ROGERSVILLE - Runningbacks Coleman Elliott and Landon House had a field day, scoring three touchdowns apiece, and Jordan Cruz nailed 5-of-6 PATs against a team expected to compete for the Region 1-3A title, the Grainger Grizzlies, in the 2008 season opener here Friday night, winning 41-20.

"I'm very pleased with a win over a team as good as Grainger is," said Cherokee Head Coach Mike Sivert after the victory.  Grainger is a new school, playing its first ever contest, but is primarily comprised of students from the old Rutledge High School, which went 7-4 last season, vying for the conference title in 2007, then made it to the playoffs where it was knocked out by eventual 3A state runner-up Knox Fulton.

The Chiefs stumbled a couple of times in the first half, giving up an 86-yard kick-off return for a TD, and fumbled a punt at their own 23, which led to another Grizzlie TD.  But Cherokee retooled things a bit at halftime after leading just 21-20 at the break.

In the second half it was all Cherokee.

Cherokee proved to be the only Five Rivers Conference team to pick up a win in Week Zero of the TSSAA football season.  David Crockett was stunned by Sullivan North 34-6 on Thursday night.  On Friday defending FRC champ Greeneville jumped on top of Jefferson County 14-0 early, then yielded 28 unanswered points and eventually fell to the Patriots 42-28.

Morristown West was shut-out by Knox Catholic in its season opener, 28-0.

For all the details from the Cherokee/Grainger game, as well as photos and comments from Coach Sivert see the August 27 midweek edition of The Rogersville Review.