Xavier Abernathy spent too much time thinking while he played safety for McMinn County last year.
This year, he's just playing.
The junior had a huge impact on the Cherokees' 34-20 win over rival McMinn Central last Friday. He intercepted two passes while playing safety and scooted 62 yards on one offensive play while filling in for injured and cramping teammates.
"This year, it's coming a lot easier," McMinn County coach Bo Cagle said. "He has improved. He can fit just about anywhere in order to help us."
Abernathy's first interception came on a fourth down that ended the Chargers' first drive as they were about to enter the red zone.
His 62-yard scamper followed a goal-line stand by the Cherokees, who were 1 yard away from being tied early in the fourth quarter. Abernathy took the Cherokees from their 26 to McMinn Central's 12 and essentially ended the Chargers' rally.
"We didn't have any running backs at that point, because everybody was cramping," Cagle said. "Looking back, we thought that run was the play of the game."
The Cherokees scored a touchdown on that drive to go ahead 27-13 with almost five minutes remaining. Abernathy ended the Chargers' chances by intercepting a pass on third-and-20 with about three minutes left.
"This week, he's going to play safety, a little at running back," Cagle said, "and maybe even some at quarterback."
Herink in QB battle
Former Cleveland quarterback Austin Herink is a battle for the starting position at East Tennessee State University. After a redshirt season at MTSU last year, Herink transferred to ETSU and now finds himself in a scrap with Nick Sexton.
Earlier this week, Buccaneers coach Carl Torbush told the Johnson City Press that both candidates have done "some good" and "not really many bad" things.
Herink was more of a dropback passer for Cleveland, but he is learning how and when to run as a quarterback.
"He can run. He's a strong runner. He's a big guy. He's one of the strongest guys we have as a skill-position athlete," Torbush said.
Torbush already has said that both quarterbacks will play in ETSU's opener against Kennesaw State on Sept. 3, the first game for the Bucs since shuttering the program after the 2003 season.
Dalton's Cobb done
Zek Cobb's season is over before it barely began. The Dalton junior, one of the top receiving prospects for the 2017 class in Georgia, tore his ACL in the first half of last week's game against Scottsboro.
The 6-foot-3 Cobb, who is being recruited by Alabama and other Southeastern Conference schools, was injured on a slant pattern when he was tangled up with a Scottsboro defender. The speedster had 636 yards on 36 receptions as a sophomore.
The Catamounts will miss Cobb's big-play ability, but the team is deep in skill position players and will use a combination of athletes Tyler Noland, Kyric McGowan, Sam Stepp and Wyatt Erwin to replace Cobb's catches.
Owls get healthy
Ooltewah senior linebacker Taylor Stutz missed several weeks in the preseason and did not play last week against Riverdale, but is likely to return from a broken wrist for tonight's game. Sophomore Joseph Norwood may also return, but coach Mac Bryan said the Owls weren't going to rush either back into the rotation.
Banks is ready
Notre Dame junior receiver and defensive back Andrew Banks had to sit out with an injury in the Irish's win over Central. He will, however, be playing tonight when he returns to Tyner, where he attended last season.
Hensley has surgery
Signal Mountain's Garrett Hensley, a junior running back and defensive back, underwent surgery on Tuesday to repair a torn ACL. A key player for the Eagles' baseball team, Hensley said he's been told he'll be able to begin training for that sport in February.
Signal Mountain will be without running back/linebacker Nathan Johnson and receiver/cornerback Garland Wood for at least one more week, but the Eagles have apparently received a boost from a handful of players who had left the team earlier returning this week.
Sneller playing hurt
Chattanooga Christian coach Rob Spence said earlier this week that lineman Josiah Sneller will likely play tonight despite a fractured wrist.
Watson sits out
He wasn't the instigator but the retaliator, and he got caught during Baylor's 35-27 win at Rhea County on Aug. 20. Involved in a push-and-shove from his knees - and well behind a key play in the game - junior defensive back Kalvin Watson was ejected and will serve a one-game suspension tonight when the Red Raiders play at Red Bank.