Junior quarterback Caden Baugh took a firm grip of the Greeneville Greene Devils’ offense in a 54-7 season-opening win over the Tennessee High Vikings on Friday night at Burley Stadium.
Making his first start as QB1 for the Greene Devils, Baugh completed 7 of 10 passes for 118 yards and a touchdown and ran for 147 yards and three scores on nine carries.
All that production allowed for a relatively light night of work for Greeneville’s workhorse senior running back Carson Quillen, who carried just six times for 35 yards and two TDs and caught two passes for 36 yards and another score.
“Baugh got a lot of reps (as the backup quarterback) last year,” said Greeneville coach Eddie Spradlen. “He ran the ball really well for us last year, struggled throwing some. But he really worked on that in the offseason and stepped in there tonight and did well. And when some stuff wasn’t there in the passing game, he took off and made some big plays.
“When you have two guys like (Baugh and Quillen) back there who can run, and then we have some guys with real speed out on the edge, you can’t key on just Carson. You’ve got to respect what we can do with the quarterback and the guys out on the edge as well.”
The biggest speed guy out on the edge is receiver Zaydyn Anderson, an all-state sprinter in track. He finished Friday night’s game with four catches for 57 yards.
“I feel really comfortable in the offense, especially after a win like this,” Baugh said. “We’ve had a great offseason. I feel like it’s my offense. I’ll lead it, but it’s a group, too. We’re all together.
“Carson is an all-state guy and Zay is all-state in track. To have athletic guys like that to work with is awesome.”
Greeneville led 33-0 after one quarter.
Quillen scored on runs of 3 and 7 yards, Baugh scored on runs of 1 and 20 yards, and the two teamed for a 28-yard TD pass.
Greeneville kicker Samuel Gourley was good on three of five PATs in the first, and the rout was on.
Tennessee got on the board midway through the second quarter when Jack Richardson capped a 14-play, 80-yard drive with an 8-yard run. Noah Broglio kicked the PAT to pull the Vikings within 33-7.
On Greeneville’s next possession, Baugh answered Tennessee’s score with a 56-yard TD run and Gourley kicked the PAT for a 40-7 lead at halftime.
Greeneville made it 47-7 early in the third when CJ Reyes returned a fumble 56 yards for a TD and Gourley added the PAT.
The Greene Devils’ final score came on a 5-yard TD run by Kaine Ricker at the 4:49 mark of the fourth. Michael Hurst kicked the PAT for the 54-7 final.
Greeneville’s Tarin Claridy caught a pass for 25 yards and Ricker finished with two carries for 13 yards.
Greeneville will host Dobyns-Bennett next Friday. Last season, the two teams played to a storm-shortened no contest in Kingsport.
With the game tied 14-14 and 2:39 to play in the third quarter, play was halted due to lightning. A little over an hour later, after continuous lightning and rain, officials made the decision to not resume play and the game was not made up.
“Dobyns-Bennett will be another big-time challenge next week,” Spradlen said. “We have unfinished business with them from last year after that game got canceled. They thought they had our number last season and they’re going to come out ready to play this year. It will be a big-time game.”
Said Baugh, “We’re looking forward to Dobyns-Bennett next week. Looking forward to a great week of practice just like we had this past week. Just keep things moving, play like we’re supposed to play and we’ll come out victorious.”
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