Temple holds on for W

    Very few people in the Chattanooga area thought Tennessee Temple had a chance to beat David Brainerd Friday afternoon.

     Every person in Friday’s edition of the Chattanooga Times Free Press picked the Wildcats. So, too, did most people who posted on the ever-popular local website Coacht.com in the days leading into the game.

     That just made the Crusaders’ 20-16 season-ending victory all the more sweeter.

     “That game, that win, meant a lot,” said Temple athletic director and head football coach Caleb Marcum, whose team built a 20-2 lead before holding off a late comeback bid. “People counted these kids out all year, but they never quit. After everything they have been through this year, I thought they really deserved to win.”

     Not only did Temple end a long season on a positive note, it did so against a rival team, one that man-handled it in a preseason jamboree played at Finley Stadium. And the victory came on campus, on the University soccer field, in the first ever varsity football game played on campus.

     A nice-sized crowd lined both sides of the field on a sun-splashed, Chamber of Commerce late afternoon to witness Temple claim its second Region 3-1A win of the season – and first at home. Afterward, many of Temple’s players gathered and jumped on the big red T painted at midfield. At least, for that one moment, all the trials and tribulations, all the struggles of a long year, all the adversity, were forgotten as the Temple family celebrated.

     “I thought playing at home made a difference for our football team,” Marcum said. “We had a good crowd there to support us for what was a landmark game. And I thought it was a good atmosphere with the music, the cheerleaders, the drumline. Everybody I talked to like having it here at home. I know the players did.

     “Hopefully, we can carry the momentum we gained from this win into next year.”

     During the week, Temple’s coaching staff had a hard time getting a read on the team. They couldn’t tell if the players were just ready to get the season over with, or if they were loose, ready and excited about playing. That answer came early Friday as the Crusaders scored on their opening possession to take a 7-0 lead two minutes and five seconds into the game.

     Jarrod Johnson, who was moved from wingback to fullback due to the absence of Mitch Beard (knee injury) and Aaron Powell (suspension), scored on a 5-yard run up the gut and Josh Reaves added the PAT. Johnson’s touchdown was set up by a well-executed halfback pass from Jeremy Sexton to James Kemp that covered 58 yards.

     “We planned on running that (passing play) all week,” Marcum said. “We figured they would be keying on Jeremy and they were.”

     Sexton struck again on the final play of the first quarter, this time hauling in a perfectly-thrown, 64-yard touchdown pass from Nathan Rector. Sexton, lined up at wingback, released straight down the field, got behind the David Brainerd secondary and used his speed to catch up to the pass and race into the end zone.

     David Brainerd’s points came on a safety midway through the quarter as Temple was stuffed for a loss on a run around the right side.

     The Crusaders extended their lead to 20-2 with 5:30 left in the third quarter when Sexton, who else, scampered 49 yards for a touchdown on a toss sweep to the left. Sexton broke a couple of tackles along the sideline and then juked a few more defenders as he cut back into the middle of the field en route to the end zone.

     “I thought they had him a couple of times, but he stayed on his feet and kept going,” Marcum said. “That was fun to watch.”

     Temple appeared to be in good shape at that point. However, David Brainerd wouldn’t go quietly. The Wildcats’ offense, which had been shutout in the first two-plus quarters, answered with a touchdown just 64 seconds later to cut their deficit to 20-8 and continued to put pressure on Temple’s defense the rest of the game.

     After having another touchdown pass wiped out by an offensive interference call, David Brainerd pulled to within 20-16 on a long touchdown pass with 2:25 remaining in the game. The Wildcats would have one last gasp after forcing a Temple punt in the waning seconds, but the Crusaders’ defense preserved the win by batting down a Hail Mary pass on the final play of the game.

      Temple, which totaled 307 yards of total offense, finished 2-9 overall and 2-5 in Region 3-1A

     “I thought the defense played well except for that one long touchdown pass,” Marcum said. “It seemed like we had people step up and make plays when we needed them. And we had some big plays on offense. I couldn’t be more proud of these guys. They showed a lot of resiliency.”

Temple falls

     SOUTH PITTSBURG - A year ago, Tennessee Temple whipped then No. 2 ranked South Pittsburg 53-20 at Finley Stadium en route to the Region 3-1A championship.

     South Pittsburg returned the favor Friday night, hammering Temple 69-6 in a game that was every bit as lopsided as the final score indicates.

