MARION COUNTY 28, TYNER 14
The star: Marion fullback Hunter McClain ran 25 times for 123 yards and a late touchdown that clinched a state semifinal for the Warriors.Up next: Marion County will go to Hampton next Friday night.
JASPER, Tenn. - Marion County coach Ricky Ross celebrates Thanksgiving with his family over the weekend. He'll be busy on Thanksgiving Day.
Ross will be coaching his Warriors football team in practice, then taking them on a bus north to face Hampton on Friday night in a Class 2A state semifinal.
"You get a lot of Thanksgivings in your life," Ross said. "You may not get many state semifinals."
Marion County earned the trip by defeating Tyner 28-14 behind a stout defense and an offensive line that imposed its will in the end.
"It was a good fight, and they're a good physical and aggressive team," Tyner coach Wayne Turner said. "Our defense played stout all night; we just couldn't get our offense going in the first half."
The Rams wound up 9-4 and with seven more wins than they earned last year. "It's been an outstanding season," Turner said. "This is the same bunch that went 2-8 last year."
The Rams will be home for the holiday. The Warriors (12-1) will have an early-morning practice, players will return home for a bit, then gather for a four-hour bus ride to Hampton.
"It will be nice practicing on Thanksgiving," fullback Hunter McClain said. "It's always a dream to practice on Thanksgiving."
McClain led the Warriors with 123 rushing yards on 25 carries, including the game-sealing touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Marion County, which averaged 47.6 points in its previous six victories, amassed 239 rushing yards on 55 carries. It also totaled 109 passing yards with 71 coming on one completion from Logan Walters to Quinn Beasley. The pass - on third-and-12 - and conversion by McClain gave the Warriors a 21-14 lead.
"We call the play 'Gym-Oregon,' but it's rare to throw it to the wingback," Beasley said. "I guess I got open."
Marion County controlled the first half with its defense and limited the Rams to 44 yards and three first downs before halftime.
Marion County's Josh Henderson capped a nine-play drive by punching through the line for a 1-yard touchdown with 6:26 to go in the first quarter. The first of two field goals by Christian Stephens gave the Warriors a 10-0 lead, and his second kick on the last play of the half put the Warriors ahead 13-0 at halftime.
"I thought it was critical that we picked up the pace," Ross said. "We wanted to get them in one look and stay in it."
Tyner earned momentum and points when Jarvan Deloach hauled in a pass - one that slipped right through a safety's hands - for a 55-yard touchdown.
Tyner's Anthony Johnson continued the momentum when he recovered a fumble by McClain, but the Rams' drive died. Then Beasley hauled in the longest catch of his career for a 21-7 lead.
Shannon Spralls - who led the Rams with 81 rushing yards - pulled Tyner within 21-14 with a 7-yard touchdown run with 5:44 left to play.
Tyner forced a punt, but a sack by McClain followed by an interception from Bryce Massengale all but sealed the Rams' fate.
Then McClain's touchdown ensured the Warriors will have a busy Thanksgiving.
Contact David Uchiyama at duchiyama@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6484. Follow him at twitter.com/UchiyamaCTFP.