season.
“We’ve got a great quarterback (Rollins) coming back and a lot of players who have contributed the last two years, but it’s only going to get tougher.”
Roberts wasn’t about to shy away from expectations, though.
“This (repeating as champions) is amazing,” said Roberts.
“Our community went 80 years without winning (a football state championship). Forty-five in a row, that’s the goal next year.”