The Copper Basin Cougars fell behind early, but came back to take an eye opening 56-14 victory when they hosted the Tellico Plains Bears Friday, September 11.
Cougar quarterback Bryson Grabowski had a solid game through the air and with his legs, collecting 232 yards passing with five passing touchdowns. He also had 121 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown.
Dawson Worthy led the Cougars in receiving with 118 yards and two touchdowns. While Tim Jabaley, AJ Miles and Caeden Williams scored a touchdown each through the air.
Copper Basin won the toss and elected to defer as Tellico Plains got ready to receive the kick.
Tellico picked up the Copper Basin onside kick and ran it to the Cougar’s 15-yard line where they set up shop. One play later the Bears scored on a 15-yard touchdown strike through the air and after the extra point, led 7-0 with 11:44 to go in the first.
Balilies brought the Tellico kick to the Cougars’ 31-yard line as Copper Basin’s offense took the field. Grabowski scrambled on the first play and ran the ball to Tellico Plains’ 34-yard line. Balilies then muscled his way into the red-zone to the 16-yard line, but two flags on the Cougars put them back at the 25-yard line.
Grabowski kept the ball and made it to the Bears’ five-yard line for a fresh set of downs. Two plays later Grabowski found Timothy Jabaley on a five-yard touchdown dart. Grabowski’s extra point was good as the Cougars tied the game 7-7 with 9:37 to go in the first.
The Cougars onside kicked the ball again, this time Joe Boggs recovered the football to give the Cougars a first and 10 at their own 45-yard line. Penalties and incomplete passes plagued the Cougars however, and they punted the ball back to the Bears. The Copper Basin defense held strong, not allowing Tellico to score as they punted the ball back to the Cougars.
Copper Basin started at their own 15-yard line as Grabowski scampered out of the pocket and found 28 yards to the Cougars 43-yard line.
After a three yard run from Balilies and an incomplete pass, Grabowski loaded up and found Williams on a 55-yard air-mail touchdown. The Grabowski extra point was good as the Cougars took a 14-7 lead over Tellico with 4:34 to go in the first.
The Bears got the ball at their own 42-yard line, but could not move the chains as Cougar lineman Joseph Johnson had a big stop to take the air out of Tellico’s sails.
Tellico elected to go for it, but the Cougar defense held strong and forced a turnover on downs as they took over at their own 46-yard line.
Balilies and Grabowski took to the ground, making it to the Bears’ 26-yard line before the first quarter came to a close.
On the first play to start the second quarter Grabowski linked up with AJ Miles for a 26-yard touchdown grab that blew the game wide open for Copper Basin. After the Grabowski field goal, the Cougars led 21-7 with 11:54 to go in the second.
Miles was a force on defense as well, blowing up a big play on Tellicos possession that ultimately ended in a turnover on downs.
Copper Basin took over at their own 34-yard line and Balilies broke off a 12-yard gallop on the first play to put them at their own 46-yard line. A Tellico Plains penalty put the ball at the Bears’ 49-yard line for a Cougars first and 10. Grabowski loaded up and found Worthy for a 49-yard touchdown strike to add to the Cougars’ lead. After the missed extra point Copper Basin held a commanding 27-7 lead over the Bears.
The Bears got the ball back and were not able to do anything with it, as Copper Basin’s defensive line controlled the line of scrimmage. Tellico punted back to Copper Basin as the Cougars offense set up shop at their own 28-yard line. A few run plays by Grabowksi, Joe Boggs and Balilies put the ball at the Cougars’ 45-yard line. On third and 15 Grabowski found Worthy on a 50-yard catch to set the Cougars up first and goal at the Bears’ five yard line.
Grabowski found paydirt on the next play, running five yards.
The Cougars elected to go for two, and Grabowksi ran into the end-zone again to increase the Cougar lead 35-7, where the score remained until halftime.
The Cougars got the ball to start the third quarter, but could not score and punted to the Bears. The Bears took over at their own 10-yard line, but only had the ball one play as Timothy Fair snagged an interception to give Basin the ball back at the Tellico 14-yard line.
A few plays later Grabowski found Worthy on a 13-yard touchdown pass and after the extra point, The Cougars led 42-7 with 8:51 to go in the third.
Tellico Plains got the ball back, but a couple of big plays from Joe Boggs and Jonathan Johnson forced them to punt as Basin took the ball back at their own 35-yard line.
The Cougars began chewing clock as Balilies started pounding the ball, muscling his way to the Bears’ 29-yard line.
Jabaley caught a seven-yard catch to the 22-yard line for a fresh set of downs as Balilies started to run the ball again. The Cougars scored a couple plays later on a four-yard touchdown run by Balilies. After the extra point Basin led 49-7 with 11:55 to go in the fourth.
The Cougars onside kicked the ball and was able to recover it as Dawson Worthy fell on it to give Basin the ball back at Tellico Plains’ 40-yard line. The Cougars chewed clock, but were unable to move the chains as they gave the ball back to the Bears.
Tellico found some success through the air and eventually scored on a pass from 11-yard out and after the extra point, trimmed the gap 49-14 with 4:57 to go in the fourth.
The Cougars got the ball back and started to chew clock. The Copper Basin drive ended as quarterback Boggs dragged himself and a couple of Bears players into the endzone from 20-yards out on a quarterback keeper for a score. After the extra point, Copper Basin claimed a 56-14 lead with 1:05 to play.
The Bears were unable to make anything happen as the Cougars walked away with the 56-14 victory. Balilies capped off the night with 132 yards rushing and on touchdown on the ground. Worthy led in receiving yards with 118, while Jabaley had 17 yards, Miles had 37, Williams had 55 yards and Balilies had five. Boggs led the defense with six and a half tackles, with two tackles for loss, while Fair had four tackles and an interception.
Joseph Johnson finished the game with four tackles as well.
The Cougars are set to host region rival Whitwell Friday, September 18, for senior night.
Head coach Chad Grabowski was proud of his team saying, “I am very proud of the way the team performed on Friday against an undefeated Tellico Plains team. We did a great job in all three phases of the game and were able to play our kind of football. It was fun to see them starting to gel as a team and put together a complete game”
The Cougars will host Whitwell Friday, September 18, for a region game and senior night.