The Tigers (1-3, 1-1 Region 5-AA) committed three turnovers and Cherokee fullback Brandon Wade had a big night offensively, rushing for 92 yards and a pair of touchdowns to lead the charge for Kendrick (1-3, 1-1).
“We put in some new sets for the game, and the inside running was working, so we stayed with it,” Kendrick coach Jerry Dukes said. “It helped open up everything else, and [Wade] had a good game.”
The Cherokees marched 11 plays on the opening kickoff — all running plays — with Wade finding the end zone on a six-yard touchdown run. He also added the two-point conversion for the 8-0 lead with 7:08 remaining in the first quarter.
Kendrick quarterback Jonathon Hines was 2-of-2 passing in the first half, connecting on touchdown strikes of 18 and 60 yards to wideout Dover Coppins, giving the Cherokees a 22-0 advantage at halftime.
“We felt that Coppins could get behind the secondary, and he did one on a slant and the other on a go pattern, and Hines got the ball to him both times,” Dukes said.
Coppins’ 60-yarder was set up when Reno Cook intercepted a Temple pass from quarterback Elijah McFarland and brought it out to the 40 before Hines hit his touchdown.
In the second half, the Cherokee defense put points on the scoreboard, as McFarland fumbled and Cook was at it again, scooping the fumble and running 31 yards for a touchdown to make it 28-0.
Triston Dowdell recovered a second McFarland fumble in the third period, and Wade capped the drive off with a 36-yard touchdown run to end the scoring.
The Tigers are back home next week when they play host to Spencer (0-3, 0-1) for homecoming.
Ronald Frazier of the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer contributed to this story.
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