East Hamilton uses up-tempo approach to cruise past East Ridge

Staff photo by Erin O. Smith / East Hamilton's Adam Caudle is hit by East Ridge's Jalen Boykin after taking the handoff from quarterback Haynes Eller, rear, during Friday night's game at East Hamilton.
Staff photo by Erin O. Smith / East Hamilton's Adam Caudle is hit by East Ridge's Jalen Boykin after taking the handoff from quarterback Haynes Eller, rear, during Friday night's game at East Hamilton.

Two different style offenses set foot on the turf of Larry Henry Stadium when East Hamilton and East Ridge faced off Friday night.

The host Hurricanes used a no-huddle, up-tempo approach, while the Pioneers slowed the game down by running the wishbone. However, they did not slow down East Hamilton, which cruised to a 35-0 win in the Region 2-4A opener for both teams.

"I think our ability to throw the football in the second half was what really led us to victory," Hurricanes coach Grant Reynolds said. "We were really just able to make some big plays in the passing game."

East Hamilton (2-1) tried to take control early, and two straight passes moved the Hurricanes to East Ridge's 18-yard line. As Alex Caudle went in for the score on the next play, though, the Pioneers (1-2) forced a fumble and recovered on the 1.

The Hurricanes struck on their second drive as Haynes Eller connected with Cade Meeks for a 7-yard touchdown pass.

On the first drive of the second half, Eller found Meeks down the sideline for a 59-yard touchdown pass that put the Hurricanes up 21-0.

"They both make our offense dangerous, and we had them and a lot of other guys really step up on the offensive side of the ball," Reynolds said.

Late in the second half, the Hurricanes found the end zone once more. On a 14-play drive, East Hamilton faced fourth-and-goal on the 1. East Hamilton used the wildcat formation as Caudle held on to the football this time and powered his way in.

Caudle scored two more times in the second half and finished with 77 rushing yards.

As the Hurricanes kept the pace up on offense, their defense dealt with the opposite. East Ridge took most of the play clock in between snaps.

The Pioneers were set up with good field position throughout the game thanks to Marquan Acklin, who reeled off two punt returns that put his team in Hurricanes territory. East Hamilton's defense wouldn't budge.

"They got after our tails," East Ridge coach Tim James said. "They were the better team tonight. But we're going to rally and correct the mistakes we made. We have to clean our game up, but East Hamilton is a quality football team, so hats off to them."

East Hamilton returns to nonregion play next week as Class 3A's Red Bank visits.

East Ridge has an open date before returning to competition Sept. 20 at 3A's Sequatchie County.

Contact Rob Harvey at sports@timesfreepress.com.

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