Senior lineman Chandler Horney gets after McDowell quarterback Ricky Carr during Mitchell’s 34-16 win over the Titans on Friday, Aug. 26. (Cindy Giarrusso/For the Journal)
Mitchell High’s football dominance over cross-county rival McDowell continues.
The Mitchell High varsity football team on Friday, Aug. 26 beat McDowell for a seventh straight time, handling the Titans 34-16 on the road to improve to 2-0.
After blasting Erwin in Week 1, Mitchell has outscored its first two non-conference opponents by a combined 76-35. Both games were on the road. The team hasn’t trailed yet.
Senior quarterback Ty Turbyfill got the visitors on the board early at McDowell by powering his way into the endzone for two first-half rushing touchdowns.
McDowell’s Josh Ellis scored a rushing touchdown late in the second quarter. Mitchell led 14-7 at halftime.
Senior Chad Giarrusso exploded for three straight rushing touchdowns in the second half to put Mitchell up 34-7.
McDowell tallied a late safety and a rushing touchdown in the game’s last minute to make the final score 34-16.
Giarrusso led all rushers with 132 yards and three scores on 20 carries. Gage Young ran eight times for 66 yards and Turbyfill carried 15 times for 57 yards and two touchdowns.
Turbyfill threw just six passes, completing three for 50 yards, including a 24-yard strike to Young who had 34 receiving yards. Dalton Hollifield caught a pass for 16 yards.
Hollifield and Dillon Barnett had six tackles each. The Mitchell defense made life hard for McDowell quarterback Ricky Carr.
The Mountaineers held Carr to 4-of-9 passing for just 45 yards. They picked him off once and kept him out of the endzone.
Mitchell now turns its attention to Watauga, which comes to town on Friday, Sept. 2.
The Pioneers will aim to avenge an early-season home loss to the Mountaineers a season ago. Mitchell rallied late to stun the Pioneers at home— something the 4A program hasn’t been accustomed to recently.
Like Mitchell, Watauga (2-0) is off to a hot start this season. The Pioneers blasted T.C. Roberson 42-13 in Week 1 and slipped by Maiden 23-19 in Week 2.
Watauga’s experienced roster is led by senior quarterback and middle linebacker Levi Temple and senior running back William “Trey” Thompson.
After its duel with Watauga, Mitchell has one non-conference contest left against Andrews before opening the Western Highlands Conference slate against Madison.
Kickoff between Watauga and Mitchell is 7:30 p.m. Friday night in Ledger.