By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–The final chapter of the regular season didn’t read well for Union City.
But instead of closing the book, the Tornadoes can turn the page immediately.
The second of UC’s three turnovers deep in its territory set up Huntingdon’s game-winning score with less than three minutes to play Friday, leaving the Twisters on the short end of a 27-20 final vs. the visiting Mustangs.
The bitter Senior Night loss gave seventh-ranked Huntingdon (8-2) second place over the Purple and Gold in the final Region 7-2A standings and a home game in Round 1 of the state playoffs. Meanwhile, No. 8 Union City (8-2) will travel to Memphis to face Freedom Prep (8-2) in its opening-round postseason game.
Though understandably disappointed in the regular season finale result, Twister head coach Nick Markle was philosophical about what lies ahead and the possibilities for his troops.
“Mistakes in all three facets – especially the turnovers – were magnified in tonight’s game,” he said. “You can’t have miscues like we had in big games, and when you do, good teams like Huntingdon make you pay for them. Not getting off the field on several critical third- and fourth downs was also telling.
“The silver lining is that we get to begin a new five-week season now with the playoffs. It’ll take great effort and execution to get to where we want to go. Every week we have a 24-hour rule to get over whatever result we’ve had on Friday. The same’s true for tonight.
“I expect us to be focused and ready to begin preparing for Freedom Prep when we roll into film session on Sunday afternoon.”
UC and Huntingdon were evenly-matched for most of Friday’s contest – separated by just 10 yards in the final yardage total.
Mistakes at the most inopportune times and failed execution at critical junctures on both sides of the ball and on special teams cost the Tornadoes dearly in the end, though.
More specifically, Union City couldn’t corral Mustang quarterback Gray Eubanks when it mattered most.
Huntingdon’s sophomore signal-caller had a hand in all four of his team’s TDs – two coming on fourth-down plays — including the game-deciding scramble on which he reversed field and scooted to paydirt from the four yard-line with 2:57 to play.
Eubanks also had TD runs of 12 and 21 yards to go with a four-yard scoring pass to Ashton Hutcherson and finished with 227 (101 rushing, 126 passing) of his team’s 305 total yards.
“He makes them tough to defend because you have to stack the box against the run, then he freezes you in coverage with his threat to pass. When you settle in, he takes off,” Markle continued. “He’s a really well-developed football player for his age, and he made a number of good plays tonight.”
The Tornadoes had their share of good plays, too.
UC led 14-0 less than a minute before halftime after putting together impressive scoring drives covering nine and 11 plays – one in each of the first two quarters.
Quarterback Keaten Brown rumbled 46 yards for the first of those TDs to open the game before Gage Smith capped an 89-yard scoring drive with a one-yard plunge with 32 seconds left before the intermission. Durrell Littleton (26 yards) and Kolby Craig (29 yards) had the big gainers of the Twisters’ second march.
Union City was denied a third first-half touchdown, though, by a Mustang goal-line stand inside the five and allowed the visitors to get on the board one second before the intermission after a long kickoff return and a facemask penalty.
Two Huntingdon TDs – one to open the third quarter and another on the first snap of the final period – and a Eubanks two-point conversion had the Ponies up 20-14 with 11:49 to play.
UC answered, though, with a 36-yard sprint by Craig setting up a 22-yard scoring pass from Brown to Cohen Simpson to even the count. A missed PAT kept the contest deadlocked with 8:23 left.
The Tornado defense, which got 16 tackles from linebacker Gage Smith and another 10 by Littleton, recorded a three-and-out on the Mustangs’ next possession and got the ball back for the Twister offense with 6:30 remaining.
A lost fumble on an option pitch gave Huntingdon possession at the Union City 17, however, setting the stage for the game-winning TD.
UC’s last possession ended with an interception with a little more than two minutes showing on the clock.
“I do believe playing a good, physical football team before going into the playoffs is good for us,” Markle concluded. “We know we’ll face some good opponents in the playoffs, and this lets us know what we need to be prepared for.
“We proved tonight we’re capable. We moved the ball well. We played hard. And any mistakes we made are correctable. I expect to see great football and great effort from our kids moving forward.”
Kickoff for next week’s game is set for 7 p.m., with the location to be determined Monday.
HUNTINGDON 27, UNION CITY 20
Huntingdon 0 6 8 13 — 27
Union City 7 7 0 6 — 20
UC — Keaten Brown 46 run (Finn Frankum kick) 7:05, 1st
UC — Gage Smith 1 run (Frankum kick) 0:32, 2nd
H — Gray Eubanks 12 run (kick failed) 0:01, 2nd
H — Ashton Hutcherson 4 pass from Eubanks (Eubanks run) 6:37, 3rd
H — Eubanks 21 run (pass failed) 11:49, 4th
UC — Cohen Simpson 22 pass from Brown (kick failed) 8:23, 4th
H — Eubanks 21 run (Cole Chafin kick) 2:54, 4th
H UC
Total Offense 305 315
Rush Att.-Yards 35-179 47-293
Passing Yards 126 22
Comp.-Att.-Int 8-12-0 1-2-1
First Downs 13 17
Punts-Avg. 2-34.5 —–
Fumbles-Lost 2-2 3-2
Penalties-Yds. 9-80 4-30
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
RUSHING: Huntingdon — Gray Eubanks 17-101, Ashton Hutcherson 9-65, Elijah Flowers 8-9, C.J. Pelonero 1-5, Union City — Keaten Brown 18-89, Kolby Craig 4-83, Jacob Arnold 10-49, Durrell Littleton 2-43, Gage Smith 8-35, Tayehari Jones 5-(-6).
PASSING: Huntingdon — Gray Eubanks 8-12-0 – 126. Union City — Keaten Brown 1-2-1—22.
RECEIVING: Huntingdon — C.J. Pelonero 4-66, Elijah Flowers 3-56, Ashton Hutcherson 1-4. Union City — Cohen Simpson 1-22.
RECORDS: Huntingdon 8-2 (4-1), Union City 8-2 (3-2).
NEXT GAME: UC plays at Freedom Prep in Memphis, Friday at 7 p.m. in Round 1 of the Class 2A state playoffs.