Tennessee football commitment Jacob Warren leads Farragut past Cleveland

Al Lesar
For USA TODAY Network - Tennessee

Jacob Warren, a lanky 6-foot-6 receiver for the Farragut football team, caught eight passes for 97 yards, including a pair of sensational touchdown grabs to lead the Admirals to a 42-28 Class 6A first-round playoff victory over Cleveland on Friday night.

The win sends Farragut (9-2) to Maryville next Friday for a second-round game. Cleveland bowed out at 7-4.

Warren, a Tennessee commitment, made a one-handed snag from 5 yards for Farragut’s first touchdown, then hauled in a 6-yard TD pass for the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter.

“Jacob has a great ball radius,” said Farragut coach Eddie Courtney. “He’s the kind of player who can always make a play.”

“It’s all execution,” said Warren. “See the ball and go get it. Focus.”

“(Warren) can make up for a lot of errors,” said Farragut quarterback Gavin Wilkinson, who completed 23 of 35 passes for 242 yards and the two scores. “He’s a great target. He gives me a lot of confidence.”

Besides the impact Warren made, running back Isaiah Gibbs was a key in the victory. He ran the ball 30 times for 185 yards and TDs from 5, 10 and 7 yards.

FarragutÕs Wyatt Lucas (24) runs down the field as ClevelandÕs Clark Lockerby (15) pursues during a game between Farragut and Cleveland at Farragut High School in Farragut, Tennessee on Friday, November 3, 2017.
FarragutÕs Tanner Corum (16) pushes away ClevelandÕs David Dorsey (23) during a game between Farragut and Cleveland at Farragut High School in Farragut, Tennessee on Friday, November 3, 2017.

“The more he carries the ball, the stronger he gets,” Courtney said of Gibbs, who rushed 18 times for 117 yards and two touchdowns after halftime. “He was dinged up (thigh) for a bit, but didn’t let it bother him.”

The big-play Cleveland offense caused havoc for Farragut. The Blue Raiders scored on plays of 94 (Romeo Wykle reception from Kellye Cawood), 75 (Keegan Jones run) and 90 (Jones run) yards. Jones rushed 19 times for 220 yards before leaving at the end of the third quarter with an ankle injury.

“(Jones’ injury) changed how we looked at them,” said Farragut linebacker Cade Burkey. “We could key on their running back and watch their progressions. We had to focus on him when he was out there.”

FarragutÕs Max Travis (5) celebrates with the team during a game between Farragut and Cleveland at Farragut High School in Farragut, Tennessee on Friday, November 3, 2017.

Burkey was a big-play defender for the Admirals. He came up with two fumble recoveries — one at the end of the first half on which he was ruled down when he could have scored, and the other on which he rumbled 43 yards before being caught from behind 7 yards shy of a touchdown late in the game.

“I’m a linebacker for a reason,” Burkey said with a smile.

He has a deal with Knox County Police sergeant Caleb Scheafnocker, who works at Farragut: If Burkey scores a touchdown, Caleb would do a cartwheel.

“I was stretching out,” Caleb said. “I was getting worried.”