Marquez Taylor had himself a night against visiting Obion Central.
The McKenzie senior had 167 yards on 20 carries and five touchdowns as he and his teammates buried Obion Central in an avalanche last Friday, Sept. 9, 49-14.
McKenzie jumped on Central early when the visiting Rebels fumbled the opening kickoff at the MHS 17. Two plays later, Taylor began his adventure, darting 14 yards for the score just 44 seconds into the game. Oh, by the way, this after he threw an 8-yard completion to Jackson Cassidy on a gadget play. Zach Aird connected on the first of seven extra points and McKenzie was in front 7-0.
The rout wasn’t on immediately. Central put together and impressive drive on its initial possession, a 12-play, 71-yard journey to the end zone, ending in Johnny Light’s 3-yard dance to paydirt. The drive took 7:33. Hector Corona converted the first of two PATs and Central had evened the ledger at 7.
From there, it was all McKenzie, who, perhaps enjoyed its best performance of the season.
Taylor scored twice more in the opening stanza, a 3-yard plunge with 3:33 to play, then a 33-yard gallop exactly a minute later. McKenzie started to impose its will, leading 21-7. Central simply struggled to find any weaknesses in McKenzie’s defense, which forced six plays for negative yards in the first half. MHS ended the first when Rashad McCreary and Elijah Edmonson sacked OC quarterback Tanner Richmond.
Leading 21-7 entering the second frame, McKenzie took the ball 52 yards in six plays, spanning 2:48 when Cassidy tiptoed into the end zone from the 2. The host Rebels led 28-7. McKenzie forced a three-and-out and scored five plays later when Cassidy located Camden Allison for an 11-yard TD pass with 5:47 to play. McKenzie was up 35-7.
Central tried to hit the home run ball, but suffered through three incomplete passes, then a muffed punt snap that resulted in a 9-yard loss. McKenzie made Central pay. With the ball on the Central 30, MHS marched seven plays when Taylor answered with a 5-yard TD run with 1:38 to play in the half. McKenzie went into the dressing room leading 42-7. Central would face a running clock in the second half.
McKenzie took possession to start the second half, but was forced to punt for the first time on the night. Central didn’t fare much better after getting the ball back. Cassidy’s punt backed it up to its own 6 and allowed MHS great field position on the ensuing punt. Six plays and 39 yards later, Taylor scored from the 4 with :37 to play in the third. McKenzie led 49-7.
Central added a cosmetic score with 7:28 to play in the contest when Sharp hit Jammad Mosely for a 33-yard TD pass with 7:28 to play. That was pretty much that.
McKenzie rolled up 174 yards on the ground, 96 through the air for 270 total yards. Central had 54 yards rushing, 79 through the air for 133 total yards.
Central falls to 2-2 on the year and will visit Crockett County Friday night. Meanwhile, McKenzie improves to 4-0 and will hit the road for the second time this season when it visits the Vikings of Perry County.
