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By Bobby Young
McKenzie and Riverside were both in a must win situation this past Friday night.
A win for either team would almost secure at least a Region 6-AA runner-up spot
and hosting the first round of the state playoffs.
The Panthers entered the game
with a potent offensive attack and an aggressive defense. When the game ended,
the McKenzie High School Rebels had totaled over four hundred yards of offense
and pounded Riverside into submission. The Gray defense recorded ten tackles
behind the line of scrimmage and held the Panthers to just over one hundred
yards of offense.
The impressive 51-13 Region 6-AA victory left the Rebels
undefeated at 6-0 (and a 3-0 regional mark). Even though the 2001 Rebels have
much more to conquer, they left Parsons with a great deal of satisfaction.
Rebel
game captains for game six were seniors Carone Tharpe, Shiron Perkins, Mitchell
Hall and Taylor Holland. McKenzie began the action by kicking to the Panthers,
with the ball kicked out of
bounds. Parsons took over at the
thirty-five yard line. On first down,
Holder ran for only two yards as
Rebel defensive tackle Eric Gilbert
made the stop. A fifteen-yard pass
interference call against the Rebels
secondary gave Riverside its initial
first down. Ruggiano carried for a
seven-yard loss as Haywood Cunningham
and Josh Stenberg made
the hit. Two incomplete passes left
the host facing a fourth down and
seventeen. Riverside's thirty-eight
yard punt was corralled by senior
return specialist David Duncan.
Duncan pulled in the pigskin
around the 20 yard line and the
speedster then made a couple of
moves, hit the sideline and out-distanced
several would be Riverside
defenders. The eighty-yard touch-down
came with 10:12 remaining
in the first quarter. Stenberg ran the
two-point conversion.
First Quarter
McKenzie 8 - Riverside 0
McKenzie's first offensive drive
began from the Rebel thirty-six
yard line. On first down, Taylor
Holland passed to Tharpe for an
incompletion. On second down,
Holland hit the corner for a six-yard
gain. Holland ran for first
down on the next play. A pass to
junior Jay Taylor was complete for
some thirty yards. But Taylor was
dislodged from the football and
Riverside recovered at their own
19-yard line.
The eager Panthers were able to
pick up a first down after Ruggiano
and Holder combined for 13 yards.
The Rebels defense clamped down
as Chris Stephens, Brannon Milton
and Gilbert made the stops. Facing
a fourth down and twelve, McKenzie
received a short punt that was
tipped by an on-rushing lineman.
Beginning from the Panthers 44-
yard line, Milton ran behind
Jonathan Gaskins and Ricky Mathis
for a two-yard gain. Perkins took
the pitch from Holland and
pounded downfield seven yards.
McKenzie was penalized five yards
for motion and faced a third down
and six. Stenberg rammed behind
Jeremy Sydnor for a twelve-yard pick up. Three plays later, Holland faked a
handoff to fullback Milton and high-stepped it to the
sideline. Holland used his excellent speed to move
past the Riverside cornerback , linebacker and safety
for a twenty-yard touchdown. With 1:19 remaining in
the first quarter, Stenberg kicked the PAT through the
uprights.
First Quarter
McKenzie 15-Riverside 0
Riverside had the football as the second quarter
got underway. Vise ran up the middle only to see nose
guard Milton, who made a thundering
hit on the Panther ball carrier
for a two-yard loss. Two plays later,
the Panthers punted on fourth down
and seven. McKenzie regain pos-session
near mid-field.
From the forty-six yard line,
Perkins ran for seven yards and first
down. Three plays later, Holland hit Tharpe for a three-yard gain. A deep pass
to Duncan was intercepted at the Panther four-yard
line. McKenzie's defense toughened leaving the
Panthers punting on fourth and seven.
A very short punt was taken by the Rebels at the
Riverside 33-yard line. On first down, Holland rolled
left, behind good blocking from his line and found
Mitchell Hall open in the secondary. Hall helped the
Rebel cause with a twenty-nine yard score. With 7:32
remaining before intermission, the PAT was missed.
Second Quarter
McKenzie 21-Riverside 0
Riverside's next possession was
disastrous. A fourth down punt was
snapped over the punter's head and
through the end zone for a two-point
safety at the 5:53 mark of the
second quarter.
Second Quarter
McKenzie 23-Riverside 0
Riverside free-kicked to McKenzie
after the safety. Milton got the
call on first down. Milton picked up
one yard to the Rebel 48-yard line.
Then Holland electrified the crowd
by sprinting down the visitor's side-line
as he went untouched for a fifty-two yard Rebel touchdown.
With 4:58 remaining before inter-mission,
Stenberg kicked the PAT
good.
Second Quarter
McKenzie 30-Riverside 0
Late in the quarter, McKenzie
took over at the Panther 38-yard
line. Holland found Hall open for
a big 18-yard first down. Holland
then connected with Duncan, who
angled his way down the field some
36-yards to the eight-yard line.
