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By Pat Cole
pcole@mckenziebanner.com |
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Middle School football action began with four area
schools participating in the annual Junior High Jamboree
at McKenzie's Rebel Field on Saturday, August 17. Four
"games" consisting of two 10-minute quarters were played
with the Inman Bulldogs and Dresden Lions leading off the
annual competitive action.
Dresden 14-Inman 8
The Lions gained the first offensive opportunity in the
opening stanza of action and consistently drove the length
of the football field to put the first score on the board.
Beginning at their own 30-yard line, the Lions picked up a
first down at the 40 and then picked up another four downs
later when Inman was penalized for motion on a fourth and
three call. Quarterback Jacob Hatchel provided an
eight-yard completion to Matt Hewett in the second series
of downs. With a first down at the Inman 47 yard line,
Hewett took the handoff, fumbled and recovered the ball on
the bounce for a four-yard gain and then the Lions moved
up the middle for a gain of one. Hewett picked up three
and another motion penalty against the Bulldogs gave them
a first down at the Inman 36 yard line. Hewett moved right
for a gain of seven and then Hatchel kept the ball up the
middle to gain first down at the 25-yard line. Hewett
moved left for a first down at the nine, a motion penalty
moved the ball to the five-yard line and on first down,
Hewett moved into the end zone with 3:54 remaining on the
clock to give the Lions a 6-0 lead. Moments later, Tony
Harrison took the ball into the end zone for the two-point
conversion and the Lions held an 8-0 lead.Inman took offensive control of the ball with Jeremy
Turbeville moving for a gain of three with Matt Clements
and Harrison on the stop. On a sweep left, with Dustin
Patton carrying the ball, it was stripped, but recovered
by Calvin McNairl for no gain. McNairl then moved for a
gain of four with Hewett on the tackle, leaving fourth and
three and the Bulldogs punting to the Lions. Dresden took
over at their own 31-yard line with 1:57 remaining in the
first quarter.
Harrison took the ball right for four yards while Randy
Williams moved left for no gain. Another motion penalty,
this time on the Lions moved the ball back five yards. On
third and 11, Hewett took the ball to the left and was
finally caught by Patton at the Inman 24-yard line as the
first quarter came to a conclusion. Williams moved the
ball the first two plays of the second quarter and picked
up seven yards. Hatchel moved the ball for a gain of two
and then Hewett picked up a first down at the eight-yard
line on fourth and one. Hatchel picked up three and then
Hewett moved in for the touchdown with 6:22 remaining to
play. Hatchel was hit and unable to penetrate the end
zone, leaving the Lions with a 14-0 advantage.
Inman took over at their own 30-yard line and consistently
moved the ball under the direction of quarterback Klaatu
McNutt. McNairl moved for three and then Shadrick Tharpe
was held to a loss of three by the Lions' Williams. McNutt
passed the ball to McNairl for first down at the Dresden
44. Hewett and Joe Tyson made the stop. On first down,
Dresden's pressure led to an incomplete pass attempt.
However on second down, McNutt completed one to Patton for
first down at the Lions 14-yard line. A handoff to Tharpe
resulted in a nine-yard gain and then Dresden lined up
offsides to give the Bulldogs first down at the three-yard
line. McNairl crossed the plane for the touchdown with
3:32 remaining in the quarter and the score was narrowed
to 14-6. Patton crossed into the end zone for the
two-point conversion and Dresden's lead was now 14-8.
Dresden had a short series, with Inman taking over on
downs at the 1:36 mark and then Dresden held the Bulldogs
one-yard shy of a first down and took over to control
their fate at the 29.2-second mark. Dresden won the match
14-8.
Huntingdon 22-Medina 0
Huntingdon's Mustangs came out ready and very able to
score at will in their game with Medina. After scoring two
touchdowns and leading 14-0, the Stangs put in their
second offensive unit for their third offensive series.
The game began with Huntingdon on offense for the first
possession. Chris Donald took the ball quickly to the end
zone on a 60-yard run and at the 9:48 mark, Brent Taylor
moved inside for the two-point conversion as Huntingdon
took an 8-0 lead.
Good defense, provided by Taylor, Brandon McCormick and
Logan Sellers gave the Hornets a loss of three overall and
Huntingdon receiving the punt at their own 42-yard line.
Taylor moved up the middle for five while Donald gained
the first down on a sweep left to the Hornets 48-yard
line. Donald moved left again for nine yards and Taylor
picked up the first down at the Medina 30. A pass from
quarterback Cody Crocker to Octavious Strayhorn put the
Stangs up 14-0 at the 4:11 mark after the two-point
conversion attempt failed.
Medina picked up three yards on their second offensive
opportunity as Crocker, Sellers, Austin Arnold, Cedric
Harris, and Donald led the defensive attack. Once again
the Hornets punted and the Stangs took over at their own
42-yard line.
With the second offensive unit in the game for Huntingdon,
Medina was offsides and then the ball was stripped from
the hands of Brandon Taylor as he moved to the right.
Medina recovered the loose ball and again went on offense
at the Huntingdon 42-yard line.
Medina quarterback Kenneth Durbin moved left and picked up
a first down at the Huntingdon 25 before he was brought
down by Brent Taylor. Huntingdon then held and regained
possession at their own 14-yard line just after the second
quarter began.
With the first offensive unit back in the game, Donald
moved left for first down at the 28-yard line. Brent
Taylor then moved right to the Medina 43. Crocker
recovered a fumble and Donald moved to the left and into
the end zone at the 4:32 mark to give Huntingdon a 20-0
lead. Taylor picked up the two-point conversion and
Huntingdon now led 22-0.
