Harris hands WCMS second loss of season

By ROB NUNLEY / Sports Editor for the Southern Standard

Warren County Middle’s Jay Hutchings shrugs off a would-be tackler during Tuesday night’s game against Shelbyville Harris. Hutchings scored on the first Pioneer play from scrimmage, but the Pioneers lost by a final of 23-6. (Rob Nunley photo)

Facing an oversized Shelbyville Harris squad, the Warren County Middle School football team drew first blood, but struggled for the remainder of their game Tuesday night, eventually falling to the Eagles by a 23-6 final score.

Tailback Jay Hutchings scored the (1-2) Pioneers’ first touchdown on their very first play from scrimmage, going around the right side of the line and scrambling 59 yards to the end zone.

The Pioneer defense couldn’t stop the Eagles’ stout running game, however, and Harris quarterback Tyler Yates capped a 94-yard drive with a 1-yard scoring run, then gave the ball off to Joquae Greer for the 2-point conversion which put the visitors on top for good.

Down 8-6 through the first quarter, the Pioneers put together a long drive to start the second after Cody Robinson recovered an Eagle fumble. But their offense stalled on fourth-and-1, giving the ball back to Harris near midfield.

Neither team was able to find the end zone for the remainder of the first half, but Harris scored on its first third-quarter drive, with a 36- and 15-yard runs from Greer setting up Tyler Claxton, who scored from the 4-yard line with just under five minutes to play in the period.

Yates picked off a Bradley Steg pass late in the third quarter, and Harris entered the fourth with a 16-6 advantage.

With just over two minutes to play, the Pioneers’ Mark Harvey recovered a fumble from Greer, giving the Pioneers the ball back at their own 20. But Steg was sacked twice by the Eagle defense, and on fourth-and-7 his pass attempt was batted down at the line, giving Harris the ball with just over a minute to play.

Twelve seconds and one play later, backup running back Julius Smythe made his lone carry of the game a good one, as he rambled 34 yards to tack on the final TD of the game for Shelbyville. Joey Jackson added the PAT for the final margin of victory.

Hutchings was the Pioneers’ leading rusher, but was held to seven yards on eight carries after his first-play TD run. Taylor Bain finished with 36 yards on nine carries, wile Steg completed one of his four passing attempts, hooking up with Harvey for a 22-yard completion.

Greer finished with 150 yards on just 10 rushes, while Claxton had 87 yards on a dozen carries.

The Pioneers return to action Tuesday, taking on Tullahoma at home. Game time is set for 6:30 p.m.