After two straight losses to start the season, the East Nashville Eagles (1-2 overall, 1-1 metro and 1-0 region 5-3A) needed a jumpstart from somewhere. They received just that from junior Rondarious Gregory. Gregory scored three first half touchdowns to propel his team to a 44-12 victory over their metro for the Whites Creek Cobras (0-3, 0-1 and 0-1).
He (Gregory) has been playing well all year for us, this game he really stepped up,” said Eagle offensive coordinator Anthony Owens. “We put him in the backfield today and he responded. Our backs were a little banged up so we needed him to play well.”
Gregory’s first touchdown came on a 35-yard pass from sophomore Noah Mimms in the first quarter to cap off an 11 play 95-yard drive. Mimms and Gregory then combined again from 29 yards in the second quarter to make it 12-0. Whites Creek made the game interesting when quarterback John Williams found Rontarius Summers on a fourth down pass to make it 12-6.
After a botched fake punt, the Eagles took over at the Cobras 22-yard line and Gregory cashed in from 12 yards out to make it 20-6. Once again, Whites Creek cut the lead down when linebacker RaShaun Richardson intercepted Mimms and took it 20 yards to cut the lead to 20-12 at the half.
The Eagles then took a stronghold on the game scoring on their only two possessions of the third quarter. Sophomore signal caller Arondai Thompson spelled Mimms and hit Gregory for a 35-yard pass setting up running back Gabriel Magalei’s six-yard touchdown run. Thompson then threw two straight touchdowns to his older brother Brian Thompson to stretch the lead. Deontez Poole finished the scoring off on a 64-yard run to pay dirt.
“It was good to see some success from a lot of guys,” said Owens. Our defense played well. Their only score came when we lined up wrong. We needed this win badly. I hope this will give us some much-needed confidence.”
The Eagles rushed for an impressive 366 yards on 37 carries. Gregory had 114 yards on seven carries and added 104 yards on four receptions. Poole added 102 yards on six attempts. On defensive Bronson Hardin led the team with 15 tackles.
Week 3 Metro Baker’s Dozen
School Name Overall Metro Region Next
1. McGavock 3-0 2-0 1-0 5-6A @ Franklin
2. Pearl-Cohn 2-1 0-0 1-0 5-3A CPA
(WMG Game of the Week)
3. Cane Ridge 2-1 0-0 1-0 5-6A Centennial
4. Maplewood 2-1 1-1 1-0 4-4A Whites Creek
5. Hillsboro 1-2 1-0 0-1 6-5A Independence
6. East Nashville 1-2 1-1 1-0 5-3A @ Kenwood
7. Antioch 1-2 0-1 0-2 5-6A @ Siegel
8. Hillwood 1-1 0-0 0-0 6-5A Clarksville
9. Overton 0-3 0-0 0-1 5-6A @ Wilson Central
10. Stratford 0-3 0-1 0-0 5-3A @ Northwest
11. Whites Creek 0-3 0-1 0-1 5-3A @ Maplewood
12. Hunters Lane 0-2 0-1 0-0 6-5A White House
13. Glencliff 0-3 0-0 0-1 6-5A Ezell Harding
