Camden loses to Harpeth 47-0
in TSSAA State Playoffs in Kingston Springs
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The Camden Lions traveled to Harpeth High School in Kingston Springs, Tennessee for round one of the TSSAA State Playoffs last Friday, and suffered a tough 47-0 loss. Camden represented Region 6-2A as the fourth place team playing against the Harpeth Indians, the number one team in Region 5-2A. Camden finishes the year with a 6-4 regular season record, and with their second straight playoff appearance. The accomplishments of the 2000 Lions have only been matched twice in the last 20 years. Congrats to the team, coaches, managers, cheerleaders, and all of the sponsors that had a part in this winning season. Special honor is deserved by the four Seniors, Alan Hollowell, Jason Kennon, Robbie Combs, and Tim Moss for the major contribution that they have made to the Camden Lions Football program over the past four years. They will be missed!




The Camden fans traveled well, and a large group was out on the field at Harpeth to cheer the Lions thru the pre-game spirit line. Camden won the coin toss, and elected to receive the ball. Nathan Leonard took the kick at the 15 and sprinted all the way to our 36 before he was tackled. Jeremy Harris took the hand off from Ross Lumpkin and dove into the left side of the line for a pickup of one. A misdirection play that started with an inside handoff resulted in no gain. Ross took the snap from Jack Leonard, rolled right and threw a screen to Nathan Leonard waiting on the left. Nathan gunned it down the left sideline and was finally rolled out at our 49. First down Lions!

Jeremy Harris drilled the center of the line for a quick hitter that resulted in no gain. Ross Lumpkin lined the Lions up and took the ball along right side, then pitched to Ryne Haynie who was smothered for a loss of one. Ross rolled right on third down, but his throw was incomplete and the Lions had to punt. Ben Tinkle punted to the 20, but the Indian was able to sneak along the left sideline all the way to the Harpeth 35.

The Indians were on the warpath, and the result was a seven play scoring drive. Jamie Blaylock and Daniel Woodall grabbed an Injun after a pick up of 5. Jonathan Holland slowed the runner enough for Nathan Leonard to stop him cold…but it was enough for a first down. Woodall, Holland, and Brandon Smith combined for a stop up the middle, but it was still 2nd and 5. A pitch left made Ben Tinkle and Daniel Woodall hurry to finally push the Indian out of bounds at the 15…after another first down. Woodall and Tinkle combined for another stop at the 1-foot line, and the next play was a TD run over right tackle for the score. With 5:37 left in the first, Harpeth went for the 2-point conversion, but a flag for an illegal receiver downfield cancelled it all, and it was 6-0 Harpeth.

The Harpeth kicker drilled the ball into the endzone and the ref said that Nathan Leonard couldn’t run it out, so Camden started at the 20. After Jeremy Harris’s run resulted in no gain, the zebras moved the Lions back ten with an alleged holding call. With first and 20, Ross Lumpkin threw a strike to Ryne Haynie for a pickup of 7. The drive stalled, and Ben Tinkle had to punt from his own end zone. The Indians returner signaled for a fair catch at the Lions 38, and they kicked their offense up a notch.

The Indians QB had enough time in the pocket, and threw a perfect pass into the right corner of the endzone for the score. After a time out, Harpeth ran student body right to make the two-point conversion. With 3:26 remaining in the first, it was Indians 14, Lions 0.

After the Indian kicker booted it thru the endzone again, the Lions started on the 20. Nathan Leonard followed the blocks of Jack Leonard and Jonathan Holland and gained 4. The double handoff resulted in Ryne Haynie sliding in behind Alan Hollowell for a pick up of 2. Ross Lumpkin rolled out to the left, set up camp behind an Andrew Ragsdale block, and threw a perfect pass to Ryne Haynie at the 33-yard line for a first down! The first quarter ran out as the Lions had the ball, 3rd down at our 30.

The drive ground out, and Ben Tinkle’s punt was fielded at their 40-yard line. The Indian returner veered thru traffic and was about to break it, but Ryne Haynie got a hit on him and Daniel Woodall finished him off at the Lions 41. Three plays later, Harpeth scored. The PAT kick was good, and with 10:40 left in the half, it was Harpeth 21- Camden 0.

The Lions offense couldn’t un-circle the wagons, and the Indians started on our 44. Their running back took the hand off, started towards the left side of his line, and was met by Jonathan Holland, Daniel Woodall, and Jack Leonard after a pickup of 3. A second down pass attempt was covered by Greg Pierpoint and fell incomplete. With 3rd and 7, Robbie Combs made a nifty move and dropped the quarterback for a sack. Jonathan Holland and Jack Leonard batted at the dropped ball before the Indians recovered. With 7:14 left in the half, Ryne Haynie fielded the punt at the 12 and dove forward to the 18 where the Lions had it, first down.

Ross Lumpkin started down the left side of the line and handed off to Jeremy Harris on the dive for a pick up of 4. Nathan Leonard started in motion right, took the handoff from Lumpkin, but was only able to pick up one. With the ball on the 24, Ryne Haynie took the ball and tried a halfback pass to Greg Pierpoint, but the jump ball was won by the Indians, and it was first down Harpeth at our 45.

