By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–Already in a hole before the game ever began, Union City quickly found itself sinking even deeper in the opening minute against Dyersburg.
Unfortunately, the Tornadoes could never crawl out.
Minus a handful of starters due to injury, undermanned UC fell behind by two touchdowns early and never recovered in a 49-7 loss to the Trojans Friday night at J.C. Sawyers Stadium.
It marked back-to-back weeks that the Purple and Gold has been on the wrong end of the same lopsided score and dropped the Twisters to 4-3 on the season heading into next week’s critical Region 7-2A home game against McKenzie.
For the second straight week, the combination of turnovers and giving up the big play was lethal to any chance the Tornadoes might’ve had against a favored foe.
Against the Class 4A Trojans, Union City was guilty of four giveaways and allowed D’burg to score five touchdowns on plays of 37 yards or longer.
“We got in the quicksand early, and even though we tried to claw and fight our way out of it, the hole just kept getting deeper and deeper,” first-year UC head coach Nick Markle said. “It was very demoralizing right off the bat.
“It just wasn’t our night.”
Israel Barbee gashed the patchwork Twister defense that was without three regulars for 218 yards and three TDs on just 11 carries. Barbee scored on the game’s second snap – ironically after the host team had a score wiped away by penalty – dashing 62 yards to paydirt. He later had touchdown sprints of 37 and 68 yards.
The Trojans led 28-7 before the first quarter was completed – 14-0 just 45 seconds into the contest as Union City’s first turnover on its initial snap from scrimmage gave D’burg the ball at the Twister one for an easy second score.
UC did show some grit with its second possession, driving 90 yards in 12 plays for its only TD to briefly get within 14-7.
Fullback Travon Westbrook, a bright spot with 148 yards on 25 carries, had 45 of those yards on the Tornadoes’ methodical march and bulled his way into the endzone from the six with 5:24 showing in the opening period. A 20-yard pitch-and-catch from Wes Tilghman to freshman Jacob Arnold was the longest gainer in the sequence.
Just 23 seconds later though, D’burg matched that score with the first of two Graham Clark touchdown tosses. Clark threw his second TD less than four minutes later, following a 42-yarder to Sam Porter with a 39-yarder to Abdallah Suleiman.
Though they pitched a second-quarter shutout, the Twisters could never recover. A pair of turnovers in the period – the first when they were threatening – damaged any true comeback hopes.
Dyersburg tacked on two more scores in the third period and another with five minutes to play to account for the final margin.
Arnold and Jamal Cox had seven tackles apiece to pace the UC hit chart, while Jonathan Stone was credited with six.
Tilghman was limited to just 20 yards on 13 carries, marking the first time in seven games he did not gain at least 100 yards rushing.
“At the end of the day, it’s simple: We’ve got to get better,” Markle continued. “Coaches have to get better, players have to get better, managers have to get better … everybody has to get better. You have to feel this loss if you care about our program.
“I know we had to play some young kids who had no experience because of the injuries. And sometimes, the game moves a little too fast for them. But we have to sell out. We can’t shy away from contact.
“I do believe our kids will respond to the challenge. They’re tough minded. And they don’t want to let the last two weeks define them. “
The UC-McKenzie game next week begins a run of three straight home games to end the regular season for the Tornadoes.
Dyersburg 49, Union City 7
Union City 7 0 0 0 — 7
Dyersburg 28 0 14 7 — 49
SCORING
D — Israel Barbee 62 run (Grant Self kick) 11:33, 1st
D — Dontavis Vaughn 1 run (Self kick) 11:15, 1st
UC — Travon Westbrook 6 run (Miguel Sanchez kick) 5:24, 1st
D — Sam Porter 42 pass from Graham Clark (Self kick) 5:01, 1st
D — Abdallah Suleiman 39 pass from Clark (Self kick) 1:20, 1st
D — Barbee 37 run (Self kick) 8:37, 3rd
D — Barbee 68 run (Self kick) 1:07, 3rd
D — Kenny Howard 8 run (Edward Cloar kick) 5:00, 4th
UC D
Total Offense 243 470
Rush Att.-Yards 51-212 31-380
Comp.-Att.-Int 2-5-1 3-5-1
Passing Yards 31 90
First Downs 17 13
Punts-Avg. 2-39.5 —
Fumbles-Lost 4-3 0-0
Penalties-Yds. 6-60 7-66
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
RUSHING: Union City — Travon Westbrook 25-148, Kyrell Littleton 9-39, Wes Tilghman 13-20, Jacob Arnold 2-7, Keaton Brown 1-(-1), Kolby Craig 1-(-1) Dyersburg — Israel Barbee 11-218, Dontavis Vaughn 12-66, Meshach Jones 4-54, Jaylon Brown 3-34, Kenny Howard 1-8.
PASSING: Union City — Wes Tilghman 2-5-1 – 31. Dyersburg — Graham Clark 3-5-1 — 90.
RECEIVING: Union City — Jacob Arnold 2-31. Dyersburg — Sam Porter 1-42, Abdallah Suleiman 1-39, Dontavis Vaughn 1-9.
RECORDS: Union City 4-3; Dyersburg 3-1.
NEXT GAME: Union City hosts Region 7-2A foe McKenzie, Friday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m.