Scenic City shutout

♦ The Coosa Eagles soar over Lookout Valley (Tenn.).

The Coosa Eagles (2-0) are flying high after a 41-0 shutout of the Lookout Valley Yellow Jackets (2-3) north of the state border in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The Eagles are 2-0 for the first time since 2017.

“I love my guys and they like to compete,” Eagles head coach Joey Mathis said in a phone interview. “We’ve still got a long way to go. We’re still growing as a young team and as a young coaching staff together.”

Majority of the scoring plays came via the ground game, as five of Coosa’s six touchdowns came off of rushes.

About halfway through the first quarter, the Eagles scored the first points of the game. Later in the first quarter, sophomore Billy Settlemoir crossed the goal line to firmly assert Coosa’s control in Chattanooga.

The upperclassmen would shine in the second quarter as seniors Cameron Lowe and Terry Curry would each take the ball to the house. After one half, it was all Eagles 27-0.

“The kids did well. This was the first week we’ve had some film on an opponent so we could gameplan,” Mathis said. “Having that film study and that week of preparation with it certainly helped.”

Coosa would find their only throwing score of the game in the third quarter, as Hayden McBurnett located Keshaun Kindred for a 65-yard touchdown pass. The extra point made it 34-0.

Settlemoir started the scoring and ended it, as his 34-yard scamper about halfway through the third would be the team’s final points in Tennessee.

Coosa’s defense stood tall, shutting out an opponent for the first time since 2017.

“We played better after that first week, getting that first game under our belt,” Mathis said. “We tackled better, our pad level was a little better. Sometimes ... it takes that experience to learn what four quarters looks like against a quality opponent.”

The Eagles turn their attention to Pickens as they travel to Pickens County High School next Friday, Sept. 25, at 7:30 p.m.