McMinn Central Rallies Past Meigs County, 19-14

 

"You went toe-to-toe with the No.9 team in the state in their classification and it was a great defensive football game. You have no reason to hang your heads after that effort. It (the loss) hurts because you didn't quit."

--Meigs County coach Jason Fitzgerald

 

ETOWAH - On a cool, clear fall evening in ChargerNation, McMinn Central relied on some fourth quarter thunder and lightning to beat Meigs County, 19-14, here Friday night.

Trailing 14-13 with 9:50 remaining in the fourth, the Chargers (6-0) turned to the running duo of Jackson Long (thunder) and Jordan Brooks (lightning) to move 93 yards in 14 plays for what proved to be the winning touchdown.

Brooks started it off with a run of 12 to the Charger 19, followed by a pair of runs by Long to the 36 and the Chargers were moving to the delight of the home side of the overflow Homecoming crowd.

Long capped off what proved to be “The Drive” with a seven yard touchdown run carrying a couple of Tiger defenders across the goal line with 6:03 remaining for the 19-14 lead as a two point conversion run failed.

“We used Jordan as a receiver for most of the game, but really needed his speed in the backfield on that final long drive and he responded despite having sore feet,” said McMinn Central coach Josh Goodin.

The visiting Tigers (2-3) took the kickoff and could only move to midfield before having to punt at the Chargers then needed two first downs to eat up the final 3:28 to improve to 6-0 for the first time since 2008.

Opening Scores: The Chargers took the opening kickoff and got on the board first as Long reached paydirt from the 9 and Douglas Watts converted the extra point.

Meigs answered with a quick score of its own as Bryson Baker passed 37 yards to Dakota Ricker and it was 7-7 after a Justus 44 yards Palko extra point.

In the second quarter, the Chargers took advantage of a Meigs fumbled snap on fourth down and moved 44 yards in five plays with Long scoring from the 5, but the kick was wide right and McMinn Central held a precarious 13-7 advantage.

Baker and Ricker then moved Meigs in the Charger red zone looking for the tying touchdown, but the Charger defense stiffened and a Palko field goal attempt from 22 yards out was wide and the hosts led 13-7 going into halftime.

Homecoming Queen: Senior Kelsey Myers was crowned HC Queen and was escorted by Logan Williams. She is captain of the volleyball team and also is a member of the varsity basketball team.

Knowing that two key teammates were out for the game with knee injuries – Dakota Ricker and Jay Odum – the Tigers took the second half kickoff and marched 69 yards with Baker scoring from the 1 yard line and Palko’s PAT making it 14-13.

Speaking to his team after the game, Meigs County coach Jason Fitzgerald said, “You lost two starters in the first half, but you didn’t quit. You gained my respect when you responded (with a touchdown drive) like a champion.”

McMinn punted on its next two possessions before the game-winning drive in the fourth quarter.

“Meigs definitely controlled the third quarter and when we were deep in our own territory in the fourth I thought we needed Jordan in the game to give us good speed coming out of the backfield,” said coach Goodin.

“We are a pretty young team, but on with lots of experience and many of our underclassmen who start played a lot last year,” coach Goodin stated. “We are sitting where we are (6-0) because of the character of our kids as they play hard with great effort for four quarters.”

More Fitzgerald: As his players finished shaking hands with the Charger players he said,” you have nothing to hang your heads about. You get your heads up.  You are leaving here with the respect of the No.9 team in the state.”

Still Perfect: 37 schools in Tennessee remain undefeated … don’t look ahead … but -  McMinn Central has a tough game at Sweetwater next Friday and another unbeaten team in Loudon comes calling Oct. 17 (both are district games).

Fast Feet, But Sore: McMinn Central's Jordan Brooks played with sore feet after sustaining blisters Wednesday.  Last week he returned a kickoff for a touchdown in the 20-18 win against Polk County and this week a McMinn Central student challenged him to a race.  Not one to back down from a challenge, Brooks won the spur of the moment race running in street clothes and in sock feet on the school track, but suffered blisters in the process.

He played most of the Meigs Co. game as a receiver before moving to his usual running back spot in the fourth quarter.

McMinn Central 19, Meigs Co. 14

Meigs – 7 -0 – 7 – 0 – 14

McMinn – 7 – 6 – 0 – 6 -  19

1st Q

MC – Jackson Long 9 run (Douglas Watts kick), 7-0, 9:11

Meigs - Dakota Ricker 37 pass from Bryson Baker (Justus Palko kick), 7-7

2nd

MC – Long 7 run (kick failed), 13-7, 7:13

3rd Q

Meigs – Baker 1 run (Palko kick), 14-13, 4:03

4th Q

MC – Long 7 run (run failed)

Game Statistics

Rushing: McMinn Central. 45 carries – 232 yards (Jackson Long 25 carries, 122 yards, 3 TDs; Jordan Brooks, 5 carries, 36 yards; Luke Davis, 3 carries, 14 yards; Jackson Guy 9 carries, 79 yards

Meigs Co: 48 carries for 165 yards (Logan Fowler, 17 carries, 79 yards; Bryson Baker, 11 carries, 18 yards, TD

Passing;

McMInn Central –  6 of 9 for 73 yards (Jackson Guy, 6 of 9, 73 yards, I INT)

Meigs Co.– 10 of 16 80 yards (Bryson Baker, 10 of 16 80 yards, 1 TD,

Receiving: Meigs Co. Dakota Ricker (3 catches, 55 yards,1 TD)

 

contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net