     The top-ranked Pirates out-gained the Crusaders 312-120, including a 279-46 advantage in rushing yardage, returned two punts for touchdowns and led 62-6 at halftime before emptying their bench in the third quarter.

     “There’s not much to say, really,” Temple football coach Caleb Marcum said. “We were just out-matched physically. South Pittsburg has a lot of really good athletes. We don’t have the size or the speed to match up with them. There’s a reason they’re the No. 1 (1A) team in the state.”

     Temple dropped to 1-8 and 1-5 in Region 3-1A heading into Friday’s season-finale against David Brainerd. That game is scheduled to be played at 4 p.m. on the University soccer field. It will mark the first varsity football game played on Temple’s campus.

     South Pittsburg, which scored 28 points in the first quarter and 34 in the second quarter, improved to 9-0 and 6-0. The Pirates, who have invoked the mercy rule on every region foe this year, play Grace Academy on Friday for the region championship.

     Temple’s lone touchdown came on a 35-yard pass from quarterback Nathan Rector to wingback Jeremy Sexton in the first quarter against South Pittsburg’s first team defense. It marked Rector’s fourth touchdown pass of the season and Sexton’s third touchdown reception. Sexton, who has played just five games after joining the team during the season, has seven catches – three for touchdowns. The fleet-footed junior also has rushed for two touchdowns this season, giving him five in five games.

     Rector, a freshman, completed 3 of 13 pass attempts while under a heavy pass rush throughout the game. He also rushed for a team-high 17 yards on six carries.

     South Pittsburg scored on a 60-yard touchdown run on the first play of the game and shortly thereafter posted back-to-back lengthy punt returns for touchdowns to set the tone early. Marcum challenged his team to step it up, and for a brief few minutes played with top-ranked South Pitt. That’s when Rector found an open Sexton streaking down the field. It was all Pirates after that, though.

     Temple has now lost three straight since capturing its lone win of the season at Copper Basin. The Crusaders hope to snap that three-game skid and finish the season on a high note with a victory over David Brainerd next week.

     “We’re pretty beat up right now,” Marcum said. “It’s been a long season. . .the last three games have really taken a toll. We got some guys hurt against South Pitt…Mitch Beard (knee) being one of those. We don’t know if he’ll be able to play or not. Hopefully he’ll be able to. He’s a senior. . .I would like to see him be able to play in his last game. And you know he wants to play. We’ll see.”

     Kickoff time for the David Brainerd game has been moved up an hour to 4 p.m., as there are no lights on the University soccer field.

     “It’ll be good to play on campus,” Marcum said. “The middle school team played their games on that field this year and it worked out well. We had a good atmosphere for those games. Hopefully, we’ll have a good turnout. It would be nice to win that last game and finish the season off on a positive note.”

Lookout for Scruggs

     Tennessee Temple knew if it had any chance of beating Lookout Valley, it had to find a way to contain All-State running back Chas Scruggs.

     The Crusaders found out Thursday night that task is much easier said than done.

     Scruggs returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown and later added a punt return for a score as Lookout Valley cruised to a 41-13 victory.

     Scruggs, a fleet-footed senior wingback, also added a pair of short touchdown runs in the first half – giving him four for the night – before heading to the bench midway through the second quarter with the Yellow Jackets leading 41-0.

     “We told our kickers all week not to kick it to No. 21 (Scruggs), and we come out on the opening kickoff and kick it right to him,” Temple football coach Caleb Marcum said. “Then, later on, we punt it to him. And he made us pay both times. There’s a reason we told them not to kick it to them. He’s good, really good. He showed again tonight why he is one of the top running backs in the state.”

     Lookout Valley improved to 7-1 overall, 4-1 in Region 3-1A. Temple dropped to 1-7, 1-4. The Crusaders have now lost their last two games after capturing their first and only win of the season a few weeks ago at Copper Basin.

    Surprisingly, the Crusaders out-gained the Yellow Jackets in total yards (212-194). But, as the final score indicates, those stats are largely misleading. Scruggs and the other Lookout Valley starters did not play in the second half.

     “(The score) could’ve been much worse,” Marcum said. “We played terrible; I’m really disappointed. It looked like to me our guys were scared to death. You can’t play football when you’re scared. Maybe that’s my fault. Maybe I didn’t have them prepared the way they should’ve been. You can put this one on me. I thought we took a step back tonight after taking a few steps forward the past couple of weeks.

