Mitchell’s Joe Conley makes an open field tackle at Draughn on Thursday, Sept. 29. The Mountaineers fell 56-21 as the Wildcats used their ground game to take the win. (Cindy Giarrusso/For the Journal)
The Draughn High varsity football team continued its strong season and pushed its winning streak to four games with a 56-21 home win over Mitchell on Thursday, Sept. 29 in a game moved up one day due to Hurricane Ian.
Draughn’s Nigel Dula staked the hosts to an early 7-0 lead on a chilly evening with a 17-yard rushing touchdown less than five minutes into the game.
Mitchell (4-3, 2-1) answered minutes later when senior quarterback Ty Turbyfill bulldozed his way into the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown plunge.
Draughn (6-1, 3-0) regained the lead shortly after with a pair of rushing touchdowns from Dula that made it 21-7.
Turbyfill and Dula traded touchdowns late in the second quarter and Draughn led 27-14 at halftime.
Dula scored his fifth and final rushing touchdown of the night midway through the third quarter to push Draughn’s lead to 35-14.
Turbyfill connected with Dalton Hollifield for a 67-yard touchdown in the third to trim the lead to 35-21 but the Wildcats scored three more touchdowns down the stretch to win 56-21.
Dula was the game’s leading rusher with 25 carries for 245 yards and five touchdowns. Draughn’s Elijah Tillery completed 11-of-15 passes for 181 yards and a touchdown.
Mitchell’s Marley McCourry ran 7 times for 49 yards and Chad Giarrusso carried 7 times for 43 yards. Turbyfill scampered 15 times for 35 yards and a pair of touchdowns and completed 5-of-12 passes for 178 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
Gage Young caught a pair of Turbyfill passes for 75 yards. Hollifield’s lone reception went 67 yards for a score and Giarrusso and Kadan Phillips each had a reception. Hollifield paced the Mitchell defense with 8 tackles. Giarrusso recorded a tackle for a loss.
The Wildcats outgained the Mountaineers 485-329, including 304-151 on the ground.
Mitchell enjoys its bye week in Week 8 before Western Highlands Conference play continues in Ledger on Oct. 14 against Mountain Heritage. After clashing with the Cougars, Mitchell hosts Rosman on Oct. 21 and closes the regular season on Oct. 28 at Avery before awaiting state playoff seeding.