BY LISA HOLTZENDORF
Special to the Telegraph-Times-Monitor
Union County High School’s football team couldn’t overcome a 22-8 halftime deficit, suffering homecoming heartbreak in losing 28-23 to Zarephath Academy on Oct. 3.
C.J. Ivey scored all three touchdowns for the Tigers (2-4), who were attempting to win their second game in a row against an opponent they defeated 47-14 last season.
The game, which capped a week of festivities that saw Ivey and Eva Whitehead crowned homecoming king and queen, began with Union putting points on the board first. The Eagles (3-4) had the ball on their own 1-yard line, which eventually led to the Tigers scoring on a safety.
However, the Tigers failed to have anyone receive the awarded free kick, which Zarephath recovered at its own 47-yard line. The Eagles later connected on a fourth-down pass play for a touchdown with 4:53 remaining in the first quarter. A successful two-point conversion gave the visitors an 8-2 lead.
The Zarephath quarterback would again connect on a pass play for a touchdown in the closing seconds of the first quarter. The Eagles punched the ball into the end zone on the two-point conversion attempt, increasing their lead to 16-2.
Union received a break in the second quarter when a Zarephath touchdown on a punt return was called back due to a penalty for a block in the back. The Eagles fumbled on the first play following the penalty, with the Cadenz Merriex recovering for the Tigers. Union however, was unable to capitalize and punted the ball away.
The Tigers finally gained some momentum, thanks to good field position and several penalties that helped moved the ball deep into Zarephath territory. Runs by Ivey and Bryce Lawton helped move Union to the 1-yard line. Ivey powered his way into the end zone from there to make the score 16-8 with 3:16 to go in the second quarter. The extra point was no good.
As the second quarter wound down, the Tigers attempted an unsuccessful onside kick that gave the Eagles the ball at their own 46. Zarephath gained good yardage a couple of run plays and a quarterback scramble before the quarterback
connected with his favorite receiver, who sprinted into the end zone for a touchdown. The two-point conversion attempt failed, but the Eagles took a 22-8 lead into halftime.
The Spirit of Union County marching band was joined by alumni as part of an annual homecoming tradition, while the majorettes and flag corps were joined by future UCHS performers, resulting in a sight to see as more than 200 took to the field to celebrate homecoming. The senior class was announced as the winner of the skit competition, with the sophomores taking second, the juniors third and the freshmen fourth. First place in the parade float competition went to the juniors, followed by the sophomores in second, freshmen in third and seniors in fourth. The seniors won the spirit competition, with the juniors finishing in second, the sophomores in third and the freshmen in fourth.
Zarephath received the second-half kickoff, with Union’s defense getting a third-down sack from Erick Lasseter that forced the Eagles to punt.
A good punt return by Jeffrey Brugh put the Tigers at their own 42. The offense, aided by a personal-foul penalty, moved the ball, with Ivey eventually taking the ball around left end for a 5-yard touchdown with 2:42 left in the third quarter. Merriex completed a pass to Brugh on the two-point conversion, making the score 22-16.
The Eagles’ air attack struck again as Zarephath scored on an 85-yard play to go up 28-16. The two-point conversion attempt failed.
Union’s defense turned it up a few notches in the fourth quarter, getting stops from Lasseter, Edward Durant and Wyatt Elixson.
With 6:15 left in the game, Ivey twisted and turned his way into the end zone for his third touchdown. Brugh added the PAT to leave the Tigers trailing 28-23.
The Tigers had a chance late when Durant, getting an assist from Elixson, blocked a punt, which allowed the Union offense to take over at the Zarephath 40-yard line. Despite several penalties against the Eagles that kept the drive, the Tigers couldn’t get the ball into the end zone to pull out a victory.
Union has a bye and will return to action on Friday, Oct. 17, when it travels to Ocala to play Trinity Catholic at 7 p.m. Trinity, which will have a bye this week, too, is 2-4 and in the midst of a four-game losing streak.
