PINEVILLE — The old adage says there is no substitute for experience in football and life. The Middlesboro Yellow Jackets and the Pineville Mountain Lions can attest to this.
With 15 seniors who have played together since middle school, the Jackets scored on their first five possessions on the way to a 47-6 win Friday over a Pineville (1-7 ) squad that had only one senior on the field. Senior quarterback Cayden Grigsby threw for three touchdowns and ran for another as Middlesboro set up a showdown next week against Williamsburg for the District 7 title.
Middlesboro wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, taking the opening kickoff down the field and scoring on a 1-yard scoring plunge by Grigsby to take an early 6-0 lead.
After the Middlesboro defense forced a quick punt, the Jackets’ big play receiver senior Kam Wilson took a Grigsby bomb down the sideline for a 60-yard scoring strike. Grigsby did the honors on the conversion and increased the lead to 14-0.
Another quick possession by the Lions led to another scoring toss from Grigsby, this time to senior Rylee Foster from 43 yards out. The conversion pass from Grigsby to senior Jack Yoakum increased the tally to 22-0 at the end of the first quarter.
It was much the same in the second as the Jacket special teams broke through and blocked a Zak Brown punt out of the end zone to force a safety to make the score 24-0.
Middlesboro took the possession and scored again on a 24-yard toss from Grigsby to Wilson. Grigsby found Malachi Coots in the back of the end zone for the two-point conversion, making the score 32-0.
After a Pineville turnover, the Jackets scored on a 5-yard run by senior back Vincent Smith. The conversion toss from Grigsby to Yoakum ended the first half scoring at 40-0 Jackets.
After a scoreless third quarter, the Jackets added a late score on a 3-yard toss from Mekhi Young to Yoakum. The extra point was good and the lead grew to 47-0.
To the Lions’ credit, the youthful squad never quit competing and their efforts were rewarded with a nine-play 74-yard drive that ended with a 1-yard scoring plunge by junior signal caller Sawyer Thompson to close the game.
The Lions will be open next week and prepare for a critical matchup with district rival Lynn Camp. The Jackets will host Williamsburg on Friday at 7:30 in a showdown that will determine the top seed in the district.