McCallie Routs Baylor, 42-7

  • Saturday, October 1, 2016
  • B.B Branton

McCallie’s high-powered offense – averaging 45 points in its four wins prior to Friday night - is as good as advertised and it’s defense –allowing only 23 points in those four victories - is rock solid.

Just ask Baylor.

Thanks to a clicking-on-all-cylinders offense led by senior quarterback Robert Riddle - 181 passing yards and three touchdowns – and a defense with three takeaways (two interceptions and a fumble recovery) and two stops in the red zone, the host Blue Tornado (No.6) defeated  No.3 Baylor 42-7, Friday night in a D-II Middle/East Region high school football game.

Playing in front of a standing-room only, energetic crowd of 6,000 plus fans at Spears Stadium, McCallie scored on its first four possessions to lead 28-0 at intermission.

The victorious Blue Tornado (5-2, 2-1) increased the lead to 35-0 in the third quarter and traded scores with the Red Raiders(5-2, 1-2) in the final 12 minutes.

“Our coaches had a great game plan for us, the guys on the offensive line blocked great all night and everyone took care of their assignments,” said Riddle who was an impressive 13-of-18 for 175 yards and the three TD tosses and one interception all in the first half.

“This is a great win for all the seniors.”

Taking the opening kickoff, McCallie moved 72 yards in six plays in only 1:48 capped by a 28 yard Riddle- to-Rico Dozier scoring toss for a 7-0 score.

After McCallie corner back Kendall Watson intercepted Baylor’s Lorenzo White at the Blue Tornado 37 on Baylor’s first possession, McCallie then made it 14-0 in just 1:09 on a Riddle-to-Walker Fannon pitch- and-catch for 51 yards and Alec Earp made good on his second of six extra point attempts.

After a Baylor punt, the Blue and White were on the move again as Riddle found Dozier open in the Baylor end zone from 15 yards out and it was 21-0 with 3:31 remaining in the first quarter.

The McCallie defense forced another Baylor punt and Riddle mixed the run and pass for 46 yards in 10 plays capped by his own 3-yard scoring run for a 28-0 advantage 9:55 before half.

McCallie moved to the Baylor 17 on its next possession, but a Jaylon Baker interception of Riddle set up Baylor’s best scoring opportunity of the first half.

White passed and ran Baylor down the field including connecting with Gunnar Ricketts for 50 yards on two plays and Baylor was on the McCallie 13.

But a Dalton Collins interception in the end zone stopped the Baylor drive and both teams headed to the locker room.

“I was actually out of position on the play, but read the quarterback’s eyes and was able to make the catch,” said a smiling Collins.

Baylor took the second half kickoff and quarterback Trusten McArtor marched the Red Raiders to the McCallie five, but fumbled at the goal line and Blue Tornado Stone Roebuck returned it 87 yards to the Baylor 13. Shawn McColley scored on the next play and McCallie led 35-0 with 6:10 remaining in the quarter.

“One of the keys to the game was missed opportunities to score on our part,” said Baylor coach Phil Massey.

“We throw an interception on our first drive and they score quickly to go up 14-0. We are in the red zone at the end of the first half and the start of the second and McCallie gets an interception and a fumble recovery to stop both drives.

“But hats off to McCallie as they had a good game plan and executed it well.”  

Baylor’s score came on an 85-yard pass play from McArtor-to-Ricketts with eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, while McCallie’s Xavier Brooks - who led both teams in rushing with 128 yards on 12 carries - closed out the scoring for the victors with a 45-yard run to the end zone with 3:03 remaining.

“It’s a great win for the players as they showed maturity and discipline in executing the game plan,” said McCallie coach Ralph Potter.

“I told Robert before the game that we would come out passing the football as I thought we could get the ball to our receivers out on the perimeter and we were able to do that successfully throughout the first half.”

“Our defense played great and the offensive line gave Robert plenty of time on pass plays and then later was able to open holes in the Baylor defense for our running game.”

Stats

First Downs: McCallie, 20-10

Rushing: McCallie (35-265) Baylor (29-98)

Passing: McCallie (181 – 14-19-1 and 3 TDs) … Baylor (173 … 9-17-2 and 1 TD)

Fumbles Returned: McCallie (1-86)6)

Interceptions: McCallie, 2  Baylor 1

Fumbles, Fumbles Lost: Baylor, 2-1  McCallie, 0-0

Red Zone Scores- Chances: McCallie, 3-4  Baylor, 0-2

Possession Time: Baylor, 24:31  McCallie 22:51

Passing: McCallie – Robert Riddle (14-19-1 181  3 TDs)  Baylor Lorenzo White (6-12-2 73)

Trusten McArtor (3-5-0 100 1 TD)

Rushing: McCallie – Xavier Brooks (12-128 1 TD) Shawn McColley (7-91 1 TD) Robert Riddle (8-28 1 TD)

Baylor -  Trusten McArtor (11-33)  Lorenzo White (8-26)

Receiving: McCallie  Rico Dozier (7-88 2 TDs( Walker Fannon (2-66 1 TD)

Baylor – Gunnar Ricketts (5-150 1 TD)

 

McCallie 42, Baylor 7

1st Q

McC -  Rico Dozier 28 pass from Robert Riddle (Alex Earp kick), 7-0 … 6 plays, 72 yards in 1:48

McC – Walker Fannon 51 pass from Riddle (Earp kick), 14-0 … 3-63 in 1:09

McC – Dozier 15 pass from Riddle (Earp kick), 21-0 … 7-41 in 1:16

2nd Q

McC – Riddle 3 run (Earp kick), 28-0 … 10-46 in 3:52

3rd Q

McC – Shawn McColley 13 run (Earp kick), 35-0 … 1-13 in 0:06

4th Q

Baylor - Gunnar Ricketts 85 pass from Trusten McArtor (Keegan Weekley kick), 35-7 … 1-85

McC – Xavier Brooks 45 run (Earp kick), 42-7 … 9-80 in 4:57

 

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

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