Holland would not be denied as he
scampered the final eight yards to
cap off an unbelievable first half.
Stenberg booted the extra point
through the uprights.
Second Quarter
McKenzie 37-Riverside 0
During intermission, the March-ing
Rebels and Marching Panthers
performed their competitive shows
for the home crowd.
Halftime statistics favored the
score. Riverside had 23 rushes for
20 yards. Passing, the Panthers had
thrown nine times without completing
a pass. McKenzie had rushed
for 137 yards and thrown for 116.
McKenzie's offense had 253 yards
and 37 points while Riverside had
20 total yards and zero points.
McKenzie began the second half
where it had left off. Good line
blocking from Stevia Harris,
Sydnor, Gaskins, Mathis and Bruce
Anderson helped McKenzie begin
with a twelve-yard gain by Milton.
On second down, Milton was hit
and fumbled near the 50-yard line.
Riverside rallied its troops and
put together a six-play, 55 yard
scoring drive. Drew Ruggiano ran
for three yards on first down.
Holder ran on second down for a
six-yard gain. An encroachment
penalty gave the Panthers a first
down. Hall hit Ruggiano for a four-yard
loss. But on second down,
Billy Ringger hit Ruggiano for a
30-yard pass completion. With the
ball at the Rebel four-yard line,
Ruggiano blasted the middle for
three yards. Again Ruggiano got
the call for a one-yard touchdown.
With 7:56 remaining in the third
quarter, the two-point conversion
pass from Ringger to Holder was
no good.
Third Quarter
McKenzie 37-Riverside 6
The gray clad Rebels third possession
of the third quarter was
short-lived. With the ball at mid-field,
McKenzie was penalized five
yards for motion. Then the fleet-footed
Holland set sail for his
fourth touchdown of the contest.
Holland again got to the corner and
could find no one that came close
to his speed. The Rebel quarterback
finished a 55-yard touchdown run
with 2:30 remaining in the third
quarter. Hall rolled left and fired in
the end zone to Matt Jones for the
two-point conversion.
Third Quarter
McKenzie 45-Riverside 6
Following an interception by Tharpe in the end zone. McKenzie
took over at its own 20-yard line.
In for the Rebels were Andrew
Cross, Stephen Dickson, Brian
Winston, Paul Edwards, Brad
Campbell, Cody Cook, Matt
Merrick, Jake Smith, Ryan Drewry,
Clint Woodard, Brandon Cook and
John Howell.
The younger Rebels did a good
job with ball control. A fifteen play,
eighty yard scoring drive featured
runs by Merrick for six, three, eight
and one yards. Campbell ran for
five yards down to the six yard line.
Merrick got three straight calls.
With 3:28 remaining in the contest,
Merrick edged his way into the end
zone from a yard out. Hugo Beccerra missed the PAT.
Fourth Quarter
McKenzie 51-Riverside 6
On the ensuring kickoff, Holder
took a relatively short McKenzie
kick and went untouched for an
eighty-yard touchdown. The PAT
was good to close out the scoring.
Fourth Quarter
McKenzie 51-Riverside 13
"Our defense has come a long
way since early this season," com-mented
Coach Wade Comer. "I'm
really proud of our commitment.
We will be facing an excellent team
this Friday night. Dyer County will
be one of the best we play all year.
We desperately need a big home
crowd," he added.
Dyer County's Choctaws are
currently 5-1 and runner-up in Re-gion
7-AAA. They are led by 6-2,
195 lb. Senior Jason Shoulders at
quarterback. In 2000, Shoulders
threw for 1616 yards and 18 touch-downs.
This year he already has
over 1000 yards passing. He has
been running the option lately,
causing extra problems to opposing
defensive units.
All stater Tony Ferguson, a
speedster at 140 pounds, caught 29
passes for 711 yards and 10 touch-downs
last year. Brian Fisk
(6'3"...195 lbs.) had 585 yards in
receptions last year. At running
back will be D. Gilton (6'2"...225
lbs.) and senior Keith Mahome
(5'10"...175 lbs.) Also on the offen-sive
line will be center Brandon
Carter (5'11..245 lbs.). Tackles will
be Kevin Johnson (6'2"...285 lbs)
and Doug Preslar (6'2"...295 lbs.).
Dyer County downed 4-AAAA
Dyersburg 16-14 in game one.
There were also big wins over Gib son County 45-6, Ripley 21-14, Bolton, 34-21
and Brighton, 21-14. Their only loss came to
undefeated McNairy Central by a 49-27 score.
McKenzie has had a tough time posting wins against
the Choctaws. Since 1940, the two teams have met only
five times. Dyer County downed McKenzie 27-10 in 1977,
won 20-14 in 1978, 8-0 in 1983 and posted a shutout in
1984, 15- 0. The Rebels last played Dyer County in the
1993 Sight Bowl and fell 28-0.
Kickoff time will be at 7:30 at Rebel Field.
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