What a difference a second half makes.
At least it did in McCallie’s 53-13 win at Chattanooga Christian. Winners of three of the last four Division II Class AAA state titles, the Blue Tornado outscored the Chargers 36-7 in the final two quarters after leading 17-6 at halftime.
Said University of Tennessee commit and McCallie two-way player Carson Gentle of the turnaround after intermission “”(We knew) they’ve got to deal with us for 24 more minutes,”
Gentle had a hand in the onslaught.
He scored on a 20-yard fumble recovery, the middle score in a three-touchdown barrage over the first six minutes of the second half. That trio of touchdowns put McCallie up 38-6 and began the Mercy Rule running clock, which begins any time a second-half lead reaches 31 points..
McCallie coach Ralph Potter insisted there was no fiery halftime talk, despite a slew of penalties and missed assignments in the opening two quarters.
“It was pretty normal,” said Potter.
Running back Ja’Von McMahan, who led MCallie with 96 yards and two touchdowns, agreed, saying, “We just tried to clean up some things. Everybody knew the mistakes we made.”
But whatever went on in that locker room between halves, McCallie was a much different team in the final two quarters.
The Chargers scored on the final play of the third quarter on a 34-yard pass from Gavin Berger to Jermaine Stinsonon to end the Mercy Rule, but a 21-yard McMahan touchdown run with 8:48 left in the fourth reinstated it. When Tramauri Watkins recovered a CCS fumble in the end zone with 5:54 to play, the Blue Tornado had its 40-point win.
“The name of the game is consistency,” said Potter of the tale of two halves that saw the winners with a 340-211 advantage in total yards, as well as forcing six turnovers on three fumble recoveries and three interceptions _ one each from Marcellus Barnes Jr., Carson Lawrence and De’Shun Tipton.. On a negative note,, the Blue Tornado had nine penalties for 95 yards.
McCallie hosts Georgia power Woodward Academy next week at Finley Stadium, then hosts Ohio juggernaut St. Xavier the following week.
“We’ve got to make a lot of improvement before next week,” said Potter.
SUMMARY
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MCCALLIE
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3
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14
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21
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15
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-- 53
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CCS
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6
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0
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7
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0
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-- 13
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MCC Elliott Arnold 22 FG (8:15, 1st)
CCS Da’rell Brown 1 run (kick failed) (4:21, 1st)
MCC Ja’Von McMahan 9 run (Arnold kick) (4:18, 2nd)
MCC Keeyshawn Tabuteau 14 pass from Jay st. Hilaire (Arnold kick) (:35, 2nd)
MCC McMahan 28 run (Arnold kick) (9:58, 3rd)
MCC Carson Gentle 20 fumble return (Arnold kick) (9:42, 3rd)
MCC Keylan Syam (Arnold kick) (6:38, 3rd)
CCS Jermaine Stinson 34 pass from Gavin Berger (Nathan Deloach kick) (0:00, 3rd)
MCC McMahan 21 run (Gordon Lewis kick) (8:48, 4th)
MCC Tramauri Watkins fumble recovery in end zone (two point good) (5:54, 4th)
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STATS
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MCC
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CCS
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First Downs
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16
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9
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Rushes-Yards
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20-158
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30-116
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Passing Yards
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182
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95
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Total yards
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340
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211
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Passing (Comp-Att-Int)
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18-24-2
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9-18-3
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Penalties-Yards
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9-95
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6-57
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Punts-Avg.
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0-0
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3-31.0
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Fumbles-Lost
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0-0
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3-3
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Time of possession
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30:37
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17:23
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Individual Stats
Rushing: Ja’Von McMahan 12-96; jay st. Hilaire 5-40; Keeyshawn tabuteau 1-4; Keylan Syam 2-18 (MCC); Dre Martin 1-(-2); Da’rell brown 18-43; Gavin Berger 3-5; Ladruis Hollingsworth 8-70 (CCS).
Passing: Jay St. Hilaire 18-24-2 for 182 yards, 1 TD (MCC); Gavin Berger 9-18-3 for 95 yards, 1 TD (CCS).
Receiving: Ryan Larrabee 2-28; Nolan Sergeant 4-27; Enrique Jaimes Leclair 2-5; Carson Gentle 2-32; Keeyshawn Tabuteau 4-33; Carson Lawrence 2-17; Mathieu Hebert 1-27; Sean Couvertiere 1-13 (MCC); Dre Martin 414; Jermaine Stinson 3-71; Jameson Hinton 2-10 (CCS).
Records: McCallie 1-0; CCS 0-1