JOHNSON CITY — When you get caught between the Moon and Johnson City, the best that you can do ... is, perhaps, wave goodbye.
Tyler Moon put on a playoff performance seen only once before in Science Hill history, rushing for 303 yards and scoring six touchdowns in a 40-19 victory over Farragut in the second round of the TSSAA Class 6A football playoffs at a nearly empty Tipton Stadium on a rainy Friday night.
The Hilltoppers (8-4) won their fourth straight game and reached the state quarterfinals for just the fifth time since the playoffs began in 1969. They will travel to play 17-time state champion Maryville, which defeated Bearden 28-10.
Moon moved his touchdown total to 30, breaking the single-season school record held previously by Gary “Shorty” Adams in 1988.
His six-touchdown playoff performance is second only to Terry Copeland, who rushed for 330 yards and scored seven times in a first-round playoff win over McMinn County in 1994.
“(Moon) is unbelievable,” Science Hill coach Stacy Carter said. “The more he gets the ball, the more special it is. It’s impressive.
“And you can’t say enough about the offensive line. They knew to win the game, that’s what they had to do. And they moved (Farragut) off the ball.”
Science Hill rushed for 435 yards, averaging 9.9 on 44 attempts. The Hilltoppers completed just one pass for 11 yards, but it didn’t matter.
It was just the second win ever for the Hilltoppers over Farragut in 10 games. And it avenged last year’s 57-56 double-overtime playoff loss.
NO ANSWER
Farragut simply couldn’t keep up with Moon, the senior receiver, running back and wildcat quarterback. He carried 21 times for his career-high rushing effort, and twice had thunderous responses when Farragut was on the prowl.
First, after the Admirals stunned the Hilltoppers by scoring in just three plays to start the game, Moon capped an 80-yard, five-play drive by zipping 46 yards for the game-tying score.
With just under five minutes left in the game, after Farragut closed within 26-19, Moon sprinted 70 yards for the game-clinching score.
He also had touchdown runs of 80, 8, 1 and 15 yards.
“It was everybody doing their jobs and staying disciplined, getting a good push off the ball, getting their blocks and making holes for me,” Moon said. “It was a great job by everybody doing that.”
Center Kellen Hensley said it’s a luxury to block for Moon.
“It’s great,” Hensley said. “He’s such a weapon. We try our best to give him the best opportunities we can.”
Lineman Tristan Smith said Moon is a runner with a purpose.
“He’s always moving,” Smith said. “We don’t have to worry about where he’s going.”
A player who benefited from Moon’s ability was Mikah Dukes. The battering-ram running back carried 17 times for 108 yards and blocked for Moon on other plays.
“I’m glad I get to block for him and get all these extra yards,” Dukes said. “I’m just glad to be a part of this team.”
Moon also added 26 yards in kick returns.
HOW THEY GOT THERE
After the explosive start, the game settled down. The only scores in the second quarter were a Moon touchdown and a 36-yard Reese Keeney field goal for the Admirals on the last play of the first half to make it 14-10.
But Moon strapped on the jets, bursting through for his 80-yard score on the first play of the second half to make it 20-10. The Hilltoppers had a chance after a Farragut turnover to widen the margin but turned over the ball on downs in Admirals territory.
Elijah Pitts’ 9-yard score made it 20-16 but boosted by a 29-yard run from Dukes, Science Hill went on a nine-play, 65-yard drive to cut it to 26-16.
DEFENSIVE STALWART
Science Hill’s Devon Medina arguably made the game’s two biggest defensive plays. On first-and-goal from the 1-yard line, Medina burst through and stuck Pitts with a 3-yard loss. On third down, he sacked Luke Johnson for a 13-yard loss to force a field goal and maintain the seven-point lead.
“It was huge,” Carter said. “Most times people try to run away from him. He had a great game.”
Kevin Aimua added a pair of sacks and Kendal Bumpass picked off a pass.
FARRAGUT STANDOUTS
Johnson completed 20 of 33 passes for 268 yards and a touchdown. Ashton Auker made 12 catches for 156 yards and a score.
Landis Davila added four catches for 80 yards, and Pitts finished with 109 yards on 18 carries.
NOTES
The Hilltoppers’ other quarterfinal appearances came in 1980 (when there were only four rounds), 1993, 1994 and 2014.
Only once in those four games were the Hilltoppers competitive. They lost 50-0 to Oak Ridge in 1980, 40-0 to Riverdale in 1993 and 45-0 to Maryville in 2014.
The 1993 team, coached by Mike Turner, dropped a heartbreaking 18-15 decision to Oak Ridge on a late fourth-quarter field goal. Science Hill’s field-goal attempt to tie fell just short.
