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HUNTINGDON (August 21) — After a summer of uncertainty due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the high school football season got underway on schedule Friday, including the classic Carroll County rivalry game between the Huntingdon Mustangs and McKenzie Rebels. The Rebels shocked the host Mustangs for a 31-22 victory.
Usually, the contest is played before a capacity crowd, but safety guidelines forced attendance on both sides to be limited for an oddly understated atmosphere.
McKenzie got off to a hot start, capitalizing on back-to-back Huntingdon fumbles for a quick 14-0 lead. The Mustangs battled back to tie the game with under a minute remaining in the first half, but the Rebels stormed down the field to regain the lead with a field goal as time expired. Huntingdon scored on a McKenzie fumble to start the second half, but the Rebels took the win with 14 unanswered points down the stretch.
Unfortunately for the Mustangs, the loss meant the end of several impressive streaks. It was their first loss to McKenzie since 2014, their first regular-season loss since 2016 and their first back-to-back losses (going back to last year’s playoff loss to Lake County) since 2014.
Huntingdon received the opening kickoff, but the first snap from scrimmage resulted in a fumble, recovered by Rebel Brandon Boaz and returned to the Mustang 15. Rebel Logan Lyles ran for two yards, then quarterback Eli Surber kept for five. On third down, Caleb Gill found a gap up the middle for an eight-yard touchdown. Zach Aird kicked the point-after, and McKenzie led 7-0 with 10:17 to play in the first frame.
Aird kicked off for a touchback, and Huntingdon started at the far 20. It was quickly third down, but quarterback Blake Bradley kept for 29 yards across midfield to the 37. Two plays later, a holding penalty set the Mustangs back to midfield. A host of Rebels broke up the next play for a loss, and the next resulted in another fumble. Boaz again made the recovery, and McKenzie took over at the Huntingdon 38.
Gill gained seven on first down, then Surber kept for a 31-yard touchdown. Aird kicked the PAT, and the Rebels led 14-0 halfway through the first quarter.
Aird again kicked for a touchback, and the McKenzie defense pushed the Mustangs back on three straight plays. Bradley punted from the end zone, and the Rebels took over near midfield.
The first snap resulted in a fumble, and Mustang Cade Wood recovered at the McKenzie 47.
A first-down penalty set Huntingdon back five yards, but Bradley gained eight on a delayed run. Wood carried twice to move the chains, but it was soon fourth-and-four. The Mustangs came up short on the try, and the Rebels took over at their own 23. Gill made a short gain as the quarter ended, then slipped and lost a few yards on the first play of the second. Two plays later, Aird’s punt was downed at the Mustang 34.
Huntingdon kept it on the ground during a seven-play, 66-yard scoring drive. Bradley and Aiden Hutcherson took turns with the ball, culminating in a six-yard score by Hutcherson. Bradley threw to Luke Furr for two points, and the Mustangs cut the deficit to 14-8 with seven minutes to play in the half.
Mustang Blake Reeves kicked off to Rebel Will Latimer, who made a solid return to the 30. Gill made two short gains, then Surber threw to Lyles for a first down. The QB then tossed to Marquez Taylor for another first, but followed with an incomplete pass on the same play. On the next play, Bradley stripped the ball to give Huntingdon possession.