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McKenzie Beats Dresden in Close One 23-14

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#4 ranked McKenzie played host to #6 ranked Dresden in what turned out to be the closest contest the Rebels have had all season. Despite a rash of penalties called against the Rebels, they kept their cool and played their game and eventually won 23-14 to remain undefeated at 7-0.

McKenzie won the toss and deferred to the second half giving Dresden’s Lions the ball first to start the contest. The Lions moved steadily downfield into McKenzie territory keyed by a 26-yard pass completion. Dresden got on the scoreboard first on a 3-yard touchdown run by quarterback Tatum Oliver. Mark Maddox’s extra point attempt was good for a 7-0 Dresden lead with 9:27 left in the first quarter.

The Rebels, also, wasted no time moving the ball downfield. Marquez Taylor scored on a run that was nullified by a holding call. A few plays later, on fourth down, Jackson Cassidy struck on a touchdown pass that was also nullified by a holding call against McKenzie. The ball was turned over on downs leaving Dresden at their own two yard line.

A couple of plays later Dresden completed a pass in which Etijay Tharpe stripped the ball causing a fumble that the Rebels recovered near midfield. The Rebels drove into Lion territory starting with a 22-yard completion from Jackson Cassidy to Zach Aird. A few plays later, Marquez Taylor scored on a 9-yard run. Aird’s extra point was good tying the game 7-7 with 2:30 left in the opening quarter.

Dresden’s next possession rolled into the second quarter where they turned it over on downs with an incomplete pass on fourth down at the McKenzie 19. McKenzie took the ball from their own 19 and moved it to midfield before having to punt to the Lions. The Rebel defense forced the Lions to punt it back to the Rebels from their own 24-yard line. Jackson Cassidy got a 15-yard punt return back to the Rebel 46-yard line.

McKenzie drove the next possession inside the Dresden 10-yard line before another penalty pushed them back. Cassidy got the yards back plus some setting up a 2-yard touchdown run by Rashad McCreary with 15 seconds left in until halftime. The extra point attempt was no good but McKenzie had their first lead 13-7 heading into halftime.

McKenzie took the ball first to start the third quarter and got a good kickoff return but were not able to do much with the possession and got off a booming 40-yard punt backing Dresden deep in their own territory. Dresden fumbled the ball a couple of plays later with McKenzie recovering it at the Dresden 9-yard line. The Lions’ goal-line defense held the Rebels out of the endzone forcing a fourth down play. Zach Aird nailed a 22-yard field goal to extend McKenzie’s lead to 16-7 with 7:24 left in the third quarter.

Dresden went three plays and punted their next possession while the Rebels drove all the way to the Dresden 5-yard line where a pair of penalties against McKenzie backed them up. They went for a pass on fourth down which was incomplete turning the ball over on downs.

Dresden started their next possession from their own 24 and moved the ball to near midfield where Andrew Cole sacked Tatum Oliver for an 8-yard loss but a McKenzie personal foul penalty on the next play gave Dresden an automatic first down at the Rebel 24-yard line. From there, the Lions moved inside the McKenzie 10 and scored on a four-yard run by Trey Eddings. Maddox was good on the extra point cutting the McKenzie lead to 16-14 with 7:23 left in the fourth quarter.

Dresden attempted an onside kick which McKenzie recovered near midfield. The Rebels gave the Lions a heavy dose of Marquez Tharpe as he completed runs of 18, 10, 8, and 14 yards. The 14-yarder was for a touchdown with 3:23 left in the game. Aird’s extra point was good for a 23-14 lead.

McKenzie’s defense took care of business on Dresden’s ensuing possession allowing next to nothing on the possession. The Lions went for a fourth down play and threw an incomplete pass turning the ball back over on downs inside their own territory.

McKenzie drove the ball inside the Dresden 5-yard line where they went into victory formation and Jackson Cassidy took a knee to run out the clock on the win.

Despite double digit penalties for over 100 yards plus, McKenzie rolled up 389 yards offense. 276 on the ground and 113 through the air. Marquez Taylor had 20 carries for 131 yards and two touchdowns. Jackson Cassidy ran for 79 yards and Rashad McCreary had 49 yards rushing with one touchdown. Cassidy was 8 of 17 for 113 yards spreading the ball out to several receivers.

The Rebels travel to Gleason next week for another region contest before taking a week off.