Union remains undefeated after thumping Eupora

After a “disappointing” performance against Lake last week, the Union Yellowjackets were looking to bounce back against Eupora to open division play.

The Yellowjackets did just that as they scored on their first six possessions and cruised to a 48-14 win over the homestanding Eagles. 

Union improves to 6-0 on the season and will travel to Forest on Friday night.

Union coach Jordan Wren said he challenged his team after last week’s close win over Lake.

“I said last week that after the way we played against Lake, the kids were disappointed in the way the game went,” Wren said. “Sometimes winning isn’t good enough. There’s a standard and they felt as if it was a loss. We challenged the offense line all week. If we can’t run the ball, we can’t be effective on offense. I thought we played well as a team for the first time. We played well on defense, played well on offense and even created a turnover on special teams. I thought we were effective in all areas of the game.”

Union got the ball to start the game and went 57 yards in seven plays as Ky’Yon Harris scored on a 1-yard run. The two-point conversion was good and Union held an early 8-0 lead.

The Eagles fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Union got the ball at the Eupora 27. Five plays later, Xavier Boler scored on a 3-yard and Samuel Alawine hit the PAT and Union led 15-0.

Eupora answered right back as they hit a 65-yard touchdown pass but missed the PAT to cut the lead to 15-6.

Union took the ensuing possession and went 53 yards in six plays as Boler scored on a 10-yard run. The PAT was blocked and Union led 21-6. 

Eupora hit another big pass play as they scored on a 60-yard pass to cut the lead to 21-14. 

But Union then went 60 yards in nine plays as Boler scored on a 2-yard run. Alawine’s PAT was good and Union ld 28-14.

Eupora then turned the ball over on downs and Union continued to dominate on the offensive side as they went 73 yards in 10 plays as Boler scored on a 3-yard run. The PAT failed and Union led 34-14.

The Eagles again turned the ball over on downs at the Union 13. Boler then ripped off a 75-yard run and Harris scored on a 12-yard run late in the second. Alawine hit the PAT and Union led 41-14 at the half. 

“I didn’t think they were a bad team, I think we finally played like we can,” Wren said. “It’s been the kind of year where we would start slow and our defense had a good night or we started fast and the defense didn’t play well. It just all came together for us. I thought it would be a close game and definitely didn’t think we would win like that.”

Eupora got the ball to start the second half and again turned the ball over on downs. Four plays later, U’Darrian Hickman hit Nathan Boone on a 40-yard touchdown pass. Alanine’s PAT gave the Yellowjackets a 48-14 lead. 

The Yellowjackets had 392 yards rushing and 176 passing for 568 yards of total offense.

Boler led the rushing attack with 270 yards and three TDs on 19 carries. Harris had 95 yards rushing on nine carries with three TDs while Hickman had 27 yards  rushing on seven carries. 

“He had a really good night,” Wren said about Boler. “He was really patient. He had been outrunning some blocks and missing some creases. We were really hard on him this week. He got a good case of humble pie this week but responded.”

Xavier Boone led the receiving unit with 65 yards on three carries. Mason Tucker had 60 yards on three catches while Boler had 23 yards on two catches. Keon Hutchins was limited to 20 yards on three catches.