Starnes' return allows D-B to coast past Claiborne, into fall break

KINGSPORT — Dobyns-Bennett senior running back Emmitt Starnes touched the ball three times in the first half. Not until a kickoff return with the Indians ahead by six touchdowns was he finally tackled. His opening kickoff return set the tone Thursday night at J. Fred Johnson Stadium, as D-B defeated Claiborne 50-13 for its fourth straight win. Starnes received the kick on his own 22-yard line and followed his blocks up the middle, dashing almost straight ahead 78 yards to the end zone for a 7-0 lead in the opening seconds. "We had a wedge and our blockers went up. I just made a cut, and it was open so I just took it to the house," Starnes said. "We knew we were the better team and we wanted to get the JV out there and show them how good we are." The outcome was never in doubt, of course, as the Indians (5-3) collected their fourth straight win heading into fall break. In fact, both of D-B's running plays in the first quarter resulted in touchdowns. Starnes found pay dirt again from 41 yards after a 14-yard Bulldog punt for a 21-0 lead. Claiborne's next punt was even shorter, a 3-yard boot to its own 25. Kedrick Harris went around the left side and scored two plays later to make it 28-0 not even midway through the first quarter. Like Starnes, it was Harris' lone carry of the game. Levi Chappell hit 4-of-7 passes for 99 yards and two touchdowns before exiting the game in the second quarter, giving him 13 scoring tosses for the year. The first came one play after a Bulldog fumble, as Chappell threw a quick hitch to Tyree Thomas across the middle for a 24-yard score. After finding Tate Wernke for a 33-yard gain, Chappell hit Quinlan Held on a deep fade from 34 yards to make it 36-0. GETTING EVERYONE INVOLVED D-B substituted freely from there, Luke Brandon and Brandt Holton both rushing for TDs on their lone carries before the half ended. Zymari Rodriguez intercepted Claiborne off a deflection to set up Brandon's 22-yard scoring jaunt. "I thought Zymari played his best game against Jeff County last week. He's gotten really good at block destruction and things like that, good for him to have that success," D-B coach Joey Christian said. Backup quarterback Peyton Ferguson found Cooper Lockhart for an 18-yard gain on his only pass attempt, and Holton scored on the next play for a 50-0 cushion. Ferguson also kept one time for a 13-yard gain. Held caught two passes for a team-high 42 yards. Jack Tremaine had two sacks to lead the defense, which also got a second interception courtesy of Ty Allen. D-B's second unit had chances to score, but two lost fumbles kept the score at 50. "I thought we controlled the line of scrimmage even with our 2s in there," Christian noted. "As we went down the line though, some of those guys have to figure out where they are, going to have to develop. We do a great job developing young men, but some of them are going to have to get really dedicated in that weight room up there and get themselves ready because they'll eventually be playing at Dobyns-Bennett." BULLDOGS WORK CLOCK Claiborne (0-7) possessed the ball more than 30 minutes in a game that was shortened to 44 due to both teams agreeing on an eight-minute fourth quarter. Colton Brewer ran 18 times for 46 yards, and Noah Burke hit 6-of-11 passes for 116 yards with a touchdown and one interception. Braeton Ford caught four passes for 107 yards including a 13-yard TD from Burke for the only score of the second half. Claiborne erased the shutout just before halftime, driving 89 yards in eight plays. Burke hit Ford on passes of 42 and 36 yards to set up Brewer's two-yard TD. UP NEXT After a bye next week, D-B entertains Bearden at J. Fred Johnson Stadium on Oct. 23. Dobyns-Bennett 50, Claiborne 13 C 0 7 0 6 — 13 D-B 28 22 0 0 — 50 First quarter D-B — Emmitt Starnes 78-kickoff return (Lofton Fuller kick), 11:39 D-B — Tyree Thomas 24-pass from Levi Chappell (Fuller kick), 10:35 D-B — Starnes 41-run (Fuller kick), 8:12 D-B — Kedrick Harris 25-run (Fuller kick), 6:27 Second quarter D-B — Quinlan Held 34-pass from Chappell (Tate Wernke run), 9:00 D-B — Luke Brandon 22-run (Fuller kick), 6:44 D-B — Brandt Holton 18-run (Fuller kick), 3:42 C — Colton Brewer 2-run (Noah Burke kick), 0:20 Fourth quarter C — Braeton Ford 13-pass from Burke (run failed), 7:06