The COMMANDOS hosted the Riverdale Warriors in the 1st round of the TSSAA class 6A playoffs and came out victorious 23-14 in Memorial Stadium. RHS would take the lead early in the 4th quarter before Hendersonville responded with two touchdowns to claim the playoff victory at home.
HHS would kickoff to begin the game, and the Warriors would be effective on offense to start as they moved the ball down the field with three 1st down passes. After getting into HHS territory, the Warriors would have to punt. The COMMANDOS would go on a 14 play 91 yard scoring march the first time they got possession. Hendersonville would be effective offensive through the air as well as on the ground with 1st downs made by #32 Derek Kincaid and #2 Drew Hohenbrink while #14 Issiah Chandler would have a pair of 1st down receptions thrown by Hohenbrink. The drive would be capped off with a 4 yard TD run by #15 Dalton Jones as Hendersonville took a 7-0 lead after #97 Ashton Dodd hit the extra point. RHS would gain a pair of 1st downs by pass before being forced to punt again. HHS would go 3 & out on this series, and the COMMANDO punt would be the final play of the 1st quarter.
Riverdale would gain a 1st down on the ground before a tackle for loss by #76 Wilson Higgs and #22 Will Batson would force a punt. The Warriors would keep their drive going as they would pick up a first down with a fake punt. Now, with the ball just 25 yards from the endzone, Riverdale would knot the score up at 7 as they scored on 3rd down with a 23 yard TD pass. #8 Brent Rowe would return the ensuing kickoff near midfield, but HHS would go 3 & out after getting sacked on a pass attempt. The Black & Gold defense would return the favor by forcing the Warriors to a 3 & out. The COMMANDOS would get going on their next offensive series as Hohenbrink would pass to Kincaid for a 1st down before a good run by #7 Logan Spurrier set up 1st & goal. HHS would have to settle for a 23 yard field goal as the teams broke for halftime with Hendersonville leading 10-7.
Hendersonville received the opening 2nd half kickoff, but quickly punted the ball after three plays. HHS would force a 3 & out on the 1st possession of the 2nd half for Riverdale with a tackle for loss by Batson and Jones. An interception by #20 Nate Hancock would be negated by penalty before #21 Jackson Alford got a stop on 3rd down. HHS would again punt after three plays, and then Riverdale would move the ball down the field eating up the rest of the time in the 3rd quarter.
The Warriors would be facing a 4th down to begin the 4th quarter, after picking up the 1st down, RHS would score on the next play with a 6 yard TD pass to take the lead 10-14. #10 Ellis Ellis would return the ensuing kickoff 50 yards to set Hendersonville up with the ball at the 32 yard line. A good run by Hancock would move the ball inside the 20, and Jones would have a tough run to convert a 4th down that set up HHS with 1st & goal. Jones would rumble into the endzone with a 4 yard run to regain the lead for the COMMANDOS 17-14. On the kickoff Kincaid and Batson would combine for a tackle inside the 15 yard line. The Warriors would gain a couple of 1st downs on the ground before #25 Jacob Newton broke up a pass on 3rd down and #66 Lane Smith would break up a 4th down pass attempt to turn the ball over on downs. Hendersonville would put the game away on this possession after Spurrier converted a 3rd down with a nice run. After the conversion, Jones would have a 1st down run before Hancock would score with a 10 yard run. The PAT would be no good leaving the score 23-14. RHS would gain a 1st down by penalty, but then turn the ball over on downs with good team defense by the COMMANDOS. HHS would be able to kneel on the ball to run out the clock and get the 9 point victory.
Hendersonville (8-3) will be travel to Murfreesboro next week for the 2nd Round of the TSSAA class 6A playoffs. The opponent for the 2nd
Round game will be the Oakland Patriots (10-1). The Patriots defeated Rossview last week 49-10. Kickoff for the game at Ray Hughes Stadium will be at 7:00.