     “Lookout Valley had a lot to do with that, too,” Marcum continued. “They’re good. They’ve got good size. They’re physical. And they’ve got good speed. They’re tough to defend, especially when No. 21 (Scruggs) has the ball in his hands.”

     There were some bright spots for Temple despite the loss. Quarterback Nathan Rector threw a 60-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Sexton early in the fourth quarter, and Mitch Beard later added a 1-yard touchdown run.

     It was Rector’s third touchdown pass and Sexton’s second receiving touchdown. The long scoring pass came on a 4^th-and-15 play. Beard, the team’s lone returning starter from a year ago, has now scored on three rushing touchdowns.

     Wingback T.J. Butts, a freshman like Rector, had a team-high 85 yards, 60 coming on a run early in the third quarter that moved the ball inside Lookout Valley’s 10-yard line. The Crusaders, however, failed to punch the ball in the end zone on four straight plays.

     “I was really hoping T.J. would get a touchdown there,” Marcum said. “We gave it to him again a couple of times. . . he just couldn’t get it in there. I think he was tired after that long run.”

     Nathan Pendergrass turned in Temple’s defensive play of the night, intercepting a pass and returning it 32 yards to halt a potential scoring drive.

     “We had a few nice plays in the second half, we just didn’t make enough of them.” Marcum said. “We’ve got to regroup now, get better as a team and be ready for our last two games.”

     Life doesn’t get any easier for Temple. In fact, it gets tougher. The Crusaders next travel to South Pittsburg, the second-ranked Class 1A team in the state.

     The Pirates (8-0) have invoked the mercy rule against all five Region 3-1A foes they have faced this season, including a 52-7 pounding of Silverdale Baptist Academy on Friday night at Finley Stadium. They’ve outscored those five region foes by an average score of 51-4.

     “We’ve got our work cut out for us, no question,” Marcum said. “South Pittsburg is by far the best team in our region. They’ve got a lot of quality athletes, and they are very well-coached. If we don’t play any better than we did (Thursday) it could be a very long night.”

Win No. 2 must wait

     Temple, which beat Copper Basin a week ago for Win No. 1, led 13-7 at the end of the first quarter and trailed by just four points, 23-19, a few minutes into the third quarter. Ultimately, though, the Crusaders couldn’t keep up with Franklin Road, which proved superior defensively and far too balanced offensively.

     The Panthers answered Temple’s third quarter touchdown with a touchdown of its own to build a 30-19 lead, then tacked on another with one minute, 29 seconds remaining to seal their second win of the season.

     “We played well the first half,” Temple coach Caleb Marcum said. “The second half was a different story, though. We just didn’t play in the second half. We didn’t come out with any intensity. And then we got tired trying to keep up with their spread offense.”

     Another thing that didn’t help Temple’s cause was losing senior Mitch Beard, who took a hard blow to the head a few minutes into the third quarter and couldn’t return.  Beard, the team’s lone returning starter from last year’s Region 3-1A championship team, is the Crusaders’ leading tackler (he had nine tackles Friday). And, he moved from fullback to guard during the week to help solidify the offensive line.

     Temple didn’t score after he left the game.

     “Losing Mitch really hurt us,” Marcum said. “We’re so thin along the (offensive) line. . . when we lose one guy, especially a player like Mitch, it makes a big difference. He probably could’ve come back into the game, but we didn’t want to rush it. It was more of a safety precaution more than anything else. That’s the second time he’s gone out in the past two games, and from talking to his dad, he’s also passed out at home a couple of times. He’s not dizzy or anything like that. He’s perfectly fine.

     “Hopefully, we’ll have him back this week. He’s not going to hit, but he’s going to practice.”

     Franklin Road Academy, a AA school located in Nashville, finished with 413 total yards – 248 passing, 183 rushing. The Panthers softened Temple’s defense with their passing game and then overpowered it with a bruising running game. Franklin Road completed 20 passes, one more than the Crusaders had allowed in its first six games combined.

     “They didn’t do anything we didn’t prepare for,” Marcum said. “We just had a hard time stopping them, especially in the second half. Their quarterback is good, especially for a freshman. And that big running back is a load. He’s tough to bring down.”

     Temple finished with 231 total yards – 163 passing, 68 rushing. Quarterback Nathan Rector completed 7 of 16 passes with one interception – just his third of the season and first since the season-opener. He completed a 57-yarder to James Kemp (5 catches, 127 yards) on Temple’s first possession to set up the Crusaders’ first touchdown – an 8-yard run by Jeremy Sexton.

