A new position ended with the same result for Dawson Lee and the Thomas Walker Pioneers.

As a junior, Lee led the Thomas Walker Pioneers to a 13-8 win over Harlan as the quarterback. As a senior, Lee repeated the feat as a running back, gaining 133 yards on the ground and scoring two touchdowns in the visiting Pioneers’ 29-24 victory Friday at Harlan.

“We lost some kids to graduation and Dawson felt moving to a slot back was his best position,” Thomas Walker coach Nick Johnson said. “He told me let’s work with the freshman (Zack Kidwell) and move me to running back.”

“It wasn’t one particular thing. We just had breakdowns in each phase of the game at critical times,” said Harlan coach John Luttrell of his Dragons, who fell to 0-3 for the second straight year. “I’m disappointed, but no is going to feel sorry for us. We have to get ready to play the next game.”

Lee directed a nine-play, 63-yard drive in the fourth quarter to give Thomas Walker a 13-point lead that all but clinched the victory. Lee completed a 34-yard pass to Logan Ely on a third-and-10 play to keep the drive alive, then went 29 yards for a touchdown with 5:32 left in the game.

“We knew we had the Wildcat package where he could run the ball, and I think it caught them off guard,” Johnson said. “That was a huge play in the game, the pass to Ely.”

Lee had 105 yards in the second half after the Harlan defense had kept him contained in the first half in taking a 16-13 halftime lead.

“Dawson had a bad ankle injury, and we weren’t sure if he would be able to go,” Johnson said. “In the second half, he made it clear he wasn’t sitting on the bench. He made some runs that were unbelievable. I thought he was tackled a couple of times and the next thing I know he’s 25 yards down the field.”

Kidwell completed four of 10 passes for 52 yards, including a touchdown.

“We have a.freshman quarterback who is learning, and he made some plays. His future is bright,” Johnson said.

The Dragons were limited to only 83 yards on the ground. Senior quarterback Will Varner completed 16 of 30 passes for 153 yards, including 85 in the fourth quarter as he directed a scoring drive that cut the deficit to five points with 2:33 left.

“We were really worried they would run the ball against us because they are traditionally a runing team,” Johnson said. “We saw them this summer and they wore us out at UVa-Wise. We wanted to play press coverage and try to throw them off their routes. I thought we did a good job. We wanted to bend not break and keep them in front of us and make tackles. We did a better job of tackling than we did against West Greene, Tenn., last week.”

Senior receiver Caleb Adkins had 11 catches for 107 yards with two touchdowns to carry the Harlan offense.

Harlan scored on its opening possession, driving 64 yards in a nine-play drive that featured three catches by Adkins, including an 18-yard scoring strike with 8:20 left in the opening quarter. Braydon Shanks’ extra point attempt was off the mark.

After four straight punts, Thomas Walker (1-1) marched 58 yards in four plays as Dawson Lee carried it three times, including a 33-yard touchdown run with 1:41 left in the first period. Lee’s extra point put the Pioneers up by one.

Backed up against its own goal line, Thomas Walker made the first significant mistake when the ball was snapped over Lee’s head on a punt attempt for a safety. Adkins took the ensuing free kick and raced 54 yards for a touchdown with 8:42 to play in the first half. Varner and Adkins teamed for the two-point conversion and a 16-7 lead.

Kidwell found Jason Green for a 37-yard touchdown pass as Harlan’s John Brady Brock tripped and left the receiver open.

Harlan had a chance to extend its lead after a fourth-down stop late in the first half, but Wesley Gilliam picked off a Varner pass to end the threat with four seconds left in the first half.

Harlan (0-3) returns to action Friday at home against Middlesboro.

———

Thomas Walker 29, Harlan 24

Thomas Walker 7 6 8 8 — 29

Harlan 6 10 0 8 — 24

^^^

H — Adkins 18 pass from Varner (kick failed)

TW — Lee 33 run (Lee kick)

H — Safety, ball snapped out back of end zone

H — Adkins 54 kickoff return (Adkins pass from Varner)

TW — Green 37 pass from Kidwell (kick failed)

TW — Gilliam 1 run (Lee run)

TW — Lee 29 run (Ball run)

H — Varner 2 run (Adkins pass from Varner)

^^^

TW H

First downs 15 11

Rushes-yards 217 83

Passing 86 153

Comp-Att-Int 5-11-0 16-30-1

Fumbles-Lost 1-0 2-1

Penalties-Yards 9-70 5-55

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING—Thomas Walker, Lee 21-133, Gilliam 11-40, Ball 12-38, Langley 3-5, Kidwell 1-1. Harlan, Howard 6-26, Varner 5-23, Adkins 4-18, Brock 4-11, Clem 3-5.

PASSING—Thomas Walker, Kidwell 4-10-0-52, Lee 1-1-0-34. Harlan, Varner 16-30-1-153.

RECEIVING—Thomas Walker, Gilliam 2-15, Green 1-37, Ely 1-34, Lee 1-3. Harlan, Adkins 11-107, Eldridge 2-26, Mills 2-11, Clem 1-9.