Huntingdon Middle Tops McKenzie, 36-6

The Huntingdon Middle School Mustangs took advantage of early McKenzie mistakes and defeated the Rebels 36-6 in McKenzie on Thursday.

The Mustangs led 22-0 despite running only two offensive plays in the first quarter. Huntingdon kicked off to start the game and had the Rebels pinned back at their own four-yard line. The Rebels punted from their own three, and Makhyn Gilbert’s punt was almost blocked by Miller Holmes. The ball landed at the three and bounded into the hands of Holmes in the end zone for a touchdown. Cohen Gray ran in the two-point conversion for an 8-0 Huntingdon lead.

Banks Butler then intercepted a Cord Wall pass at the Rebel 38 and sprinted to the end zone for the touchdown. Gray again converted the two-point run, and the Mustangs led 16-0 with 5:01 left in the first quarter.

The Mustangs took over at the Rebel 48 following a punt for their first offensive possession of the game. Two plays later, Gray dashed 50 yards for the touchdown with 1:47 left in the first. After a failed conversion, the Mustangs led 22-0.

The Mustangs scored again with three minutes left in the half as Bryce Maddox completed a 19-yard pass to Draylin Carter for a touchdown. The conversion failed, and the Mustangs grabbed a 28-0 lead.

The Mustangs’ final score of the night came with 6:19 left in the third quarter when Maddox scored on an eight-yard run to complete a three-play, 31-yard drive. Butler scored on the conversion, and the Mustangs led 36-0.

McKenzie scored its only points of the night on its last possession of the game as the Rebels drove 34 yards in five plays to score on a three-yard run by Navadius Owens with 34 seconds left in the game. The conversion failed, leaving the final score 36-6.

Huntingdon rushed for 181 yards in the game and completed 3 of 4 passes for 41 yards. Gray ran for 91 yards on three carries, while Maddox ran 10 times for 63 yards. McKenzie ran for 30 yards in the game and completed 1 of 5 passes for 18 yards.