The Knoxville Central Bobcats pushed their score all the way to 34 on Thursday, but even that wasn't enough to win. They lost to Halls at home by a decisive 52-34 margin. Knoxville Central was given a dose of their own medicine in this game as Halls apparently hadn't forgotten their loss the last time these teams played back in October of 2022.
Knoxville Central's lost despite a true team effort on the offense, the best among them being Dante Strickland, who picked up 194 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Strickland was no stranger to the big play, connecting with a big catch that went for 61 yards. The team also got some help courtesy of Sammy Myers, who threw for 303 yards and four touchdowns while completing 83.3% of his passes.
Kameron Bates was on fire for Halls: he rushed for 265 yards and two touchdowns while picking up 7.6 yards per carry. Another player making a difference was Harlan Hunley, who rushed for 79 yards and two touchdowns.
Knoxville Central's defeat was their third straight at home, which dropped their overall record down to 5-6. The slump could be explained by some tough opposition over that stretch, namely Halls, Oak Ridge, and West. As for Halls, their win bumped their record up to 8-3.
Both squads will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Knoxville Central will square off against Sevier County at 7:00 p.m. on November 3rd. Sevier County will be looking to extend their current eight-game winning streak. Halls will be staying on the road on November 3rd to face off against Morristown-Hamblen West at 7:00 p.m. on November 3rd. The matchup should be an exciting one, as these teams are ranked near one another in Tennessee (Morristown-Hamblen West is ranked 44th, while Halls is ranked 61st).
