Chargers push past East Nashville, back in state championship

Martin-Westview freshman quarter, and 3A Mr. Football finalist, Graham Simpson was 29-37 passing for 372  yards, including a string of 18 consecutive completions to end the game and four touchdowns, as the Chargers defeated East Nashville 50-36 Friday night at UT-Martin.

His top target, junior Donteze Joy had nine catches for 90 yards and three touchdowns, two rushing, one receiving.

The Chargers, 14-0, dethroned three-time state finalist East Nashville and will prepare for a championship battle with perennial powerhouse Alcoa, 13-1, who has won nine consecutive state crowns going back to 2015. The Tornadoes dismantled Sequatchie County 38-3 in the other 3A semifinal. The championship round is Friday, 10 a.m. Central Standard Time at Finley Stadium.

The air game, for the most part, carried the Chargers, who amassed just 55 yards on the ground. Westview’s Miles Brown hauled in nine catches for 171 yards and three touchdowns. CD Damron had nine catches for 71 yards. Asa Barnes led the ground attach with 10 carries for 48 yards and a score.

Defensively, Nolan Pritchett had 16 total tackles while Damron had 15.

The Chargers experienced a rocky start but got in a groove and swapped leads with the Eagles. With 4:15 to play in the third East Nashville sophomore quarterback Dallas Covington scored from the 10 to lift the Eagles to a 30-24 lead. From that point on, Westview outscored its guests 26-6 and punched its ticket to Chattanooga.

With about 2:30 left in the third frame, Brown pulled in a 17-yard scoring pass from Simpson. Cook’s kick edged Westview into a 31-30 lead. With :48 to play in the third, Joy reeled in a 9-yard TD pass from Simpson. Cook gave the Chargers a 38-30 lead with his boot.

At the 9:25 mark of the fourth, Barnes scored from the 2 and the Chargers were up 44-30. East Nashville responded with an 18-yard pass from Dallas Covington to Cortez Murphy with 6:57 to play. The Chargers’ lead was pared to eight, 44-36. Westview nailed it down when Simpson hit Brown for the third time. The Chargers had sealed a 50-36 victory.

Things didn’t start well for Westview. It fumbled the opening kickoff, resulting in an East Nashville touchdown just six seconds into the game. Next, Simpson suffered his first interception of the season. Jordan Van Leer scored for the Eagles with 7:24 to play in the first and they led 12-0.

Two minutes later Joy put the Chargers on the board with his 3-yard run. He tacked on the deuce and Westview trailed 12-8. With :19 to play in the first, Simpson and Miles hooked up for a TD. Cook’s PAT edged the Chargers in front 15-12.

The Eagles regained the lead when Covington hit Dallas Wade for a 76-yard scoring pass at the at the 8:35 mark of the second. A few minutes later, the Chargers forced a safety when an East Nashville player was whistled for holding in the end zone. The Chargers cut the lead to a single point, 18-17. The Eagles were on the board again after Covington’s pass to Cameron Wade put them up 24-17 midway in the third.

That was the beginning of the frenzy to the finish.

Simpson, following this victory, has thrown 57 touchdowns this year, third-best in a single season. He has a chance to have the second-best mark after the state-championship game.

Covington led the Eagles’ passing. He was 5-9 for 198 yards.

Now the Chargers have the unenviable task of taking on the Alcoa Tornadoes. Alcoa has won 22 state titles, 17 of the last 20, going back to 2004 when it dethroned the defending 2A champion Huntingdon Mustangs. They have since won nine straight. Christ Presbyterian Academy beat Alcoa 7-0 Dec. 5, 2014, which is where the Tornado streak began.