     Later in the first quarter, Sexton turned in the play of the night, returning an interception 55 yards for a touchdown. T.J. Butts tipped the ball, Sexton plucked it out of the air and then proceeded to race and juke his way through a host of would-be tacklers en route to the end zone.

     “Jeremy’s pretty good in the open field, huh,” Marcum quipped.

     Temple managed only one other touchdown – a 1-yard scoring run by Jarrod Johnson – and ended up losing by 18 points in a game that was much closer than the final score indicated. The Crusaders’ defense forced four turnovers, three fumbles and Sexton’s interception.

     Temple dropped to 1-6. Up next: Lookout Valley and all-everything running back Chas Scruggs. The game will be played at Lookout Valley on Thursday at 7 p.m.

     “Lookout Valley is a very physical team; that’s what sets them apart,” Marcum said. “There’s no doubt who they’re going to give it to. Chas is one of the best backs in the state. We’ve just got to do the best job we can in trying to contain him. Hopefully, we can match their intensity. If we do, and the line comes to play, I think we can play with them. If not, it could be a long night.”

Temple earns first win!

     A week ago, Temple registered its first offensive points of the season with a fourth-quarter touchdown against Silverdale Academy.

     The Crusaders bagged a much bigger prize on Saturday night – their first win of the season.

     Temple jumped out to an 18-7 lead in the first half and hung on for a hard-earned 24-21 victory at Copper Basin. The Crusaders took advantage of big plays in the passing game and an opportunistic defense to seal their initial win after opening the season with five double-digit losses.

     “It’s always good to get that first win,” said Temple football coach Caleb Marcum, who was doused with water following the win. “Those guys really deserve it, especially as hard as they’ve worked. And especially considering after all the stuff Temple has been through in the past couple of months. They played their hearts out to get that win. And they hushed a lot of those naysayers who said Temple wouldn’t win a game this season.”

     Temple (1-5, 1-3 Region 3-1A) played evenly with Silverdale over the final 30 minutes last week, and that momentum carried over in Friday night's game at winless Copper Basin.

     The Crusaders got a 3-yard touchdown run from Jeremy Sexton less than four minutes into the game. They went ahead 12-7 on a 1-yard touchdown run by Mitch Beard early in the second quarter, and then got a 54-yard touchdown pass from Nathan Rector to James Kemp a few minutes later to surge ahead 18-7.

     Copper Basin answered with a touchdown of its own to make it 18-14 at halftime only to see Temple go ahead 24-14 early in the third quarter on a 35-yard touchdown pass from Rector to Sexton. The score remained the same until the final two minutes, 58 seconds when Copper Basin got a short touchdown run to pull to within 24-21. The touchdown came just a couple of plays after Temple went for and failed to convert a fourth-and short from its own 40-yard line with three minutes, 18 seconds remaining.

     “We probably should’ve punted there,” Marcum said. “I just felt like if we could get the first down right there, it would’ve been ballgame. And I thought we got it. We got a terrible spot. Thankfully, that didn’t come back to hurt us.”

     Temple then recovered an onsides kick and moved the ball deep into Copper Basin territory on a 29-yard pass from Rector to Jarrod Johnson (3 catches, 82 yards). However, the Crusaders fumbled one play later, giving the ball back to Copper Basin.

     Just when it looked like Temple would give the game away, in stepped cornerback Brandon Andrews to save the day. Andrews, playing in just his second game, jumped in the air in front of a would-be receiver and intercepted the ball, sealing the victory much to the delight of the Temple faithful who were cheering “DEFENSE! DEFENSE! DEFENSE!” in the waning minutes.

     “That was a big play by Brandon Andrews,” Marcum said. “I got a little nervous there at the end, especially after we fumbled. But, fortunately we were able to pull it out. We’ve got to learn how to hold onto the football and put the game away.”

     Rector, a freshman, had the best offensive game of his young career. He completed six of 12 passes for 186 yards, including a pair of touchdown passes. Most of his completions were thrown between the hashes as he took advantage of the fact that Copper Basin didn’t have a safety in the middle of the field. On his 54-yard touchdown pass to Kemp, he was actually trying to pass across the middle to Sexton, who was tagged as he attempted to catch the pass. The ball popped up straight in the air, Kemp snatched it and proceeded to take it to the house.

