East Hamilton's football players had it instilled in them this week that they were going to become a more physical team. Coach Ted Gatewood didn't like what he'd seen recently and vowed leading up to Friday's high school game at Soddy-Daisy that his Hurricanes were going to get better in that area.
East Hamilton produced a 348-yard rushing effort while holding the Trojans to 70 on the ground and as a result came away with a 24-14 victory.
"We got closer to being a physical football team this week," Gatewood said.
Coaches are difficult to please, but Gatewood had to like the work his offensive line did opening holes for the 'Canes running backs and quarterback Andrew Sturdivant. Jayden Smith led East Hamilton (3-3) with 168 yards on 22 carries, including a 44-yard touchdown run with 4:42 to play that quickly answered a touchdown by the Trojans (2-3) less than three minutes earlier that had pulled them within three.
"We've got to be able to finish," Gatewood said. "We've had some instances this year where we haven't done that."
East Hamilton scored the only points in the first quarter on a 26-yard field goal by Jake McClure. Gatewood said it was key getting out to a lead, particularly as the road team.
"Anytime we get inside the 40, we've got to get points," he said. "We get down in there and Jake has got a shot at it."
Soddy-Daisy took a 7-3 lead with 8:35 to go in the first half on a 38-yard touchdown pass from Ty Boeck to Landon Reece, who had six catches for 96 yards. Coach Justin Barnes, however, didn't see much else positive the rest of the half.
'The first half, about every three or four plays we'd have some sort of mental error that would cause us to get behind the chains," Barnes said. "We had 12 men on the field the first play of the game and started out first-and-15. That about sums up how our first half went."
The first of Sturdivant's two short touchdown runs put the 'Canes up at halftime. He also had a 76-yard run up the middle when East Hamilton was pinned on its own 2 late in the third quarter and finished with more than 100 rushing yards.
"They controlled the ball on us a little bit," Barnes said. "Our defense was out there way too long. That's our fault as an offense for not helping them out."
Boeck, who was moved from wide receiver to quarterback when starter Justin Cooke was injured earlier this season, fell to the turf with an injury with about four minutes to go in the third quarter and did not return. Barnes said Boeck and running back Seth Ayala injured ankles and receiver/defensive back Jordan Day injured a knee.
No. 3 quarterback Gavin Chambers, a sophomore, finished out and went 13-for-19 for 179 yards and a touchdown. He did throw three interceptions, but one was a forced throw into the end zone on the final play.
"As of right now," Barnes said, "he's the guy."
Contact Kelley Smiddie at ksmiddie@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6653. Follow him on Twitter @KelleySmiddie.