The Cumberland Gap Panthers improved to 6-0 and took a big step toward securing a playoff berth with an impressive 44-14 win at Happy Valley Friday night.

Senior quarterback Adam Nelson threw for 389 yards and four touchdowns. Brad Beason ran for 119 yards and a score and Jacob Shipley had 105 receiving yards and a rushing touchdown to lead the Panthers Friday.

Cumberland Gap went on top early on a Matt Combs 22-yard field goal in the first quarter.

They added to the lead in the second as Austin Brock scored on a 6-yard pass from Nelson.

Tyler Blevins ran for a touchdown and a two-point conversion to bring the Warriors within 10-8.

Shipley capped a Panther drive with a 4-yard run to make it 16-8 at the half.

Cumberland Gap scored 28 straight points to open the second half and took control of the game.

Nelson hooked up with sophomore Whitt Willis on a 41-yard TD and with senior Josh Barnett for a 52-yard score.

He later added an 8-yard scoring pass to Combs. Combs' extra point gave the Panthers a 37-8 lead after three quarters.

Beason's 17-yard TD run capped the Cumberland Gap scoring in the fourth quarter.

Happy Valley's Lyndon South scored late on a 17 yard run to make the final 44-14.

Cumberland Gap now stands at 3-0 in Region 1-AA in a first place tie with Gatlinburg-Pittman.

With three very winnable home games — Hancock County, North Greene and West Greene are a combined 2-16 — on the schedule, the Oct. 26 game at G-P is the biggest hurdle between the Panthers and a perfect regular season.

Cumberland Gap hosts Hancock on Friday.

SCOREBOARD:

Cumberland Gap 3 13 21 7 — 44

Happy Valley 0 8 0 6 — 14

CG — Matt Combs 22 FG

CG — Austin Brock 6 pass from Adam Nelson (Combs kick)

HV — Tyler Blevins 16 run (Blevins run)

CG — Jacob Shipley 4 run (kick failed)

CG — Whitt Willis 41 pass from Nelson (Combs kick)

CG — Josh Barnett 52 pass from Nelson (Combs kick)

CG — Combs 8 pass from Nelson (Combs kick)

CG — Brad Beason 17 run (Combs kick)

HV — Lyndon South 17 run (kick failed)

CG HV

First Downs 19 6

Total Yards 536 180

Rushes-Yards 29-147 32-146

Passing Yards 389 34

Att.-Comp-Int. 21-30-0 5-16-2

Fumbles/Lost 3/2 1/1

Penalties-Yards 9-50 8-70

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

RUSHING: Cumberland Gap — Beason 16-119.

PASSING: Nelson 21-30-389 4 TD, 0 int.

RECEIVING: JShipley 5-105.



Photo above: Cumberland Gap sophomore receiver Whitt Willis hauls in a pass for a long gainer during last week's win over Claiborne. Willis is just getting into form after dealing with a leg injury for most of the first half of the season. He was at it again Friday at Happy Valley, scoring on a 41-yard touchdown pass from Adam Nelson early in the third quarter that put the Panthers up 23-8 on their way to a 44-14 win.

JAY COMPTON/Daily News