By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–There are good wins, and there are really good wins.
Union City’s 19-6 victory over University School of Jackson qualifies for the latter of those two categories.
The seventh-ranked Golden Tornadoes not only knocked off Division II’s No. 1 ranked team Friday but also beat a perennially-heralded program that has made it to the state semifinals five times in the last seven seasons – twice making it to the private school state championship game.
And Union City did so with a time-tested style that could best be described as simple ‘hard-nosed’ football.
The Purple and Gold physically imposed its will on the Bruins – especially in the second half when its old-school brand of ground and pound offense and swarming defense became the obvious storyline of the contest.
“When we play like we’re capable, we’re tough to handle for 48 minutes,” a smiling UC head coach Nick Markle said afterward. “Those two- and three-yard plays in the early-going turn into six- and seven-yard gains in the third and four quarters after we lean on defenses up front for a while.
“Defensively, we just keep coming, too. We know where we stand. And if we stay healthy, continue to be unselfish, and play for each other, we have a chance to do some special things this season.”
After a scoreless first half, the Tornadoes unveiled a new element offensively when they inserted an extra offensive lineman (Hayden Moon) up front and regularly ran quarterback power with Keaten Brown.
Called “a load,” and “another fullback” by his coach, the 200-pound Brown racked up 78 of his game-high 90 yards after the intermission while regularly bulling his way for extra yardage in the smash-mouth approach.
Brown had 43 of those yards in Union City’s 69-yard scoring drive to open the third period. Gage Smith capped the series by shaking off a pair of USJ defenders and rambling 25 yards for a touchdown. Finn Frankum’s PAT made it 7-0 just 4 ½ minutes into the second half.
The Bruins immediately answered with their only score of the night as QB Berkley Pettigrew scooted into the endzone from five yards out after a 46-yard sprint by Kevin Finch. A failed point-after left the visitors still behind, 7-6.
UC was unfazed and marched 71 yards in 10 plays after receiving the ensuing kickoff. The Tornadoes successfully attacked the flanks on a handful of snaps with Durrell Littleton darting 37 yards around left end to paydirt to cap the scoring drive with less than a minute left in the quarter.
Before the period ended, though, Union City tacked on another TD as Tayehari Jones snagged an overthrown Pettigrew pass and raced 55 yards for a score with just 18 seconds showing to make it 19-6.
That margin was more than enough down the stretch as the Tornadoes’ stingy defense – which limited USJ to 151 total yards in the contest – surrendered just 20 yards and one first down in the final quarter.
“We had several kids have amazing nights defensively,” added Markle, who lauded Smith (12 tackles, including two for lost yards, a blocked punt and a sack), Jacob Arnold (nine tackles), as well as Littleton and Kolby Craig. “The back end (secondary) of our defense continues to gain confidence. We started two freshmen last year, and those two (Jones and Cohen Simpson) are essentially seasoned vets now.
“And naturally, it helps that we’re able to consistently control our opponents’ running game. Our front seven plays with the same mentality as our offense.”
The win was especially special for Markle, representing his first as a player or coach against USJ while at Union City or his alma mater, Fayette Academy.
“That’s a really-good, well-coached, tradition-rich football team we played tonight,” he said. “It always has a little more meaning when you are able to beat quality opponents.
“We wanted to be 2-0 after tonight, and, at 9:30, we were 2-0. It’s a really good win, and we’ll enjoy it for 24 hours. Then we’ll turn the page.”
UC will open Region 7-2A play next week with a trip to Houston County.
UNION CITY 19, USJ 6
USJ 0 0 6 0 — 6
Union City 0 0 19 0 — 19
UC — Gage Smith 25 run (Finn Frankum kick) 7:31, 3rd
USJ — Berkley Pettigrew 5 run (kick failed) 6:28, 3rd
UC — Durrell Littleton 37 run (kick failed) 0:59, 3rd
UC — Tayehari Jones 55 interception return (kick failed) 0:18, 3rd
USJ UC
Total Offense 151 301
Rush Att.-Yards 19-78 60-298
Comp.-Att.-Int 6-22-1 1-4-0
First Downs 6 19
Punts-Avg. 4-27.0 2-29.5
Fumbles-Lost 0-0 1-0
Penalties-Yds. 12-90 6-60
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
RUSHING: USJ — Kevin Finch 15-79, Berkley Pettigrew 4-(-1). Union City — Keaten Brown 20-90, Gage Smith 9-52, Tayehari Jones 7-51, Durrell Littleton 4-49, Jacob Arnold 11-45, Kolby Craig 8-14, Team 1-(-3).
PASSING: USJ — Berkley Pettigrew 6-22-2 – 73. Union City — Keaten Brown 1-4-0—3.
RECEIVING: USJ — Jaycee Barksdale 5-64, Raleigh Seals 1-9. Union City — Tayehari Jones 1-3
RECORDS: USJ 1-1, Union City 2-0.
NEXT GAME: UC travels to Houston County Friday night, Sept. 2.