Blackman wears down D-B in second round of 6A playoffs

KINGSPORT — Consider their offensive drives a slow burn. Blackman eventually wore down a determined Dobyns-Bennett football team in the second half Friday night. The Indians stayed within striking distance throughout the game but struggled to keep the opposition off the field. Blackman and its offensive line — averaging 296 pounds apiece — took advantage. Two second-half touchdowns allowed the Blaze to finally pull away from D-B 28-7 in the second round of the TSSAA Class 6A playoffs at J. Fred Johnson Stadium. "That's a really good football team right there. We came up short, but it wasn't for a lack of effort," D-B coach Joey Christian said. "Our kids played their tails off, just like they had for the previous 11 games." And it looked like D-B, which ended the season 10-2 overall, might drive for the tying touchdown to start the third quarter. Luke Lundy found a hole for 27 yards on the opening play of the second half. But the drive stalled and D-B had to punt, allowing Blackman (11-1) to begin a 13-play, 63-yard march. Daniel Smith's 12-yard run was the longest play of the drive, capped by his 1-yard touchdown for a 21-7 lead. And after forcing a three-and-out, Blackman went 63 yards in six plays, culminating with Brylan Oduor taking Jaevion Elliott's short pass and staying in bounds down the home sideline 32 yards with 10:56 remaining. Still, D-B wouldn't fold. Zabian Goodwin returned the kickoff 80 yards to the Blackman 18, and the Indians reached the 1-yard line before the Blaze held on downs. "Zebo, that's been a weekly thing, man," Christian said. "Who's going to make a spark for us? Zabian is. It's important to him. It means something to him. It showed every night how important it was to him." Unofficially, Goodwin and Isaiah Bolden led D-B in tackles with 10 and nine respectively. POUNDING THE ROCK Blackman possessed the ball six times in the game — the drives lasting eight, 11, seven, 13, six and 14 plays. The final possession burned the last eight-plus minutes off the game clock, and the Blaze converted eight of 11 third downs. Jabari Kemp did the most damage, gaining 124 yards on 21 carries. Smith ended with 77 yards and pair of touchdowns on 14 attempts. Elliott went 12-of-16 through the air for 103 yards and two scores, while rushing six times for 43. Elliott and Kemp had runs of 18 and 19 yards on the first drive, which ended with Smith's 3-yard run up the middle on the first play of the second quarter. Elliott's 28-yard completion to Ethan Najm sparked Blackman's next scoring drive. Kemp took a swing pass from Elliott and dash 19 yards to the end zone for a 14-0 lead with 4:13 until halftime. NEVER QUIT Levi Chappell rallied the Indians, starting with his 15-yard run to the D-B 41. Emmitt Starnes went eight yards to convert a third down, and Chappell kept 27 yards around the left side two plays later. He found Jaylen Thomas for 14 yards to the 3-yard line, before the Tribe faced fourth-and-goal on the final play of the half. Without hesitation, the offense came back out. Chappell delivered, rolling right and hitting Tyree Thomas for the 4-yard touchdown and a 14-7 halftime deficit. "If this wasn't a team that the city of Kingsport is proud of, I don't know what it would take, man," Christian said. "It's a group of young men who are going to be successful in life." Chappell rushed for a team-high 55 yards on 12 carries while competing 5-of-13 passes for 34. Jaylen Thomas caught three of those passes for 22 yards, the other two going to Tyree Thomas. Lundy gained 41 yards on nine carries. Neither team committed a turnover. UP NEXT Blackman welcomes Maryville for the 6A quarterfinal round on Friday.