Kirksville 14 at Macon 27- August 26, 2022 (193 Photos) Subscribe to the Home Press to follow the Tigers

by The Macon County Home Press-Shon Coram
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A New Eara of Macon Football

After a topsy-turvy 2021, the Tigers would begin a new era of Macon Football under the leadership of New Head Coach Van Vanatta. The Tigers would win the opening flip of the coin and would defer to receive the ball in the second half. The Tigers would boot the ball away and Kirksville would receive the ball at their own 33-yard line to start the 2022 season. Kirksville’s first snap would go for a nine yard gain up the middle. The next attempt up the middle would be dropped for a two-yard loss in the backfield by Carson Gingrich. Kirksville would gain the first down with another rush up the middle to their own 49-yard line. The visitors would then go to the air for the first time and with the aid of a facemask penalty on Macon, they would have the ball at the Tiger fifteen. Their next pass would be incomplete, but then they would gain 5 yards on the ground to the ten. Kirksville would call their first timeout of the half and out of the break toss another incompletion. Kirksville would attempt to go for it on fourth down from the Macon ten. Hayden Burns would crash into the line for the Tigers and drop them for a two-yard loss and a turnover on downs. Macon would start their first drive in the shadow of their own goalpost from the 12-yard line. On first down Quarterback Mykel Linear would call his own number with a run for three yards. On second down Maurice “Choo-choo” Magruder would bull forward ten yards for a first down at the Tiger twenty-five. After an incompletion, Linear would surge forward for two yards to the Twenty-seven. Linear would then connect on his first pass completion to fellow senior Gage Lewis for a first down at the Tiger thirty-six. On first down the Tiger’s run game was bottled-up for no-gain. A completion to Bryant Carpenter would take the ball to the forty-four and a third down and two. Magruder would pick up those last two yards on the ground for the next Tiger first down. Linear would be stopped on a keeper for no-gain and after a pass was batted down at the line the Tigers faced a third down and ten. Macon would then try a new wrinkle with an option from Linear to Magruder but again, Kirksville would stop it for no gain. The Tigers were forced to punt the ball back to the visitors at the Kirksville twenty-three. Kirksville would then go into a short passing game into the flats and would gain twenty-seven yards on their first pass, followed by gains of eleven and nine yards to the Macon 20-yard line. With the Tigers back on their heels, Kirksville would go back to the ground and take it all the way home for a twenty-yard touchdown. The point after was good and Kirksville had drawn first blood. With 3:34 to go in the opening quarter, Kirksville held a 0-7 lead. Carpenter would receive the kickoff at the Macon twenty-two to start the Tigers second drive. Linear would keep the ball on the snap and slash the defense for a twenty-three-yard gain to the forty-five. After a run for no-gain, the Tigers would attempt to pass and it would be tipped at the line and intercepted. Kirksville would have the ball at nearly midfield at the own forty-five. A pass for eight yards would move the ball into Macon territory. Back-to-back attempts on the ground would move the ball to the Macon thirty-six. After an incompletion, Kirksville would be dropped for a one-yard loss in the backfield by Dalton Cashatt to end the first quarter of play. The Tigers would trail Kirksville after one quarter 0-7.

The second quarter would start with a bang for the Tigers with an interception by Gage Lorenzo. Macon would setup shop at the Kirksville forty-one. Micky Martie would take the rock with a run down to the fourteen on a twenty-seven-yard gain. Linear would then keep the ball for a one-yard gain and with some foreshadowing of the future, Kirksville would give the Tigers five-yards with an offsides penalty. Magruder would then chew-up four yards for the first down at the Kirksville eight. Martie would then inch the ball forward for a yard to bring up second down. The Tigers would go back to the pass and a fluttering ball would be picked-off in the endzone. The Visitors would have the ball back at their own twenty. After a pass for seven yards, Kirksville went to the run and looked to be stopped behind the line. Macon however would be called for a late-hit, giving Kirksville a first down at the thirty-six. Kirksville would return the yardage back with their own penalty on a block in the back. With the ball on their own twenty-eight, an incompletion was followed by a 19-yard slant pass to the forty-seven. Macon would get nabbed for a facemask penalty moving the ball to the Tiger forty-eight. Johnathan Bray would then send them back across midfield with an eight-yard sack of the quarterback. Facing a second and twelve, Kirksville would attempt to pass and after an incompletion, their next attempt would be scooped up by Lorenzo for his second interception. Macon would have the ball back at their own forty-seven. Linear would then take it into Kirksville territory at the forty-nine. Linear would then connect on a pass to Landon Cole for twelve yards. With the ball at the thirty-seven, Linear would go up the middle for four yards. Magruder would add another four yards with another trip up the middle. Mykel would gain the final two yards for a first down to the twenty-six. Linear would then drop back to pass and see that Bray had broken free up the middle, “I was not sure if I should toss it or fire it, he was so open”. Mykel lofted the pass and it was complete for a twenty-yard touchdown. Cole would split the uprights for the point after and the game was tied 7-7 with 3:30 to go in the half. The Tigers would kickoff and Kirksville almost broke the return for a touchdown except for a diving tackle by Cole. Kirksville was setup at the Macon forty-six. Three straight runs would move the ball forward nine yards to the Macon thirty-seven. Kirksville would call the final timeout of the half and would decide to go for it on fourth down and one. Martie and the Tigers defense would drop them for a one-yard loss and a turnover on downs. After an incompletion, Linear would gain six on the ground to midfield. A short pass to Gage Lewis would make the Kirksville forty-six. After another incompletion, Linear would gain four more yards on the ground to the forty-two. Two more incompletions would follow, but then Linear would connect with Cole for a twenty-yard pass to the Kirksville twenty-two. With time ticking the Tigers would attempt one more pass. It would be incomplete and the halftime buzzer would sound. At the half the game would be all tied up at 7-7.

