GLASGOW – For the first time this season, Glasgow had to pull out a close one.
The Scotties – who had allowed just 13 points through four weeks – earned their first big test of 2018 on Friday night against an offensive-powered Warren East team at Hank Royse Stadium.
With 96 points and 969 yards of total offense between the two sides, Glasgow and Warren East participated in a shootout – one in which Glasgow was able to pull away with in the fourth quarter and earn a 56-40 win to remain a perfect 5-0 on season.
“A really nice win,” Glasgow coach Jeff Garmon said following the Scotties’ victory. “We said all along that the defense had been playing well, and I told them, ‘There’s gonna be a day when the offense is going to have to pick the defense up.’ I thought we did that tonight.”
The Scotties, who are off to just their second 5-0 start in nearly 20 years, racked up 510 yards of offense – highlighted by 416 on the rushing side – and forced three turnovers.
Nick Mitchell, following up from last week’s 291-yard, three-touchdown performance, finished with 226 yards and five TDs on 32 carries to be Glasgow’s main offensive weapon. Quarterback Tanner Abernathy completed 7-of-11 passes for 94 yards and two TDs to round of the Scotties’ offensive unit.
“It feels good,” Abernathy said of the win. “Our offense stepped up tonight – we knew we’d probably have to. (Warren East’s) offense is really good and our defense was a little off tonight, so we stepped up and made some plays tonight.”
Glasgow held a slim 14-13 lead at the end of the opening quarter and later took a tight 28-27 lead into the locker room at halftime. The Raiders (2-3) built a 33-28 advantage midway through the third, but the Scotties went onto score 28 unanswered points to put the visitors away and never looked back.
Trailing 33-28 at the 6:53 mark of the third, Glasgow found the end zone four more times – including a pair of TD passes from Abernathy in the fourth – to complete the comeback against Warren East, which finished with 459 yards.
“I think it was one of those games where it was going back and forth, and the first team to blink was going to get two scores behind,” Warren East coach Jeff Griffith said. “We had a turnover – and certainly that’s when they put the game away when they got two possessions ahead of us.
“That was really the turning point of the second half.”
Despite the Raiders’ loss, running back Thomas Maxey rushed for 207 yards and three TDs on 30 carries, while quarterback Nolan Ford completed 11-of-25 passes for 193 yards and three scores. Tight end Seth Blaine emerged as East’s leading receiver with 97 yards and three TDs on just four receptions.
Garmon was quick to credit Maxey – who ran for 250 yards and three scores last week against Edmonson County – following the game.
“Give No. 1 credit. He outran us on the edge two or three times,” Garmon said of Maxey. “He’s a really nice player. You don’t understand how fast he is or appreciate his speed until you get it out here on the field.”
With five weeks of the season in the books and sporting an unscathed record, Glasgow will face its toughest opponent yet in Week 6 at defending Class 4A champion Franklin-Simpson (4-1). Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. between the Scotties and Wildcats at Shadetree Stadium.
While the Scotties look to continue adding wins to their side of the board, Warren East will look to bounce back next Friday against Monroe County (1-4) at Jim Ross Field. Kickoff for that matchup is also slated for 7 p.m.
“We’ve talked about this all along – creating our legacy here this year,” said Garmon. “Something 20 years from now they can talk about. That’s something that we’re very proud of.”
