Rye Cove, Twin Springs on collision course in Region 1D playoff openers

CLINCHPORT — It was Holston that put an end to Rye Cove's 2022 season, which came one year after the Eagles had to disband the program at halftime of a game due to the lack of healthy players. They will meet again on Friday as the No. 6 seed Cavaliers (6-4) visit the Eagles Nest to face No. 3 Rye Cove (7-3) in the opening round of the Region 1D playoffs. They haven't met since Holston defeated the Eagles in Clinchport, 31-8, in Gary Collier's first season leading the Eagles. Tonight's winning team will face Chilhowie or Twin Springs next week in the Region 1D semifinals. "They are capable of beating us so we have got to be right tomorrow night and win that game and then we will focus on the next opponent that week," Collier said. "To get a chance at Holston which beat us the first year, that is kind of rewarding." Collier noted that, if upsets don't occur, the Eagles could not only avenge that loss three years ago to Holston, but could also face No. 2 Chilhowie and No. 1 Eastside - both of whom have defeated Rye Cove this season - the following two weeks if they continue to win. The Eagles finished 13-1 last season, capturing the Region 1D title before falling to Grayson County in the Class 1 state semifinals. "We talk about a storybook last year going undefeated, but for me, it is more of a story to get those revenge games, people that have beat us," Collier said. "If we can come back and beat those teams and be playing in the state semifinals again that would be an even better story... "We can't sit here and worry about what we are going to be doing in three weeks because every time we do that karma gets us and we lose and we are not playing next week." Expect this game to be decided on the ground. Rye Cove's three-headed monster of Cole Barnette (835 yards, 10 TD rush), Carter Roach-Hodge (591, 8 TD) and Will Rollins (512, 16 TD) will share duties behind an Ethan Lawson-led offensive line, while the Cavaliers' primary playmaker is Eli Tweed, who has compiled nearly 1,500 yards on the ground for the Cavaliers. "Holston is not huge in size, but they are scrappy and they are athletic and they are quick, especially defensively. It could give us a little bit of a problem if they are quicker than us," Collier said. "We are going to do what we do, that has kind of been our motto for a while. Until you stop us on what our strength is that is what we are going to do." Collier feels like Rye Cove is playing their best football of the season, having defeated Twin Springs, 47-26, last week in a driving second half rainstorm. There are concerns, such as allowing the Titans a couple of long scoring runs in that win, plays that can't happen against Tweed and the Cavaliers with the season on the line. "We look back at our Eastside game and our Chilhowie game too. The mistakes we made, anytime you give up the ball and they score a touchdown, it is almost like a 14-point swing if we were about to score. We had a couple of those in each game," Collier said. "Twin Springs, the same way, they are capable of knocking off a team like that. I think they will play Chilhowie well." Twin Springs (6-4) at Chilhowie (9-1) While Twin Springs is just 4-18 against Chilhowie, the last meeting was a 28-21 home playoff win in 2023. Could history repeat itself? Chilhowie has lost just once this season, a 28-14 decision to Eastside, a team that defeated Twin Springs, 49-23. The Warriors, who have been led by senior quarterback Asher Chapman and talented freshman Dylan Martin, have been especially tough on defense, allowing just 84 points all season. "We are going to have to play mistake-free football this week. Chilhowie is a really good football team. They are well-coached," Twin Springs head coach Keith Warner said. "When it comes to playoff time, you better be playing your best football of the year. I think my guys have continued to get better each week, so that is a positive as we head into the playoffs." Twin Springs will be led by their own senior quarterback, Clay Ross, who has accounted for 1,602 yards in total offense and has scored 33 touchdowns. Julian Pascual (871 rush, 18 TD) and Isaiah Kiser (375 rush, 5 TD) have combined for more than 800 yards receiving and eight scores. Kiser, one of the top freshmen in the area, also has 87 tackles, six tackles for loss and six forced fumbles, while Bryce Parks has 74 tackles and nine stops for negative yards. "Chilhowie has a balanced attack on offense, and they are able to run the ball or throw the ball," Warner said. "We will have to be disciplined, read our keys and get 11 guys to the football."