Union City stuffed a would-be tying two-point conversion in the final minute to hold off Paris Inman 14-12 in a thrilling season-opening football triumph for the middle school Tornadoes Tuesday night.
The result made a winner out of Josh Keown in his first game as head coach of the UCMS program.
School Communications Director Mike Hutchens said BJ Boyd ran for 158 yards and a pair of first-quarter touchdowns to pace the Tornadoes offensively. Caden LeCornu, who tacked on 21 yards rushing and a critical two-point play, was a stalwart on defense with a team-high eight tackles – four of those for lost yards. The biggest of LeCornu’s hits came on the game-deciding two-point conversion.
Camron Beeler made three stops behind the line of scrimmage, as did Ayden Puckett, who also came up with a fumble recovery. Boyd was credited with four tackles, and both Lucas Riley and Brayden Marshall had takedowns for losses for a Union City defensive unit that made a dozen stops in all totaled for lost yards.
Union City Middle School will compete with the high school Tornadoes against Covington Friday night in the third annual Purple and Gold Jamboree at Covington.
(photo: Mike Hutchens – School Communications Director)
