For the majority of the 2026 football season, Ben Ironi has been a senior linebacker and Kervens Hilger a junior defensive lineman for the McCallie Blue Tornado.
On Friday night, Ironi and Hilger were the 1-2 rushing punch that led McCallie to a 31-26 triumph at Nashville’s Christ Presbyterian Academy. Ironi had 23 rushes for 141 yards and a touchdown, while Hilger had just six carries that produced 72 yards and two scores.
McCallie ended a six-game losing streak and concluded the regular season with a 4-6 record that includes a 1-4 mark in TSSAA Division II-AAA’s East Region. The Blue Tornado will host Father Ryan (3-7) next Friday in the first round of the DII-AAA playoffs.
The Blue Tornado won 23-16 at Father Ryan on Sept. 4.
Hilger’s second score Friday came from 34 yards out to give McCallie its biggest lead of the game at 31-20 with 8:57 remaining. The Lions would pull within 31-26 on a Van Dickey reverse with 6:17 to play, but they would never get the ball back.