(by Don Meador, Allen County Schools)
The Mercer County Titans pounded the ball at
the Allen County-Scottsville defense, stopped the AC-S ground game, and made
numerous big plays in a 33-19 win Saturday afternoon at the McDaniel Wealth
Management Rebel Bowl at Boyle County High School.
Titan back Malachi Yulee rushed for 207 yards on 13 carries while teammate Braydon Dunn recorded 72 yards on four carries---a one-two punch that found the holes created by the Titan line for several long runs. The first long run came on the game’s second official play when Yulee broke free for a 71-yard score. Noah Davis’ point-after lifted Mercer County to a 7-0 lead---the second consecutive week that AC-S found themselves behind following their opponents’ first series.
On their second possession of the game, the Patriots began to move the ball. Signal-caller Trace McIntyre hooked up with junior wide out Brandon Baxter for a nine-yard gain. McIntyre and junior back Landon Witcher followed the gaps created by the Patriot line for four runs which moved the ball to the Titan 36 yard line. However, back-to-back incompletions stalled the drive.
AC-S would score their first touchdown of
the season on their next possession. Starting at their 40 yard line with 1:14
left in the first quarter, Witcher and McIntyre combined for six yards on two
runs. McIntyre hit Baxter for a 10-yard gain, a pair of Mercer County penalties
moved the ball downfield, and McIntyre found Witcher over the middle for a
20-yard gain. Four plays later, Witcher reached the ball cross the goal line to
score on a three-yard run to cap the 12-play, 60 yard drive. The Patriot PAT
failed, leaving AC-S down 7-6 with 5:51 left in the first half.
A quarterback sack by Jaquez McPeak ended the following Titan drive, forcing a punt. The Patriots looked sharp on the next possession. McIntyre completed a 26-yard pass to Witcher and a 13-yard strike to Dillion Rookstool to move the ball to the Mercer 21 yard line. Rookstool followed with an 11-yard run. Two plays later, McIntyre used his legs to scamper into the zone, giving AC-S a 12-7 lead with 53.8 seconds remaining in the half.
Mercer County’s final stats would show that quarterback Kaelin Drakeford would throw for just 53 yards on three completions. What the stat sheet doesn’t tell you, is that 48 of the 53 yards came on the next five plays. Starting at their 42-yard line after the kickoff return, Mercer County went to the air. Drakeford completed an 11-yard pass moving the ball to the AC-S 37 yard line. After an incompletion, Drakeford found Dillion Warren open on the sideline. Warren caught the ball and raced to the end zone. His touchdown with 6.7 seconds left in the first half gave Mercer County a 13-12 lead at the break.
The Titans third big play in the game occurred midway through the third quarter. Patriot Thorny Walker booted the ball from his own 27 yard line. Drakeford---serving as the team’s punter returner as well as quarterback---took the return almost 60 yards for the Titans third score of the game. The PAT failed but Mercer County led 19-12.
The Patriots’ next drive stalled at midfield but the following punt led to the Titans next big-game moment---and perhaps the game-changing moment. Walker’s kicked was touched down by Noah Kinslow at the Mercer County half-yard line---leaving the Titans backed into the end zone to start the drive. Drakeford got his team out of the precarious spot with an 11-yard run. On the next play, Yulee appeared to score on an 88-yard run. However, offsetting penalties negated the long run. Plus, an unsportsmanlike penalty on Mercer pushed the Titans back to their own six yard line. Dunn followed with an eight yard run. Yulee added a pair of runs to move the ball to the 42 yard line. Dunn took it from there, scoring on a 58 yard run. Following the PAT, Mercer County owned a 26-12 lead with 11:10 left in the game.
AC-S’s last hope of a comeback fizzled on their next possession following a march down field. McIntyre connected with Jax Cooper for 18 yards, Baxter for 15 yards, and to Cooper a second time for a three-yard gain. Add in a Mercer County penalty and a run by Witcher and AC-S had moved to the Titans’ 14 yard line. On a fourth down play, McIntyre’s pass attempt to Baxter was intercepted at the Patriots’ 12-yard line.
The Titans capped off their scoring in the game with an 88-yard, nine-play drive. The score by Yulee at the 5:23 mark gave Mercer County a commanding 33-12 lead.
AC-S would score again. Christopher Holland’s three-yard scoring run at the 3:21 mark capped an eight-play, 72 yard drive---a drive that included pass completions to Nick Grissom, Cooper, and Tanner Stinson. The Titans recovered the on-side kick to all but seal the win.
The loss overshadowed an outstanding night from McIntyre. The junior passed for a career-high 181 yards on 12 of 19 passing. Cooper grabbed three passes for 55 yards. McPeak finished with seven total tackles to lead the defensive efforts.
“The outcome wasn’t what we had hoped but my boys battled tonight,” coach Brad Hood tweeted after the game. “We improved so much this week. These Patriots aren’t going to quit. The fight in them is real.”
AC-S (0-2) will not have an easy test this week. The Patriots travel 17 miles down US 231 to play the Greenwood Gators at the Swamp. Greenwood has already equaled their 2018 win total following victories over defending Class 4A state champion Franklin-Simpson (28-14) and Warren Central (59-42). Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. Friday.