Medina managed one good run for a gain of 38 yards with
Logan King and Justin Hampton on the tackle. Several pass
attempts were futile however as the Stangs pressured
quarterback Durbin and the game ended with Huntingdon
winning 22-0.
West Carroll 26-Hollow Rock-Bruceton 0
In the third game of the night, the War Eagles came out
strong and after holding the Tigers to a loss of two on
their first offensive effort, Neco Kirby took the ball
left for a decent run. The run was negated by a holding
penalty against West Carroll and then Kirby again got the
nod and took the ball right. With good blocking from his
offensive line, Kirby ran the distance for the touchdown
at the 7:09 mark. The two-point conversion failed and the
War Eagles held a 6-0 lead.
Central took over at their own 30 and Detris Willis was
hit by Joseph Johnson for a loss of five. Quarterback
Billy Stephens was hit and fumbled but recovered for a
loss of three, leading to the Tigers' second punt of the
game.
West Carroll took over at their own 47-yard line Kirby was
held at the Central 41 by Willis. On first down, Antonio
Bell moved in zigzag fashion for a first down at the 15
before Stevens brought him down. Kirby was held for a loss
of five by Chaz Barmore. Bell moved for gains of 12 and
four and the first down at the two-yard line. Stevens, Sam
Lowe, Barmore and Willis were on the defensive effort.
Kirby then scored from two-yards out and West Carroll led
12-0 with 19.2 remaining in the first quarter.
Jeremy Irwin took the ball right for a gain of four yards
as the first quarter ended. On second down, the ball was
fumbled and recovered by War Eagle Dustin Seay.
Kirby took the ball right with the stop just inches shy of
first down by Nick Bryant, Bud Luther and Willis. Bell
then ran the ball to the 19. Kirby recovered a fumble for
a loss of six and then Luther stopped Kirby after a gain
of nine yards. Luther and Jarrett Watson held Kirby to two
yards. A pass, attempted by quarterback T.J. Johnson was
completed to Williams, but shy of the first down. The
Tigers took over at their own 10-yard line, with 4:28
remaining.
The Tigers continued to have problems as two fumbles
occurred with the second resulting in a recovery by War
Eagle Joseph Johnson for the touchdown at the 3:23 mark.
The two-point conversion failed and West Carroll led 18-0.
The Tigers began another offensive series and on third and
10, the ball was fumbled and recovered by War Eagles Joe
Gentile with 1:32 remaining.
The final touchdown occurred moments later on a 55-yard
run by Cody Wilson with 54.2 seconds remaining on the
clock. West Carroll led 24-0. Trent Gateley took the ball
for the two-point conversion attempt and with some
maneuvering managed to gain the end zone to give the War
Eagles their final 26-0 score.
Central had one more offensive play as time ran out.
Camden 16-McKenzie 0
Camden gained the first offensive opportunity for the
final game of the night and managed to score in four plays
with Byron Boyd scoring on a 50-yard run despite the
Rebels defensive efforts. A pass from quarterback Hunter
Palmer to Phillip Boyd gave Camden an 8-0 lead with 8:11
remaining in the first quarter.
The Rebels first offensive effort was unable to generate
any offense. A first down fumble resulted in Carson Rider
recovering for McKenzie. Jonathan Flippin recovered a
second down fumble and a third down pass to Glenn Smith
was incomplete. McKenzie punted with Camden taking over at
their own 40-yard line.
B. Boyd picked up five yards with Kendall Smith on the
tackle. Camden then picked up two yards as Will Merrick
and Derrick Hubble made the tackle. K. Smith broke through
the line and sacked the Camden quarterback for a loss of
seven yards.
McKenzie took over with Flippin gaining four yards and
then Merrick moving for the first down on a sweep to the
left. A fumble was recovered by Flippin for a loss of two
and then Blake Milam picked up five yards. Rider was held
for a loss of two and on fourth and nine, the Rebels again
punted to Camden.
With 46 seconds remaining on the first quarter clock, B.
Boyd took the ball all the way to the end zone and scored
Camden's second touchdown with 27.7 remaining on the
clock. Daniel Richardson scored on the two-point
conversion, giving Camden a 16-0 lead.
The Rebels next offensive opportunity began with Flippin
picking up seven yards and Merrick held for a loss of
four. A motion penalty gave McKenzie a third and two and
Flippin was held inches short. A motion penalty against
Camden gave McKenzie a first down. A pass was incomplete
to Julian Tucker and a second down fumble was recovered by
Camden.
Hubble and J. Tucker held the advance to a gain of six
while Flippin and J. Tucker held the gain to three. A
fumble was recovered by Camden for a loss of two and a
pass on fourth down was incomplete.
McKenzie took over at their own 39-yard line with Milam
gaining six yards. Derek Carr was held for no gain and
then Milam moved right for a first down. Milan moved left
for six yards while a pass was incomplete. A third down
fumble was recovered by Camden.
Camden fumbled on their second play of the series and
McKenzie's Merrick recovered the ball with 2:47 remaining
in the game.
A motion penalty gave McKenzie first and five and Flippin
moved to the right and then stepped out at the 21.
However, the gain was negated on a penalty and the ball
moved back. McKenzie again fumbled and Camden recovered.
With good defensive effort by Flippin, Merrick, K. Smith,
Reggie Milam, Hubble, and J. Tucker, Camden was held to a
loss of two as time ran out. Camden won the game, 16-0. |
