It appeared for a while that McCallie might be the best of the 10 teams participating in Friday night’s high school football Kickoff Classic at Finley Stadium.

The Blue Tornado shut out Brainerd 14-0 with Joey Skogen scoring two touchdowns in their jamboree quarter.

But then Walker Valley took the field and easily took Notre Dame’s measure 20-0, and the Mustangs did it with their starting quarterback, Houston Spencer, on the sideline following an ankle sprain early in the quarter.

Staff Photo by Margaret Fenton
McCallie junior quarterback Keenon Rush runs the ball up the middle of the field against the Brainerd defense at the city football jamboree Friday night at Finley field.

The Mustangs’ most glaring error was an extra-point kick that caromed off the upright.

“It’s a huge difference from last year to this year,” said second-year Walker Valley coach Ted Lockerby. “The kids have bought into what we’re trying to do, and they’re trying to get some respect. It’s good to see things turn in their favor.”

Bruising fullback Turner Touchstone, a bulky 225-pounder, ran for a 6-yard touchdown and Javon Arnwine got loose on a 45-yard score before backup quarterback Jace Meeks found Brice Sharp on a screen play that Sharp turned into a 64-yard TD.

McCallie was easily the most disciplined team on the field, handling Brainerd’s speed with its precision.

“I didn’t know what to expect,” Tornado coach Rick Whitt said. “We have practiced pretty well although we went through a spell where we were fumbling. Tonight we executed.”

McCallie rival Baylor fell 7-0 to Boyd-Buchanan, East Ridge edged Soddy-Daisy 3-0 and Ooltewah scored in the final minute to beat Rhea County 7-0.

Boyd-Buchanan quarterback Nick Hughes, who missed all but the first quarter of last season with a knee injury, had a superb night in the first 20-minute period. The 6-foot-4, 220-pounder completed six of eight passes for 86 yards and picked up 33 rushing yards on six carries. The Bucs’ TD came on a 22-yard run by Ben Beasley.

“We have skill guys that can catch and a quarterback that makes good decisions,” Boyd-Buchanan coach Grant Reynolds said. “Being out last year helped Nick’s approach to the game. He has become a student of the game.”

East Ridge’s Josh Francisco kicked a 34-yard field goal with four seconds left.

“We were pretty sloppy offensively, but the defense got a turnover. I’m not going to complain,” first-year Pioneers coach Mike Martin said.

Like the Pioneers, Ooltewah also scored late, getting a 14-yard TD pass from Brady Reed to Johnny Myricks in the final minute.

“The defense looked pretty good. Offensively, we turned the ball over but we managed to stop them,” Owls coach Benny Monroe said. “It was good to get the guys out here in a game situation under the lights. Some of them had never done it before.”

Although his Golden Eagles didn’t score, Rhea coach Jason Fitzgerald was fairly satisfied, although his special teams botched a fake field goal.

“If we don’t make some silly mistakes, we stack up with them pretty well,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s like I told the guys beforehand: That’s probably the best football team they’ll see all year.”

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