By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City’s playoffs will essentially begin a week early.
Friday’s surprising 31-14 loss to McKenzie that snapped the Tornadoes’ three-game winning streak means UC will have to beat Halls on the final Friday of the regular season to assure itself of one of four Region 7-2A postseason berths.
After that, it gets confusing.
The Twisters (4-5, 3-2) could finish anywhere from second place to fourth, depending on the outcomes of two other games played in Week 11 next week.
Trenton locked up the regional championship with a 50-0 stomping of Trinity Christian Academy Friday. TCA (5-4, 4-2) has finished its league play, but will face Class 1A Lake County next week in a contest that will have a huge effect on the final 7-2A pecking order.
So, too, will the Gibson County-McKenzie game.
If UC beats cellar-dwelling Halls (2-7, 0-5), TCA loses to Lake County and McKenzie beats Gibson County, the Tornadoes could finish second and play at home in Round 1 of the playoffs.
If Union City beats Halls, TCA beats LC and McKenzie beats GC, TCA would be second, McKenzie third and UC fourth.
If UC wins over Halls, TCA beats Lake County and Gibson County beats McKenzie, Gibson County would be second, Union City third and TCA fourth. The finish order would be the same if Lake County beats TCA and GC tops McKenzie.
Regardless of who beats whom in Week 11, Union City will need a considerably-better performance than it had against McKenzie Friday to beat Halls and last a while in the postseason.
The Tornadoes lacked both the intensity and execution they’d exhibited in recent weeks when they’d climbed back to .500.
UC lost three fourth-quarter fumbles, was stopped on downs twice inside the McKenzie 25 in the second half when it gained just 88 total yards while making but four first downs.
And for the second straight year, the Tornadoes simply could not stop the Rebels’ Joseph Miller.
Miller, who ran for over 300 yards and six touchdowns last year when Union City won a 56-54 shutout, scored all four McKenzie TDs Friday and accumulated 138 yards receiving and another 104 rushing.
“I won’t say effort. But I will say spirit. We were flat tonight. We just didn’t have the spirit we’ve had the past three weeks,” UC head coach Darren Bowling said afterward. “Three things happened tonight: We didn’t have much spirit. We didn’t have a good offensive game plan and we didn’t have a good defensive game plan. It’s my job to have our guys ready to play and to put them in the best positions to succeed and excel and I didn’t do it.
“Obviously, the turnovers were big, but so was our lack of consistency on either side of the ball. Plus, their guys played hard. It was Senior Night for them and they’re wanting to get into the playoffs. When number-eight (Miller) is healthy and in there for them, they’re pretty-good. And he looks to be back at 100 percent after being hurt early in the year.”
UC led 14-7 early in the second quarter after Kaleb Craig capped an opening drive with a two-yard scoring dive and Travon Westbrook took an option pitch from Sam Theobald and ran 11 yards for a TD. Conner Hurt, who finished with a season high 169 rushing yards, had a 73-yard sprint to set up Westbrook’s touchdown.
The Tornadoes did little after that, though.
A hobbled Craig was limited to a season-low 48 yards on 15 carries and the Twisters had 14 plays that netted two yards or less in the second half against a Rebel defense that crowded the line of scrimmage and played aggressively.
Miller’s seven-yard TD scamper just before halftime put McKenzie up for good, 21-14, and his seven-yard scoring run with 3:45 capped his evening and ensured UC’s loss.
Linebacker Conner Terrell topped the Purple and Gold tackle chart with 7 ½ hits, while Sam Theobald recorded 5 ½ ‑ each with a tackle behind the line. Craig had an interception and DJ Gray came up with a fumble recovery.
“Obviously, our last game will mean a lot more now,” Bowling added, understating the obvious. “We have to win to avoid doing some scoreboard watching. Getting into the playoffs is the top priority. Where we might finish doesn’t really matter, as long as we get in.
“This game tonight reminded me a lot of the Adamsville game last season (a 42-20 loss in which the Tornadoes had several turnovers and did not play particularly well). It has the same feel. The spirit of our guys just wasn’t there then either. I’m hoping we can rebound this year like we did then, put this behind us and go on a roll.”
Kickoff for next week’s game at Halls is at 7 p.m.
McKenzie 31, Union City 14
Union City 6 8 0 0 — 14
McKenzie 0 21 0 10 — 31
SCORING
UC — Kaleb Craig 2 run (kick failed). 6:26, 1st
M — Joseph Miller 3 run (Diego Calderon). 11:11, 2nd
UC — Travon Westbrook 11 run (Westbrook run). 9:57, 2nd
M — Miller 78 pass from Eli Surber (Calderon kick). 9:34, 2nd
M — Miller 7 run (Calderon kick). 2:40, 2nd
M — Calderon 23 field goal. 9:55, 4th
M — Miller 7 run (Calderon kick). 3:45, 4th
UC M
Total Offense 261 348
Rush Att.-Yards 56-261 31-153
Comp.-Att.-Int 0-1-0 9-17-1
Passing Yards 0 195
First Downs 9 10
Punts-Avg. 2-31.5 3-31.2
Fumbles-Lost 5-3 1-1
Penalties-Yds. 5-62 5-30
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
RUSHING: Union City — Conner Hurt 19-169, Kaleb Craig 15-48, Sam Theobald 20-25, Travon Westbrook 1-11, Kaylon McLendon 1-8. McKenzie — Joseph Miller 26-104, Eli Surber 2-47, Bryston Biggs 2-2, Team 1-(-1)
PASSING: Union City — Sam Theobald 0-1-0 — 0. McKenzie — Eli Surber 9-17-1 — 195.
RECEIVING: Union City — None. McKenzie — Joseph Miller 4-138, Tyler Spivey 4-35, Logan Lyles 1-22.
RECORDS: Union City 4-5 (3-2), McKenzie 3-6 (3-2).
NEXT GAME: UC plays at Halls Friday night.
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