Union advances to next round of playoffs
Union football coach Jordan Wren has said all season that senior Ky’Yon Harris is the glue that holds his team together.
On Friday night, Wren needed Harris more than ever when Xavier Boler went out with an ankle injury.
Harris responded with his best game of the season, rushing for 156 yards and four touchdowns as Union handed Calhoun City its first loss with a 34-26 win in the third round of the Class 2A North State playoffs.
Union improves to 12-1 on the season and will travel to Charleston on Friday night in a clash of top teams.
Wren said his team never panicked and used a big second half to beat the previously unbeaten Wildcats.
“I thought the difference for us was our guys trusted in the process,” Wren said. “Winning doesn’t have to be clean and easy. I think it’s a testament that these kids can handle hard things and can find a way to win. I thought Ky’Yon stepped up big time when Country (Xavier Boler) went out. He rushed for 144 yards in the second half and had three touchdowns. We had to get him off defense some because it’s really hard if your running back plays offense and defense, no matter where you are at. He can’t be your best athlete if he is tired.”
Calhoun City got the ball to start the game and took an early lead and scored on a 17-yard run. The try for two failed and Calhoun led 6-0 with 7:47 left in the first quarter.
After a first-series interception, Union got a big stop on defense and the offense responded as they found the end one with 11:16 left in the second quarter. Ky’Yon Harris capped off the drive with a 3-yard run. Samuel Alawine missed the PAT to leave the game tied at 6-6.
Calhoun added a late score in the second quarter and took a 12-6 lead into the half but not before Union’s Xavier Boler went down with an ankle injury.
The Yellowjackets got the ball to start the second half. After a big third-down conversion by Harris, U’Darrian Hickman hit Hutchins on a 56-yard touchdown pass with 10:29 left in the third. Alawine hit the PAT and Union led 13-12.
Union forced a quick punt by Calhoun and the Yellowjackets hit another big play a Harris scored on a 41-yard touchdown run with 7:29 left in the third. Alawine’s PAT was good and Union led 20-12.
Calhoun City gave a quick answer as they scored on an 8-yard run with 5:14 left in the third quarter. The try for two failed again and Union led 20-18.
Union continued to pound at the Calhoun City defense as Harris scored on a 35-yard run with 4:02 left in the third quarter. Alawine hit the PAT and Union led 27-18.
Union forced another punt and got the ball near midfield. Hickman hit Hutchins on a 30-yard pass and Harris finished off the drive with a 10-yard run with 48 seconds left in the third. Alawine’s PAT was good and Union led 34-18.
Calhoun City made a change at quarterback and cut into Union’s lead on a 1-yard touchdown run with 9:14 left in the game. The Wildcats converted the two-point attempt to cut the lead to 34-26.
After stopping Union twice, Calhoun City had the ball at midfield in the last minutes. But Zi Buckley intercepted a Calhoun City pass to end the scoring threat and give Union the win.
Union had 277 yards rushing and 144 passing for 421 yards of total offense. Hickman was 8-of-18 passing for 144 yards with one TD and one interception. Hutchins had four catches for 100 yards with one TD while Mason Tucker had two catches for 28 yards. Harris had his best game of the year on offense with 156 yards on 16 Carris with four TDs. Boler had 69 yards on eight carries while Hickman had 52 yards on nine carries.
On defense, Buckley led the Yellowjackets with 11 tackles and an interception. Vaiden Bouder also had 11 tackles while Hayden Dolan had 10 tackles.