Micah Simpson hadnt played football for two years.

An all-state basketball player for Morristown East, Simpson chose to focus on the court, giving up football as he entered high school. However, when the football coaches came knocking this summer, there was one big thing that made Simpson come back to football.

I wanted to beat West for Coles (Henson) senior year, Simpson said.

Led by Henson and Simpson, the Hurricanes did just that.

Henson threw for 491 yards, a single game record, completed 31 passes, a single game record and had five passing touchdowns, once again a school record. Henson also broke the old career mark for passing yardage as he now has 4,281. He passed current ETSU head football coach Randy Sanders who had 4,220.

Simpson got in on the fun as well, catching four touchdowns, which was also a Morristown East single game record.

Henson, a senior, has been starting since his freshman year at Morristown East but has never gotten over the hump that is Morristown West. On Friday night, he didnt just run the hump over. He bulldozed it.

It feels amazing, Henson said. This is probably one of the best feelings Ive ever had just getting to enjoy this with friends and family. Its one of the best feelings ever. Ill never forget this.

This has not been an uncommon trend for Henson, who has broken records before. Last season, he broke Sanders school record for touchdown passes in a career. Each touchdown pass he threw on Friday night extended that record.

The Hurricanes have gained a lot of traction with their running game this season, but with West containing Ethan Ledford, Henson took the game over.

Twice, Henson lofted perfect passes in the endzone to Simpson who just had to get under the ball and hold his arms out. Henson also found Simpson two more times on short routes as well as Shaffer Harville for a long touchdown to start the third quarter.

The Canes saw something in the Morristown West scouting report and took advantage of a secondary that has struggled to defend the pass this season.

We didnt think that they could cover us, Slover said. If they played off, we were going to take the short stuff and if they walked up, we were going to run right by them. We threw it more tonight than we have in the first three games, but great job by Cole getting the ball out of his hands and throwing it where it needed to go. We had a great gameplan and he executed. He was extremely accurate and didnt put us it a bad spot. I am extremely proud of him.

Coming to the team this season, Simpson has been the spark that East has needed on both sides of the ball. Against Cherokee earlier in the year, Simpson had a receiving touchdown and an interception.

Simpson had 208 receiving yards on eight catches Friday, crediting his growing wingspan for his ability to go up and get the football.

He did it on the defense as well Friday, filling in for Harville after Harville went down with an injury early in the third quarter and did not return.

For Slover, he feels that things can only get better for Simpson.

Micah is just such an athlete, Slover said. Thats why hes an all-state basketball player. Hes just athletic. Once he figures our everything that we ask him to do, its only going to get better for him.

Henson credits the connection the two have as to why they are able to have success. Both are also the starting guards on the Morristown East basketball team.

Hes just an athlete, Henson said. Hes fast and athletic. I trust him and he trusts me so we can just throw touchdowns like we did tonight.

With the game winding down, that connection was on display. Facing fourth and one from the 39-yard line with under two minutes to go in the game and the scored tied at 28, Henson hit Simpson near the sideline. Simpson caught the ball and took off, making Trojans miss left and right for the game-winning touchdown.

Following a fumble from West on the kickoff, the Trojans had one last chance to get the ball back on third and six.

But Henson used his legs this time, running to the first down marker before sliding down the win the game.

And afterwards, the Hurricanes partied like it was 2013.

It was awesome, Henson said. Ive never seen anything like that just all the players and coaches and everyone celebrating together. It was awesome.

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Chemistry on the court carries over to the gridiron for Henson and Simpson - Citizentribune