Maybe it was the giant new video board on the north end of McCallie’s newly named Pete & Ralph Potter Field. Maybe it was the jet lag that California’s Oak Ridge High seemed to have from Saturday evening’s opening kickoff forward. Maybe it was even the hope of McCallie boosters, fans and students to see a running clock on that new video board in order for that same board to televise the Tennessee-North Carolina State game as soon as the McCallie- Oak Ridge game ended.
But whatever caused the Blue Tornado’s surprisingly easy 38-16 victory over the visiting Trojans in a game that really wasn’t that close, after losing last at home last week to Gadsden County (Florida), McCallie was back to looking like the defending TSSAA Division II Class AAA state champs against Oak Ridge.
“We earned this victory by how we responded in practice this week to last week’s loss,” first-year McCallie head coach Joel Bradford told his team.
“We played relentlessly. We played with great effort.”
No one played with more effort for the third game in a row than senior running back Keylan Syam, who scored three touchdowns on runs of 50, three and one yard. Those ran his TD total to eight on the young season.
“Keylan has that hunger, that great attitude,” said Bradford. “If we could get everybody to resemble that effort, we’d really have something.”
It wasn’t just Syam. Elliott Arnold again booted a field goal and five PATs, al before halftime, as the Blue Tornado roared in front 38-0 at the break on its way to improving to 2-1 heading into next week’s visit from Memphis University School.
Fischer French also returned a Trojan fumble 34 yards for a score and quarterback Elliott Drapeau tossed a 29-yard touchdown to Hudson Powell on his way to a 13 for 18 night for 169 aerial yards.
“(Elliott’s) getting better, way better,” said Syam of his QB. “He’s getting smarter out there every single day.”
And while the offense was lighting up that new video board in the first half, the McCallie defense also came to play, holding Oak Ridge to 16 total rushing yards as well as the Blue Tornado’s Haddon Salter and Sean Couvertiere both making interceptions.
The clock running the whole second half because of the halftime lead, Bradford couldn’t help but smile at the difference a week made in his team’s performance.
“I think we’re the kind of team that each week we’re going to get better and better,” Bradford said.
GAME SUMMARY
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OAK RIDGE
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0
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0
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0
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16
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-- 16
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|
MCCALLIE
|
21
|
17
|
0
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0
|
-- 38
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MC Keylan Syam 50 run (Elliott Arnold kick)(9:04,1st)
MC Syam 3 run (Arnold kick) (4:21,1st)
MC Syam 1 run (Arnold kick) (2:49,1st)
MC Hudson Powell 29 pass from Elliott Drapeau (Arnold kick) (11:39, 2nd)
MC Fischer French 34 fumble recovery (Arnold kick) (4:25, 2nd)
MC Arnold 37 FG (0:01, 2nd)
OR Kaleb Edwards 4 pass from Cole Esten (Esten run) (11:25, 4th)
OR Jasen Womack 3 run (Aiden Stancco pass from Esten) (0:04, 4th)
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STATS
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OR
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MC
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|
First Downs
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11
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14
|
|
Rushes-Yards
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16-16
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22-86
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|
Passing Yards
|
195
|
174
|
|
Total yards
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211
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260
|
|
Passing (Comp-Att-Int)
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14-22-2
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14-20-0
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Penalties-Yards
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5-84
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4-36
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|
Punts-Average
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4-32.5
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2-29.5
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|
Fumbles-Lost
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1-1
|
0-0
|
|
|
|
|
Individual Stats
Rushing: Cole Esten 5-9; Isaac Pierce 1-5; Jasen Womack 1-3; Thom Wilson 2-3; Tyler Andujar 1-0; Austen Oive 6-(-4) (OR); Keylan Syam 9-67; Joseph Korenbilt 6-13; Kris Lloyd 5-8; Hudson Powell 1-(-2) (MC).
Passing: Cole Esten 14 of 22 for 185 yards, 1 TD and 2 interceptions (OR); Elliott Drapeau 13 of 18 for 169 yards and 1 TD; Rocco Universal 1 of 2 for 5 yards (MC).
Receiving: Kaleb Edwards 5-78; Isaac Pierce 2-39; Aiden Stancco 1-27; Troy Tabor 1-26; Jasen Womack 3-16; Aiden Oliphant 1-9; Justen Womack 1-9 (OR); Emrick Brice 4-50; Keeyshawn Tabuteau 3-43; Hudson Powell 1-29; Carson Lawrence 2-29; Jacob Lamontage 1-18; Teddy Wingfield 1-8; Hunter Glasgow 2-3 (MC).
Records: Oak Ridge 0-3; McCallie 2-1
Next up: McCallie hosts MUS next Friday night.
(Contact Mark Wiedmer at mwiedmer@mccllie.org)