The Tigers would take the second half kickoff with a return by Cole to the Tiger forty. Macon would go backward on the first snap with a two-yard loss. Magruder would then gain those yards back with a run up the middle. Macon would gain five yards on a pass to Cole but would be forced to punt. Kirksville would start their drive at their own twenty-nine. A run of 18-yards and 1 -yard would move the ball to the forty-eight. Kirksville would lose ground on an illegal shift penalty and back-to-back incompletions forced a punt. Carpenter would take the punt back to the Tiger twenty-eight to setup the next drive. Magruder would take the ball for eight and Linear for three more and a first down at the thirty-nine. A slant pass to Jace Terry for fourteen yards to the forty-eight. Magruder would then get the ball and refuse to go down, the Tigers would push the ball down to the Kirksville eighteen. Magruder would gain four more yards on the ground to the fourteen. Linear would drop back to pass and find Cole again for a touchdown. The point after was good and Macon had taken the lead 14-7 with 6:34 to go in the third quarter. Kirksville would take the kickoff on their own twenty-nine and carry the ball three straight times to the thirty-nine. Kirksville would then be called for a hold in the backfield that would send them all the way back to their own twenty-two. Kirksville would not be able to recover and would be forced to punt the ball back to Macon. The Tigers would start with the ball on their own forty-four. Magruder would take the ball forward for four yards and seven more to the Kirksville forty-five. A tackle for a loss and a holding penalty would send the Tigers back to their own forty-one. Linear would connect on a eight yard pass to Cole and then looked to have a big run up the sideline for the first down. Offsetting penalties would force a replay of down at the forty-nine. An incompletion would end the half with Macon still leading 14-7.

The Tigers would open the final frame with a punt back to Kirksville. The visiting Tigers would strike quickly with a short pass that would then go up the sideline for a tying 58-yard touchdown. The game was all knotted up at 14-14 with 11:40 to go in the game. The Tigers would take the ball back at their own twenty-six and go on the longest drive of the game. Linear would start on the ground and juke his way for a 16-yard gain to the forty-three. Magruder would then go for two and Linear add runs of three and seven yards to the Kirksville forty-five. Cole would then take a pass twelve yards to the thirty-four. The Tigers would then head backward on losses of five yards and two yards to the forty-one. Facing a third and seventeen, Kirksville would be called for back-to-back encroachment penalties. Linear would then connect on a even yard pass to Terry for the first down at the twenty. Magruder would then go on the ground for four yards and another encroachment penalty the Tigers were at the eleven. Magruder would collect the first down with a gain to the six. Macon would give back five yards with an illegal formation but then Magruder would take the rock home from the eleven for a touchdown. The point after was good and Macon had retaken the lea 21-14. Kirksville would take over the kickoff at their own forty-one. Burns would then drop them for a one-yard loss to start the drive. After a pass attempt was knocked away by Cole. Kirksville would try a deep pass over the middle. The Tigers would have the receiver double covered over and under, allowing Linear to get the interception. Macon would take over at the Kirksville forty-three. Magruder would then rumble forward seventeen yards to the twenty-six. A three-yard run by Linear and a seven-yard gain by Magruder had the ball at the sixteen. Linear looked like he had scored on the next play, but it would be called back on a Tiger penalty. Linear would then tell the defense, “Its ok, I will just do it again”. After three straight runs brought up third and goal, do it again is what he did by taking it into the endzone. The Tigers would hold a 27-14 lead with only 0:35 to go in the game. After the kickoff and an incompletion, Cashatt and Burns would cap the night with a sack to complete a 27-14 victory over Kirksville. This week lets hope the Tigers, do it again with a trip to North Calloway on Friday Night.