Grayson vs. McEachern

4SHOT Sports

Football - 2008
Grayson vs. McEachern
By Larry "L.A." Williams
Aug 23, 2008, 10:30 EST

Corky Kell Classic

The Georgia Dome - Atlanta, GA

Grayson “Rams” vs. McEachern “Indians”
Grayson upends McEachern 31-21

Pemberton leads RAMS ground assault

Pemberton and QB-Tyler Horn were key components in the Rams win.

Atlanta – The Rams from Grayson H.S. came out and took the game right to McEachern, on the Rams second possession of the game they started featuring the bruising running of fullback Greg Zellner and the slashing style of their speedy but diminutive wing back Ean Pemberton.

Behind the duo’s running the Rams moved the ball down to the McEachern 37-yard line. Two more tough runs by Zellner move the ball to the twelve. A couple of play later he busted up the middle dragging defenders for a 12-yard touchdown run. Kicker Will Jessup booted the PAT to give Grayson a 7-0.

After being out of sync for much of the first half McEachern finally started finding their rhythm late in the second quarter and much of that can be attributed to the insertion of Rajaan Bennett.

The junior running back ripped off 15-yards to the 37-yard line; then he ripped off thirty-seven more yards to the Grayson 33-yard line. A few plays later RB-Quenten Martin finished off the drive with a 15-yard touchdown run. The PAT by K-Troy Postell tied the game at 7-7.

RB-Rajaan Bennett gets a big block from OL-Correy Rowe.

McEachern would mount one last drive before the half moving the ball all they way down to the Grayson 39-yard line but the Rams DB-Ches Whitesides ended any hopes of them scoring when he picked off a pass by quarterback Matt Collins to end the first half with the score tied at 7-7.

Bennett picked up right where he left off in the second-quarter as he ripped off an 18-yard run to the Grayson 48-yard line. Unfortunately McEachern was called for a penalty that would force them to punt. On the punt attempt the ball sailed over the punter’s head giving Grayson great field position at the Indian’s 25-yard line.

A 21-yard run by Pemberton made it first and goal for the Rams at the McEachern 4-yard line. Pemberton would finish off the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run. Jessup’s PAT put the Rams up 14-7 with 7:01 left in the third-quarter.

With less than 5:00 minutes left on the third-quarter clock the Rams got the ball once again in good field position on the McEachern 29-yard line. Pemberton then picked up 8-yards to give Grayson a first-down on the nineteen. McEachern’s defense stiffened forcing a 32-yard field goal attempt by Jessup that was good, making the scoring 17-7 in favor of Grayson.

Grayson FB-Greg Zellner has DB-Egin Etta-Tawo between him and the goal-line.

On the ensuing kick-off Demartus Matthews from McEachern caught the ball on the fly and raced 67-yards down the left sideline for a touchdown to put the Indians right back in the game. The PAT by Postell made the score 17-14 with just under 2:00 minutes left in the third-quarter.

Undaunted Grayson came right back getting a 37-yard touchdown run on an option keeper by quarterback Tyler Horn. Jessup’s PAT put the Rams back up by ten, 24-14.

All of a sudden now big plays appeared to be the norm as the Martin ripped off 16-yards to the Grayson 46-yard line as the third-quarter clock expired.

On the first play of the forth-quarter QB-Matt Collins finally hit his 6-4 TE-Mitchell Terrell (Calvin Johnson body clone) for 16-yards to the 30-yard line. Facing a forth down and twelve from the 32-yard line they went for it but the play failed.

McEachern LB-Trevor Nixon waits in the hole for Zellner.

From there the Rams just started giving the ball to Pemberton as they drove the ball down the field. Running back James Earl Jones replaced Zellner at fullback and capped off the drive with a short touchdown plunge, making the score 31-14 with just 6:19 left in the game.

Bennett continued his impressive running for McEachern as he ripped off a 19-yard run to the Grayson 27-yard line with 5:03 left on the clock. On the next play Collins went up to Terrell who used his 6-4 frame to leap over the smaller Grayson defender to haul in the 27-yard touchdown pass. With 4:50 left to play McEachern only trailed by ten, 31-21.

The McEachern defense held but on the ensuing punt return they fumbled and Grayson recovered the ball on the Indians 29-yard line. With 1:00 minute left to play McEachern got the ball back again but the Grayson defense, which played tough all game long failed to break as the Rams came away with a solid 31-21 victory.