By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–His first game as head Union City Middle School head football coach couldn’t have gone much better for Cole Clanton.
Tayehari Jones ran for 258 yards and four touchdowns to help make Clanton a winner in his UCMS debut with a 40-6 win at South Fulton Tuesday night.
Jones had scoring gallops of 60, 83, 53 and 42 yards, doing his damage on just six carries.
UC jumped out to a 16-0 first-quarter lead and was comfortably ahead 24-0 at the half.
Cohen Simpson ran for 60 yards on nine carries, scored a TD on a 17-yard run and accounted for four 2-point conversions to also shine for the Purple and Gold. Ben Wade made the other 2-point play for the victors.
Finn Frankum topped the Tornado tackle chart and turned in a solid game with seven tackles. Jones was in on six stops, while Gavin Morgan, Kellen Roberson and Copeland Chism all registered five tackles apiece. Davis Hayes and Logan Dawkins were both good for four hits, while Tucker Davis came up with an interception.
Union City will play its first home game of the season Tuesday night, hosting Medina at 6:30 p.m.
In other fall sports results from Thursday:
HIGH SCHOOL GOLF
UC again tops SF
The Tornado boys improved to 4-1 on the season, all of their victories coming vs. South Fulton.
Union City shot a 174 team total Thursday, to the Red Devils’ 207 at Poplar Meadows Country Club.
Nolan Chandler was the match medalist for UC, shooting a 41. Carter Walton was next with a 42, while Mason Reed finished with a 45. Reese Paschall shot 46 and Gabriel Qualls a 47.
Landon Hauhe registered a 49, Hayden Searcy a 53 and Jack Talley came in with a 57.
On the girls’ side, Union City again faced no team competition.
Addi Hooks and Olivia Tanner shared medalist honors with 51s. Mimi Jenkins shot 52, Molly Kizer a 54, Julianne Becton a 58 and Bailey Nichols came in with a 60.
Union City will play Greenfield at Sharon on Monday.
HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL
Obion Central 3, UC 1
The Lady Tornadoes took the opening game 25-18, but then dropped three successive hard-fought games — 25-18, 25-23 and 26-24 — to fall to 1-1 on the young season.
Marlee Johnson and Kaigan Davis led Union City with a dozen attacks apiece, while Anna Cheatham was credited with eight kills in the match. Blocking coverage was provided by Abby Suiter.
UC also fell in jayvee play, dropping games 25-10 and 25-13.
Lainey Barker did shine for the Twister girls with 12 passes, 10 sets and five hits.
Union City is scheduled to play at Lake County Monday, then host Humboldt on Tuesday of next week.
MIDDLE SCHOOL SOFTBALL
Martin 4, UC 1
Alli Kate Frilling drove in Sarah Beth Byars with a single in the first inning, but Union City couldn’t muster any other offense against the visiting Weakley Countians.
Martin got a three-run homer in the third from Alexis Evans for all the tallies it would need.
Frilling turn in an excellent mound effort, striking out 11 in the complete-game performance.
Now 1-1, UC won’t play again until next Thursday when visiting Lake Road. Games at the Dyersburg Tournament (Saturday), at Dyersburg Monday and at Paris Inman Tuesday have been canceled.