Union’s quick start proves to be difference in game
Union started fast and furious against the Newton Tigers, building a 22-0 lead en route to a 35-12 win in a big rivalry and district game for both teams.
Yellowjacket coach Jordan Wren said he had a lot of respect for the Newton defense going into the game.
“We had probably our first 10 plays or so scripted based on tendencies that we saw on film,” Wren said. “I figured they would all be big plays if we executed. We started practice all week with those 10 plays. I think the preparation of film watching and the kids understanding what we needed to do, I think that was the reason for the fast start.”
Newton coach Zack Grady said that his team didn’t handle the fast start by Union well.
“The first nine minutes of the game, we did exactly what I told them we couldn’t do,” Grady said. “We gave up big plays. We turned the football over. The team that didn’t do that, they win.”
Union was led once again by Kenyon Clay, who finished with 279 yards passing, completing six of 13 attempts with two touchdowns and no interceptions. He also had 83 yards rushing on 14 attempts with one touchdown.
Jaheim Gill also had 135 total yards, 70 rushing on 16 carries and one reception for 65 yards. That reception came on the opening play of the game, as Union executed the first play in the script to perfection.
Clay threw a short screen pass to Gill, and Gill did the rest. He raced to the end zone from the Union 35 for a touchdown. Henry Thornton’s extra point gave Union a 7-0 lead less than 20 seconds into the game.
After Newton went three-and-out and had just a 7-yard punt, Clay called his own number on a 26-yard touchdown run. Thornton’s PAT made it 14-0 with 9:39 left in the first quarter.
Lawrence Morris’s second punt was much better. His 34-yard effort put Union on their own 15. Facing a third-and-17 at the Union 19, Clay threw it deep to Mark Jones for a 72-yard pass to the Newton 9. Gill did the rest, scoring his second touchdown of the night on a 4-yard run. Less than 9 minutes into the game, Union led 22-0 after Gill scored the 2-point conversion on the swinging gate play.
Neither team would score again until midway through the second quarter. Clay hooked up with Jones for a 37-yard pass play. Clay called his own number on an 18-yard run, setting up Gill’s third touchdown on a 12-yard run.
Then on fourth-and-24, Union ran a fake punt. Clay, as the up man in the punt formation, tossed a 60-yard touchdown to an uncovered Jones streaking down the field, giving Union a 35-0 lead at halftime.
Jones finished the night with 214 yards receiving on five catches.
Newton didn’t’ give up, as Morris finally helped the Tigers find paydirt. He connected with Tyshun Evans on a 21-yard touchdown pass. The two-point conversion failed.
Then Morris connected with Isaiah Johnson for a 15-yard touchdown pass. The two-point conversion failed to make the final score.
Morris finished the night 217 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, completing 21 of 36 passes. Rayvion Nettles finished with five receptions for 63 yards. Johnson had two catches for 56 yards while Evans finished with 7 catches for 49 yards. Kaleb Traxler had five catches for 25 yards. Avante Flowers had 28 yards rushing and 17 yards receiving.
For Union, Ky’Yon Harris finished with eight tackles and one interception while Carlos Hickman had seven tackles. Peyton Posey also had six tackles including three tackles for loss.
Despite the tough first half, Grady said he was proud of the team’s effort and fight.
“One thing I was real proud of was that we came back after halftime,” Grady said. “The kids showed a lot of character, a lot of fight. We came back and played a great second half. So we just got to get ready for Scott Central and played a better game next week.”
Wren, however, was displeased with the execution in the second half. He took the partial blame for that, as they were trying to be a little more conservative to not run up the score.
“We have to learn that even though we’re not throwing the football, we haven’t changed our identity as a football team,” Wren said. “We have to learn how to put teams away and not let what the second half became tonight.”
