Game 3: Woodlawn-Shreveport defeats McKinley 22-20

On this brisk Friday night, the McKinley Panthers matched up with the Woodlawn Shreveport Knights. To start off the game, the Knights elected to go for an onside kick. McKinley was ready and was able to start off the game with great field position at their own 39 yard line. After a 9 yard run and a face mask call, McKinley saw themselves in Knight territory less than two minutes into the game. On the third play of this drive, Derrius Price heaved up a pass to Cameron Price. Price turned on the jets, outrunning all Woodlawn defenders and taking it to the house for a touchdown.

After two first downs but nothing to show for it from Woodlawn’s side, McKinley had the ball again in the first quarter. On the first play of this drive, Jeremiah Allen made a man miss, getting McKinley off their own red zone and up near midfield. Two plays later, Derrius Price was able to break one loose getting to the outside for a 33 yard gain. McKinley now on Woodlawns 30 yard line, the Knight defense decided to step up forcing three straight losses and putting McKinley in position to punt. After two straight three an outs from each team, Woodlawn was trying to get a first down on 3rd and 16. Isaiah Kennedy threw up a pass but Jyron Starks read the play and intercepted the ball, setting McKinley up on Woodlawn’s 28 yard line. McKinley took advantage of this field position by dialing up a wide receiver pass from Andre Knighten to Tyler Johnson making the score 14-0.

Down two scores coming into halftime, the Knights knew they had to get on the board. On the first play of the ensuing drive, #7 broke off a 55 yard run. Now on McKinley’s 15 yard line, the Knights were able to get in the end zone and convert the two point conversion making the score 14-8 early in the 3rd. After a three and out from each team, Woodlawn was punting from their own 22 yard line when a fumbled snap gave McKinley the ball at the line of scrimmage. McKinley did not waste any time connecting on a post to #11 for another McKinley touchdown making the score 20-8 with 3:27 left in the 3rd.

Woodlawn, trying to mount a comeback, came out on the ensuing drive consistently moving the chains. Putting together a 12 play drive, they were able to get a touchdown and a two point conversion making it a 6 point game with 10:45 remaining. After two more drives resulting in punts, McKinley had the ball back down on their own 20 yard line. In three plays gaining only 9 yards total, the Panthers were looking at 4th and 1. Instead of punting the ball back to Woodlawn, the Panthers executed a fake-punt-run which got them the first down with 2:26 remaining in the game.

After it seemed as though McKinley had sealed the win, an errand snap resulting in a loss of 10 forced the Panthers to punt. With only 1:38 remaining, the Knights were set up with the ball on the opposing 32 yard line. On the first play of the drive, Kennedy threw a pass that was taken to the McKinley 6 yard line. Woodlawn decided to trust in their offensive line, running two straight quarterback sneaks to get into the end zone and tie up the game. Going for two, the Knights decided to once again run a QB sneak which got them into the end zone making the score 22-20, with 47 seconds remaining. Starting from their own 46 yard line, McKinley was able to get a couple big gains to put them on Woodlawns 31 with just seconds to spare. As the clock struck zero, Derrius Price threw up a prayer to an open receiver in the front of the end zone, however, the ball was intercepted sealing the win for the Knights.

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