DUNLAP, Tenn. -- Dickie Brown gets to keep his secret for at least another week.
"We're not real good, but the kids don't know that," Brown said, moments after York Institute defeated Sequatchie County 28-16 in the first round of the Class 3A playoffs Friday.
Brown has had playoff success at the four programs he has coached, including when he was at Bledsoe County and current Sequatchie County coach Chad Barger played for him. Chalk up one for the teacher Friday night.
In a game dominated by defense and miscues, the Dragons had more of the former and fewer of the latter to advance. York capitalized off four Indians turnovers, scoring two of its first three touchdowns immediately after and will now travel to Goodpasture.
"We've had a knack for knocking the ball loose or going and getting it any way we can on defense all year," Brown said. "We've returned six interceptions for scores and our kids know how important it is when they get a break, to make something happen."
After Sequatchie County notched a field goal on its opening possession, York allowed just 24 yards the rest of the first half. And after recovering an Indians fumble late in the first quarter, the Dragons marched 44 yards in 11 plays with Matt Brown diving into the end zone from a yard out, giving them a lead they would not relinquish.
York drove 53 yards in seven plays on its next possession, capped by Anthony Williams' 25 yard touchdown catch to convert fourth-and-8. The Dragons turned an early interception in the third quarter into more points, as Brian Reynolds connected with Denver Hall for a 23-yard score that essentially put the game away, considering Sequatchie's offense is built to milk the clock, not score quickly.
Even when the Indians, who haven't advanced past the first round since 1997, closed within 11, York answered in three plays, with Reynolds hitting Williams for a 59-yard scoring strike.
"Any time you turn the ball over as much as we did, you can't expect to win any game, much less against a playoff team," Indians coach Chad Barger said. "We just put ourselves in too deep a hole to dig out of."
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