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High School Football

Rebels Crush Pioneers 56-7 on Homecoming

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McKENZIE (October 2) — McKenzie High School celebrated Homecoming Friday night with a huge region win over Gibson County, 56-7.
Following pregame festivities, including the crowning of the Homecoming queen, the Rebels got straight to work with a 28-point first frame and cruised to the blowout victory.
The Pioneers received the opening kickoff, but the McKenzie defense forced a quick three-and-out aided by two fumbled snaps. Rebel Rashad McCreary blocked Hayden Crandall’s punt, and Logan Lyles picked it up and took it 15 yards for a touchdown. Zach Aird kicked the point-after, and the Rebels led 7-0 two minutes into the contest.
Gibson County went three-and-out again. Rebel Will Latimer received the punt near the 40 and returned it to the McKenzie 46.
Lyles started the Rebels’ first offensive possession with a six-yard run, then Caleb Gill ran twice for nine total to move the chains. Marquez Taylor followed with a 39-yard touchdown. Aird’s PAT made it 14-0 halfway through the opening quarter.
Pioneer Damarea Smith received Aird’s kickoff deep at the 10. As Taylor made the stop, Smith fumbled and Rebel Drew Chappell made the recovery at the 16.
McKenzie turned the turnover into points on one play, a pass from quarterback Jackson Cassidy to Taylor. Aird kicked, and the Rebels led 21-0 with 5:53 remaining in the first.
The Rebel defense made it three straight three-and-outs, and the Gibson County punt was downed at the McKenzie 39.
After a first-down false start penalty, Taylor blew past the Pioneer defense for 60 yards down to the 6. A fumble on first-and-goal resulted in no gain, then Cassidy threw to Lyles for three yards. Gill punched it in from the 3, and Aird’s kick gave the Rebels a 28-0 lead with just under three minutes to play in the first.
Pioneer Colton Lumpkin received the ensuing kick near the 12 and made a huge return to the McKenzie 25. The Rebel defense held strong again, and quarterback John Phillips threw incomplete on a fourth-down try to give McKenzie the ball at the 22.
Cassidy started with a quick throw to Latimer for five yards, then Taylor went eleven for a first down as the quarter ended. Cassidy found Latimer again on the first play of the second for 52 yards. On first-and-goal from the 10, Gill scored on a pair of five-yard runs. Aird stayed perfect on point-after kicks, and the Rebels led 35-0 with 10:43 remaining in the first half.

Gibson County managed to move the chains for the first time but quickly faced third down. Phillips scrambled and was sacked for a loss of eleven by Jordan Woods, and Crandall punted.
McKenzie took over at the far 35. Gill ran for three, then Cassidy threw incomplete. He kept the next snap for 16 yards, then kept again for six. Two plays later, it was fourth-and-five. Cassidy threw to Taylor for eleven and a fresh set of downs. Gill and Cassidy combined for another first down, then, after a penalty made it first-and-15, Gill took it 23 yards for the score. Aird kicked to make it 42-0 with just under two minutes before intermission.
The Pioneers were pinned deep on the kickoff and managed three plays before time expired.
The Rebels received the second-half kick and started at their own 45. A plethora of younger players took over for McKenzie, including Chappell at quarterback. He kept for 18 yards, then Etijay Tharpe ran on five straight plays, culminating in an 18-yard touchdown. Stafford Roditis kicked the PAT, and the Rebels led 49-0 with 7:33 to play in the third quarter.
Gibson County started at the 31 and soon faced third-and-short, but Dearion Allen got the Pioneers on the board with a 61-yard touchdown run. Crandall hit the point-after, and the score was 49-7 with five minutes remaining in the third.
McKenzie experimented on the next drive and went three-and-out. Aird’s punt went out of bounds at midfield.
Phillips kept for eight yards as the quarter ended, then threw incomplete on the first play of the final frame, pressured by Rebel Zach Chandler. The QB was flagged for intentional grounding, and the setback led to an unsuccessful fake punt two plays later.
Taking over at the Pioneer 40, Tharpe ran twice for a first down, then repeated for four yards. Chappell kept the next snap for a 24-yard touchdown. Roditis completed McKenzie’s perfect night on PATs, and the Rebels led 56-7 with seven minutes to play.
Gibson County moved the ball well on the final possession, earning two first downs before fumbling on fourth down. Rebel Andrew Cole made the recovery.
McKenzie ran two plays to run out the clock on the lopsided region win.
The Rebels (3-2, 2-1) host Dresden Friday, their final home game of the regular season. Senior Night activities begin at approximately 7 p.m. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m.