The Lions defense had to make a stand, because the Indians first down run across left tackle resulted in another first down. Nathan Leonard and Greg Pierpoint ran a receiver out of bounds at the 10, and it was first and goal Indians. Jonathan Holland saw the high snap go over the QB’s head, and he made a great stop to make it 2nd down. A pitch left was smoked out by Greg Pierpoint, and he knifed thru to stop the runner for no gain, 3rd down. Robbie Combs made a great inside move and had the Indian QB in his sights. The QB knew a Lion-dozer when he saw it, and Will Prince batted his hurried throw incomplete. The Lions defense had held, so the Indians settled for a field goal, and with 2:04 in the half it was 24-0 Harpeth.

The Lions offense got scalped, and after the punt, the Indians started at our 31. With 10.9 seconds left, Ben Tinkle batted a pass down and the Indians set up for another field goal attempt. It was low, and flat, and ugly, but the striped shirt whistle blowers said it snuck inside of the bottom left corner and was good. At the half, it was Harpeth 27, Camden 0.

The Harpeth band performed at the half, and we all watched the Channel 4 chopper stir up the dust as Rudy Kalis stopped by to do a report on both teams for his “Touchdown Friday” segment. Rudy visited the Camden sideline and had pictures taken with all.

Jeremy Harris booted the second half kick to Harpeth, and Daniel Woodall dropped the Indian ball carrier at the 28. A Harpeth runner rounded left end in time to slam into a low flying Alan Hollowell--that came complete with the Nathan Leonard attachment—and they all went rolling in the dust to make it 2nd and 3. The Indians tried the left side, where Jeremy Harris leveled the blocker, Nathan Leonard missed, Daniel Woodall missed, Greg Pierpoint connected, but it was still enough to make it first down Indians. Harpeth tried a long pass, but Greg Pierpoint connected again and intercepted at the 20. First down Lions!

Indians swarmed the Lions camp, and three plays later Camden’s punt was downed at the Harpeth 42. Yardage came in big chunks, and with 4:05 left in the 3rd, an Indian ran into the right side of the endzone for 6. Another low-flat-ugly was barely good, and it was 34-0 Harpeth.

The Indians kicker drilled one to the 16, and after a fumble the Lions started at the 5. The Indians were everywhere for three downs, and after a short punt, it was first down Harpeth inside our 10. Ben Tinkle and Daniel Woodall met a quick hitter at the one-yard line. The tailback jumped over the pile with 46 seconds left in the 3rd to score. The kicker nailed this extra point to make it 41-0 Harpeth.

Ryne Haynie grabbed the kick at the 15 and made two nice cuts before he was knocked down at the 27. An “almost-late” helmet to the back hit may have been responsible for his injury, and he was taken from the field in an ambulance. After play was resumed, Ross Lumpkin called his own number and sprinted around left end for 4 as the 3rd quarter ended. Daniel Woodall grabbed the hand off from Ross and busted the line for a pick up of 2. The bootleg left pass attempt to Greg Pierpoint just missed, and the Lions downed the punt at their 42.

Harpeth started a seven play scoring drive with a run over left tackle. Jeremy Harris stopped him after a pick up of 6. Jeremy and Justin Smith combined in a tackle duet to make it 3rd and 3. Blake Carson and Daniel Woodall had to go ‘way down field to stop a pitch-left and run that made it first down at our 47. Blake teamed up with Shane Corbitt to stop a run over left guard. Jack Leonard and Daniel Woodall stopped the quick hitter to make it 3rd and 3 at our 40. With 6:57 left in the game, the Indian ball carrier sprinted around left end, and it took Ross Lumpkin and Greg Pierpoint to catch him ‘way down at the 2! The Indians busted the middle and scored before they called a time out to let the kicker change moccasins. It didn’t work, the kick missed to leave the score 47-0.

Nathan Leonard fielded the kick at the 15 and carried for some tough yardage to the 23. With 4:59 showing and 2nd and 10, Michael Dodd sprinted around left end for a first down at our 38. Jeremy Harris plowed thru the right side for 3. An incomplete pass made it 4th down, but the Lions were going for it. Ross Lumpkin kept the ball, and with Jonathan Holland’s block, looked as though he might make it, but the Indians took over on downs at our 46.

An Indian runner was freed of the ball as he darted over left tackle, Shane Corbitt and Michael Dodd corralled him, but Harpeth ended up with the football. A fumble under center was next, and Corbitt snuffed the Indian that ended up with it. Jarrid Sterling and Adam Walker stopped a run around left end, and the clock ran out with the final score Harpeth 47, Camden 0.

The Camden Motor Parts & Bearing Offensive Spark of the Game Award winner was Jason Kennon.

The Camden Motor Parts & Bearing Defensive Spark of the Game Award winner was Daniel Woodall.

The Wendy’s Big Classic Player of the Game Award was given to Jack Leonard


Photos taken by Tony Dillon


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