Nolensville defeats Rockvale in 24-21 Thriller

Friday night lights returned this week as the Nolensville Knights (1-0) opened up their season with a thrilling 24-21 victory over the Rockvale Rockets (0-1). After catching the Week One action, here's my game recap and list of top performers.   Top Performers (Nolensville)    Earning the MVP award for week one is [player_tooltip player_id='1091839' first='Landon' last='Smotherman'], a wide receiver at Nolensville High School. Smotherman was highly explosive on the offensive end, leading the way for the Knights with two impressive touchdowns. Smotherman made a considerable difference with his breakaway speed and versatility down the stretch, showcasing his ability to push off the defense to get open for the deep pass. I also liked Smotherman's ability to elevate off the ground to attack the ball in the air.   <a href="http://www.hudl.com/video/3/17400258/64ea5e2c2347f208bc7156e1">Tape:</a>     Another playmaker to make his presence known was [player_tooltip player_id='1583134' first='Carson' last='Kelly'], an athlete at Nolensville High School. Kelly was a crucial playmaker for the Knights on the ground, utilizing his electric speed and strength to punch through Rockvale's defense and take it all the way to the house on fourth down. Kelly's ability to dodge and weave tackles and find openings in the defensive line made a huge difference as he proved he could adapt to the defense and stay on his feet when it mattered most.     Claiming the number three spot on my list is [player_tooltip player_id='1142031' first='Nolan' last='Toennies'], a defensive lineman at Nolensville High School. Toennies showcased his size and strength at the line of scrimmage, using his wingspan to push off defenders, catch the running back in the pocket and quickly apply pressure on the quarterback. I also liked how Toennies could read the offense and use his arms to stun the offensive line and get in prime position to block the pass.   <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2Mz04S">Tape:</a>    Top Performers (Rockvale)    Another prospect to make a difference was [player_tooltip player_id='309135' first='Jaylan' last='Morgan'], a defensive back at Rockvale High School. In addition to hauling in an impressive deep pass, Morgan proved himself as a dangerous offensive weapon late in the contest, catching two touchdown passes to tie the game up. Morgan's ability to quickly get down field and stay in front of the pass made a huge difference for the Rockets late in the contest.   <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/16666434/64e117c0478d6208388e61b9">Tape:</a>     Coming in at number five on my list of standouts is [player_tooltip player_id='1699904' first='Jaevion' last='Elliott'], a quarterback at Rockvale High School. In addition to a powerful deep pass to put the Rockets in the redzone during the first drive, Elliott led a late comeback effort in the fourth quarter that resulted in two beautiful touchdown passes. Elliott's arm strength and pin-point accuracy caught my attention as he's certainly worth keeping an eye on as the season continues.   <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2JEySG">Tape:</a>     Also worth mentioning is [player_tooltip player_id='1159808' first='Kevantae' last='Porter'], an athlete at Rockvale High School. Porter stood out with his size, speed and athleticism on both sides of the ball. I was especially impressed with Porter defensively as he proved his ability to read the offense like a book, breach the offensive line and make crucial stops. Porter is worth keeping an eye on as the season continues.    Game Recap   Rockvale drew first blood as an excellent long pass was hauled in by [player_tooltip player_id='309135' first='Jaylan' last='Morgan'] to put the Rockets just a few yards outside the endzone. Despite several opportunities to score, Nolensville's defense forced Rockvale to settle for a field goal as the Rockets took an early 3-0 lead on their first drive. Nolensville would eventually steal the lead as a solid pass to [player_tooltip player_id='1091839' first='Landon' last='Smotherman'] in the endzone helped put the Knights ahead 7-3. The Rockets would trim the lead down to one before the end of the first half, kicking another field goal to enter the locker room down 7-6. The Knights struck quickly in the second half as Smotherman hauled in his second touchdown of the game in opening minutes of the third frame. Later on, Nolensville extended their lead even further, running the ball into the endzone on fourth down to lead the home team 21-7. In the fourth quarter, Rockvale came alive as Morgan went on to score two touchdowns. The Rockets also punched into the endzone for the two-point conversion to tie things up 21-21 with just a few seconds remaining. Nolensville would go on to win the contest 24-21 with a field goal in final seconds.

Friday night lights returned this week as the Nolensville Knights (1-0) opened up their season with a thrilling 24-21 victory over the Rockvale Rockets (0-1). After catching the Week One action, here's my game recap and list of top performers.