     “That was a heads-up play on James’ part,” Marcum said.

     Rector’s passing helped Temple record its best offensive output of the season. The Crusaders, behind a team-high 63 yards from Sexton, also rushed for 135 yards for a total of 321 yards.

     Defensively, Mitch Beard had a game-high 15 tackles (5 solos, 10 assists). Rector was credited with seven tackles (5 solos, 2 assists). Temple didn’t have as much success stopping the run as it did a week ago against Silverdale, and it allowed 21 points to a team that had been shutout three times already this season. Still, the Crusaders’ defense forced a few turnovers and came up big at opportune times, including in the fourth quarter with the game on the line.

     “The offense did a pretty good job. . . we’ve still got to do a better job of blocking up front, though,” Marcum said. “And defensively we could’ve played better. We’ve still got a long ways to go to be able to get to the point where we can compete with the Lookout Valley’s and South Pitt's of the world.”

     Temple will look to make it two in a row Friday night when it hosts Franklin Road Academy at Washington Hills. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

     It’s not often when a football team feels better about itself after a 35-6 loss.

     But that was truly the case for Temple Academy following Friday’s setback to Silverdale Baptist Academy.

     Not only did the Crusaders play the heavily-favored Seahawks to a deadlock over the final 30 minutes, they scored their first offensive points of the season. And the addition of the five basketball players who joined the team last week provided a jolt of much-needed athleticism and provided a ray of hope for the rest of the season.

     “Even though we lost, I think everybody came away feeling lots better about things,” Temple athletic director and head football coach Caleb Marcum said. “There’s much more of a positive vibe surrounding the program. I’m looking forward to the rest of the season and seeing what we can do.”

     Trailing 29-0 in the fourth quarter, Temple put an impressive drive together – a drive that was culminated with a 2-yard touchdown run by senior fullback Mitch Beard with 5 minutes, 46 seconds remaining. The Temple faithful – well aware their team hadn’t scored any offensive points this season – stood and cheered along with the players and coaches. Four-plus games into the season, Temple had its first touchdown!

     “I was glad to see Mitch get that touchdown,” Marcum said. “He’s one of the few seniors we have. I know that meant a lot to him.”

     Beard’s short touchdown run was set up by a fumble recovery and return by cornerback Brandon Andrews, one of the aforementioned basketball players who were playing football for the first time in their high school careers. James Kemp, another basketball player now playing football, also had a reception on the scoring drive.

     Andrews started at cornerback. Kemp started at wide receiver and cornerback. Jeremy Sexton, who had a nifty 50-yard run in the first half, started at wingback and safety. Ben Montgomery started at left tackle. And Jarrod Johnson, who was credited with seven tackles (it seemed like a lot more), started at wingback and linebacker.

     All five are juniors. All five were playing football for the first time since middle school. All five were playing just days after getting fitted for equipment.

      “The new guys stepped in and helped us,” Marcum said. “Jarrod was in on almost every play on defense. He did a great job. James Kemp played real strong on defense, too. He came up and hit some people. Jeremy had that big run. Brandon came up with the fumble. . . that was a big play. And Ben did a good job up front. He started off a little slow, but he got better as the game went along.”

     The same could be said for Temple as a team. After falling behind big in the first half – thanks in large part to a fumble on its opening play and miscues on special teams, the Crusaders turned it up a notch and actually held Silverdale scoreless until a touchdown in the waning minutes. Over the last 30 minutes, the score was 6-6 as Temple’s defense held the Seahawks well below their season rushing average.

     Temple rushed for 123 yards on 30 carries and completed 4 of 14 passes for 58 yards for 181 yards – by far its best offensive outing of the season. In a year in which big plays have been scarce, the Crusaders had six plays of 10 or more yards, including Sexton’s 50-yard scamper in the first half.

     “Overall, I thought we played pretty good,” Marcum said. “Defensively, we did a better job against the run than any team they’ve played. They hurt us with some passes. . . we had some breakdowns in the secondary. But, if Silverdale is going to beat me I’d rather them beat me with the pass as opposed to the run. And, offensively, we’re getting better. Special teams killed us, though. That’s what hurt us more than anything else. And the penalties. The penalties, and a lot of those were on special teams, really hurt us.”

     Temple dropped to 0-5 and 0-3 in Region 3-1A. The Crusaders play at Copper Basin Friday night.