Week ending Sept. 28

Ensley throws perfect half as Rebels trounce Sevier County

Maryville sophomore quarterback Austin Ensley (17) runs interference for junior Joel Hopkins on Friday. Photo by Brandon Shinn

Top-ranked Maryville was facing a stern, legitimate test when Sevier County came calling Friday.

The Rebels were without starting quarterback Tyler Vaught, out with an injured shoulder. The Bears, on the other hand, had a quarterback under center in Deuce Wallace with both Division I credentials and a Division I arm. Conventional wisdom had Maryville (5-0) running the ball as much as possible, with hopes of shortening the game.

Right.

Rebel sophomore Austin Ensley, the Barley’s/Blount Press Row Player of the Week, played out of his mind through two quarters, by which point the Rebels had it all but put away with a 35-3 lead. A Luke Orren third-quarter, 43-yard field goal later closed out the scoring in a 38-3 Maryville win. Ensley was responsible for a lot of the Rebels’ first-half breakaway, going a perfect 7-for-7 through the air for 193 yards with two touchdown passes to Kelby Brock, of 63 and 74 yards, and one to tight end Bryce Miller of 35 yards.

The 74-yard score to Brock was an audible.

Ensley split time at quarterback with junior Zach Cardwell, who directed the Maryville offense on running plays.

The short list: Brock, all the junior receiver does is catch touchdown passes, long ones; Alcoa running back Jaquez Tyson, 276 yards and five touchdowns in a 52-38 win over Heritage; Jaylen Burgess, 127 yards and a score on 16 carries, 7.9 yards per rush; Maryville place-kicker Luke Orren, six of seven kickoffs for touchbacks and the field goal. Would have been good from 53.