HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: East Ridge nips Pike Central in district thriller

East Ridge stopped a two-point conversion run with 44 seconds remaining and the Warriors edged Pike Central, 22-21, in a district game played at the Hawks Nest on Friday night.

It was the first win ever in the series for the Warriors, now 4-4. The Hawks dropped to 5-3.

Stevie Todd Layne rushed for 176 yards on 21 carries and tossed a pair of touchdown passes. Receivers Keaton Puckett and Isaiah Adkins hauled in one each. Hayden Perkins added a rushing touchdown.

Central quarterback Jamere Knuckles had a pair of touchdown passes – one each to Lane Adams and Mason Hess. Knuckles added a rushing touchdown. 

Adams carried 10 times for 85 yards and Knuckles finished with 52 yards on 14 attempts.

East Ridge will host Shelby Valley (5-3) and the Hawks travel to Betsy Layne (7-1) on Friday. Game games will kick at 7:30 pm

At Buckley’s Creek

SCORE BY QUARTERS:

ER (4-4)…..8   6  0  8 – 22

PC (5-3)…..8   7  0  6 – 21

Scoring

First Quarter

ER – Hayden Perkins, 9-yard run (Stevie Todd Layne run)

PC – Jamere Knuckles, 7-yard run (Jamere Knuckles run)

Second Quarter

ER – Isaiah Adkins, 17-yard pass from Stevie Todd Layne (conversion failed)

PC – Layne Adams, 23-yard pass from Jamere Knuckles (Steven Gonzalez-Santes kick)

Third Quarter

No scoring

Fourth Quarter

ER – Keaton Puckett, 30-yard pass from Stevie Todd Layne (Stevie Todd Layne run)

PC – Mason Hess, 24-yard pass from Jamere Knuckles (conversion failed)

Next up: East Ridge (4-4) vs. Shelby Valley (5-3); Pike Central (5-3) at Betsy Layne (7-1), 7:30 pm, Oct. 20.