By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–If Union City is to reverse its football fortunes, it must start with the basics.
“We have to do better in all facets of the game, and that starts with tackling and blocking,” Tornado head coach Nick Markle said after his squad fell to eighth-ranked (4A) Dyer County 40-22 Friday night to drop to 1-2 for the second straight season.
“First and foremost, we have to tackle better. We had guys in position to make tackles for losses several times tonight, and instead, they ended up getting big gains. And we have to do a better job blocking and do that more consistently.
“We simply have to play better quality football — Union City style football — on both sides.”
UC recovered from a similar start last season to finish 9-4 and advance to the Class 1A state quarterfinals.
The Tornadoes’ early-season struggles this year continued against unbeaten DC Friday night despite some promising stretches in the contest.
Union City marched 82 yards in 10 plays, capped by QB Zak Summers’ short TD run to score on its first possession. The Twisters then took a 14-13 lead early in the second quarter on the first of two touchdown runs by Tayehari Jones.
And a defense that has admittedly struggled at critical junctures in the early season had its best stretch to keep the Tornadoes close in the third stanza by recording a pair of three-and-outs and turning away a Choctaw scoring threat with a fourth-down stop on a third possession.
Critical mistakes on both sides of the ball and three plays on special teams – including a fumbled opening kickoff – aided greatly in UC’s ultimate shortcoming, though.
The Twister offense failed to capitalize on two golden opportunities with great field position in the third quarter, and the Tribe used a long kickoff return on a Union City onside attempt to put the game out of reach after UC had gotten within 33-22 midway through the final frame.
Ja’Bari Livingston ran for 145 yards and three touchdowns, and Landon Daniels passed for 141 yards and a pair of touchdowns for Dyer County, which is 3-0 for the first time since 2006.
Summers’ 122 rushing yards and another 80 through the air was a highlight for the Purple and Gold. Linebacker Aiden Reid recorded 16 tackles, three for minus yards, and had one of three sacks for the Tornado defense.
Andre Small posted a team-best nine solo stops and 14 in all from his secondary post, while linebacker Kirben Thompson returned from the injury list to account for 13 tackles.
“It just seemed like they (Dyer County) wanted to beat us more than we wanted to beat them,” Markle added. “I do believe in the end, it hurt our kids to lose, and I could see that in their eyes after the game.
“What we have to do now is wash this (start) off and move forward. That hurt won’t mean anything if we don’t use it as fuel to get better.”
Union City will open Region 7A play next week, hosting unbeaten Gleason.
Dyer County 40, Union City 22
Union City 7 7 0 8 — 22
Dyer Co. 13 13 0 14 — 40
DC — Ja’Bari Livingston 2 run (Tyler Fowlkes kick). 8:41, 1st
UC — Zak Summers 3 run (Marcos Landeros kick). 4:16, 1st
DC — Devin Hayward 21 pass from Landon Daniels (kick failed). 2:03, 1st
UC — Tayehari Jones 23 run (Landeros kick). 11:50, 2nd
DC — Hayward 13 pass from Daniels (run failed). 7:49, 2nd
DC — Livingston 3 run (Fowlkes kick). 0:18, 2nd
DC — Korey Taylor 10 run (Fowlkes kick). 7:55, 4th
UC — Jones 14 run (Summers run). 6:23, 4th
DC — Livingston 7 run (Fowlkes kick). 5:33, 4th
UC DC
Total Offense 275 343
Rush Att.-Yards 42-195 41-202
Comp.-Att.-Int. 7-10-0 10-13-0
Passing yards 80 141
First Downs 16 16
Punts-Avg. — 2-12.5
Fumbles-Lost 2-1 1-0
Penalties-Yds. 1-5 6-53
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
RUSHING: Union City — Zak Summers 23-122, Tayehari Jones 12-60, Kyle Price 4-12, Cohen Simpson 3-1 . Dyer Co. — Ja’Bari Livingston 22-145, Korey Taylor 13-75, Pereon Isom 2-(-1), Landon Daniels 4-(-17).
PASSING: Union City — Zak Summers 7-10-0—80. Dyer Co. — Landon Daniels 10-13-0—141.
RECEIVING: Union City — Cohen Simpson 3-25, Aiden Reid 2-50, Troy Joslin 1-4, Tayehari Jones 1-1. Dyer Co. — Jamin Gauldin 5-97, Devin Hayward 2-34, Everett Kuykendall 2-7 Ja’Bari Livingston 1-3.
RECORDS: Union City 1-2; Dyer Co. 3-0.
NEXT GAME: UC hosts Gleason, Friday at 7 p.m.