Updated: Graham’s four TDs help propel Wildcats to state quarterfinals

 

Note: This story was last updated at 1:45 p.m.

The four touchdowns of senior Jordan Graham helped propel Oak Ridge to a 40-23 win in a second-round playoff game at Soddy-Daisy on Friday and a rematch with Knoxville Catholic in a quarterfinal game at home next Friday.

The Wildcats (10-2) did not score on their first possession on Friday, but then they scored on their next four drives to take a 27-3 halftime lead. Graham, who finished with 134 yards on 10 carries, had two touchdowns in that half. He added two more in the second.

Soddy-Daisy (6-5), which won a first-round matchup against Clinton last week, was more successful in the second half on Friday when senior quarterback Gavin Chambers played. They scored on two of their first three drives in the third quarter. Chambers threw for 170 yards and had two touchdown passes to narrow the margin to 40-23. The Trojans had no passing yards in the first half when senior wide receiver Spencer Gore was quarterback, according to preliminary statistics by Mark Haste.

Chambers did not start due to an injury from three weeks ago against Signal Mountain, and the Oak Ridge defense took advantage of the senior’s absence in the first half, the Chattanooga Times Free Press reported. Soddy-Daisy Coach Justin Barnes told the newspaper that the Trojans, unsure of how Chambers was feeling, wanted to stick with what they’ve been doing the past few weeks because it had worked before Friday.

Oak Ridge is a Region 3 team in Class 5A, and Soddy-Daisy, near Chattanooga, is a Region 4 team.

The Wildcats will play Catholic, another Region 4 team, on Friday, November 16. But this time they’ll be back at Blankenship Field.

Oak Ridge and Catholic met there in the Class 5A quarterfinal on November 17, 2017. The Fighting Irish (8-3) won that game 37-28.

Oak Ridge advanced to this year’s quarterfinal with a 42-0 defeat of Rhea County at home in the first round at home on Friday, November 2, and the win at Soddy-Daisy this week.

Catholic won 28-25 at Fulton (10-2) in the second round on Friday to advance to next week’s quarterfinal. The Fighting Irish beat West 34-28 at home in the first round.

Oak Ridge had 383 yards total offense at Soddy-Daisy on Friday, compared to 234 for the Trojans, mostly in the second half. The Wildcats had a total of 256 yards rushing, compared to 64 for Soddy-Daisy.

Here is the scoring as compiled by Haste:

• First quarter (5:31)—Graham on a three-yard run. The extra-point attempt was no good. 6-0
• First quarter (2:52)—Graham on a 30-yard run. The extra point was good. 13-0
• Second quarter (9:11)—A 47-yard touchdown pass from Oak Ridge senior quarterback Herbert Booker (3-of-4 for 84 yards and one touchdown) to senior wide receiver Kai’Reese Pendergrass (2 catches, 65 yards, 1 touchdown). The extra point was good. 20-0
• Second quarter (5:58)—A 23-yard field goal by Soddy-Daisy junior kicker Cooper Hamilton. 20-3
• Second quarter (1:50)—Booker on a four-yard run. The extra point was good. 27-3
• Third quarter (8:04)—Chambers on a nine-yard touchdown pass to Soddy-Daisy sophomore wide receiver KeSean Eubanks. The extra point was no good. 27-9
• Third quarter (7:39)—Graham on a 65-yard run. The extra point was no good. 33-9
• Third quarter (48.8)—A one-yard run by Soddy-Daisy. The extra point was good. 33-16
• Fourth quarter (8:28)—A 13-yard run by Graham. The extra point was good. 40-16
• Fourth quarter (3:34)—A 54-yard pass from Chambers to Eubanks. The extra point was good. 40-23

Here are Graham’s second and third touchdowns:

Out of a pack comes Graham for his 2nd TD of the night. @ORSchools @goatxthlete #1millionmemories @OakRidgeToday pic.twitter.com/laoI2APfW8

— All Means All (@Exceptional_ORS) November 10, 2018

Graham outruns Soddy Daisy for his 3rd score of the game. @goatxthlete @ORSchools #1millionmemories @OakRidgeToday pic.twitter.com/4dkheTQGcE

— All Means All (@Exceptional_ORS) November 10, 2018

You can see Graham’s other two touchdowns here and here.

Senior Tre Jackson had 56 yards rushing on 12 carries for Oak Ridge on Friday, and Booker had 52 yards on eight carries and his one rushing touchdown, according to the preliminary stats.

Darius Stewart led the Oak Ridge defense with four tackles and five assists. Jacob Adams had five tackles and three assists, Jeremy Mitchell had four tackles and three assists, and Shemar Smith had one tackle and six assists. Jaxon Adams had 1.5 sacks, and T.J. Johnson had a sack and a fumble recovery.

You can see the Division I state quarterfinal and Division II semifinal matchups for Friday, November 16, here. Game times are 7 p.m. local time. You can see the Class 5A bracket here.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

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