CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Kirkwood Cobras traveled to Page High School for the second round of the TSSAA Class 5A playoffs against the Patriots. Page High used their physical run game to pull ahead, eventually winning 24-7 and advancing to the quarterfinals against Beech, while Kirkwood’s season came to a close.
Page received the opening kickoff to begin the game, and quarterback Cameron Kruse wasted no time finding Cayden Aukerman for a big gain down the middle of the field. Kirkwood’s defense held firm after that, forcing a field goal attempt inside the ten, which Patriots kicker Jonathon Baba converted to take the lead.
Kirkwood went three and out on their first offensive possession, and the Patriots put together another scoring drive, this time capped off by running back James Pierre carrying defenders into the endzone on the first play of the second quarter. With that the Patriots held a 10-0 lead.
Kirkwood responded on their next possession, with quarterback Miles Reding finding Parker Keenan on a crossing route for a 30-yard score, and quickly the Cobras had life. The Patriots then proceeded to have a drive with no pass plays, running it down the middle for over five yards a carry, and Isaac Otey punched it in from five yards out to pull ahead 17-7 right before the half. Page scored on every first half possession they had.
‘These kids fought all night’
“The scoreboard may not show it, but we went blow for blow with a juggernaut,” said Kirkwood head coach Chad Watson. “I don’t feel like we played our best game offensively, and that’s on me. No matter what happened, these kids fought all night.”
Kirkwood received the ball to open the second half, but they were forced to punt once again. The Cobras offense never got going to its normal high-power form and later in the third quarter, Kruse found Aukerman on a 30-yard touchdown pass, which ultimately was the last score of the game.
In the end, the Patriots earned a win to head to the quarterfinals. Page has been the state runner up the last four years and are looking to make it back to Chattanooga for the fifth straight year.
For Kirkwood, it’s not the end to the season they wanted, but it’s a historic year for a program only in its third year, winning the most games in program history, and the first postseason game in program history.
“This program has meant everything to me,” said Kirkwood senior tackle and Tennessee football commit Kamar Blair. “I came to Kirkwood three years ago and the staff has invested so much in me. Everything I do is for my teammates and the people around me, and I’m going to miss playing for this team.”
“These kids laid the foundation,” Watson told Clarksville Now. “My goal when I got here was to build the best program that’s ever been in Clarksville. Ten years from now, they’re going to remember these kids, these seniors, that played in these games and set the standard for what this program is going to be.”
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