(FREE) Metro Christian Gets The Job Done In Week Zero
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Both teams played like it was “Week 0” for them and it showed in the final box score. Despite a combined seven turnovers – two on one single play – No. 1 (2A) Metro Christian and No. 9 (3A) Checotah managed to finish with 62 points between them. In the end, it was the defending champion Patriots who came out on time by a score of 41-21.
After the first three possessions came and went without a first down, Metro Christian opened the scoring when quarterback Kirk Francis Kirk Francis 6'1" | 185 lbs | QB Metro Christian | 2023 State OK hit wide receiver JJ Shelby with a long range bomb. The ensuing Checotah possession saw linebacker Jaxson Grimes pick off a pass on first down to put the ball back in the hands of his offense. The Patriots capitalized seven plays later when Francis threw his second TD pass, this time to wide receiver Reid Roth. Running back Tagg Campbell Tagg Campbell 5'10" | DB Metro Christian | 2023 State OK added to the first half rout with a 95 yard touchdown run after a tremendous Checotah punt seemingly pinned the Patriots back to their goal line. The fourth unanswered Metro Christian TD came in the form of a pick-6 from defensive back Mario Darrington.
Checotah would finally get on the board when running back Tanner Jones sprinted in from 56 yards out to make the score 28-7. The first half would end with the Patriots leading 41-7 after a touchdown run from sophomore Corley Wagner and a scoop and score from a Wildcats fumble by linebacker Dax Dancer. Though the Patriots would eventually walk away winners, a tremendous effort from the Checotah defense held them scoreless in the second half. In back to back possessions, the Wildcats threw one touchdown – from QB Jake Vernnon to wideout Rylee Campbell – and saw running back Dontierre Fisher Dontierre Fisher 6'0" | RB Checotah | 2022 State OK rush for another. It would prove to be too little, too late as – despite several turnovers – MCA was able to successfully run out the clock and secure their first victory of the season.
Team | 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | F |
Checotah (0-1) | 0 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 21 |
MCA (1-0) | 14 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 41 |
TURNING POINT
Midway through the fourth quarter, as Checotah looked to all present to be mounting an epic comeback, linebacker Jaxson Grimes grabbed his second interception of the game for Metro Christian – all but putting an end to the hopes of the Wildcats. Although the Patriots did not score on their next possession, keeping Checotah from making it 41-28 was extremely important. As mentioned before, the “Week 0” game proved to be an issue for both teams as there were a lot of penalties, turnovers and just general sloppy play. Without the three interceptions and two fumbles by the Wildcats, the game could have gone a totally different way and Grimes made sure that it didn’t, twice.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Tagg Campbell
Tagg
Campbell
5'10" | DB
Metro Christian | 2023
State
OK
– 2023 Running Back – Metro Christian
Campbell’s 95-yard run was a back breaker for the Patriots after Checotah had just celebrated pinning MCA to their own goal line. Only two rushes put Campbell over the 100-yard mark. Tagg is a beast out of the backfield for a team that is known mostly for throwing the ball all over the place. His ability to break huge runs at any given moment keeps the defense honest. He also shows great hands and is a nice option to have out of the backfield as he drifts out into the flat to proved
Kirk Francis
Kirk
Francis
6'1" | 185 lbs | QB
Metro Christian | 2023
State
OK
an outlet. Campbell is a hard-nosed player who does a good job of diagnosing what the defense is doing on the rush and helping to pick up any blitzers or players allowed to come free. Tagg is a great all-around running back and an enormous part of what Metro Christian does offensively.
QUOTABLE
Metro Christian Head Coach Jared McCoy On MCA’s “Week 0” Performance
“Our kids played fantastic… hard… a lot of cramping out there. You do your best to be in shape, but zero week games. Oklahoma heat… it’s crazy”
WHAT’S NEXT
Checotah: Hugo (1-0) – September 3rd
Checotah will face off against a Hugo squad that they defeated in last season’s opener by a score of 30-14. Hugo is coming off an opening night win against Dickson, 40-20. If Friday nights final two quarters are any indication, the Wildcats are in good position to get their first win of the season next week. Quarterback Jake Vernnon has a gun and when the running game is clicking, Checotah could be a serious problem in Oklahoma Class 3A.
Metro Christian: NOAH (0-1) – September 3rd
With a full week of preparation and a little more electrolytes and hydration, the Patriots should have absolutely no problem with the NOAH Jaguars next week. Last season, MCA defeated NOAH by a final score of 44-7 even when they were in the midst of losing two out of their first three games. NOAH lost their first game of this season by a score of 18-0 to Hominy. MCA Head Coach Jared McCoy admitted that junior quarterback
Kirk Francis
Kirk
Francis
6'1" | 185 lbs | QB
Metro Christian | 2023
State
OK
would probably not look back at Friday night’s opener against Checotah as one of his highlights when the season is over. Though Francis was only 8-23 with 146 yards, his two TDs were massively important to the final score line and everyone related to Patriots football knows that brighter days are ahead. The game against NOAH might be the springboard into a tremendous statistical season for Francis and his Patriots team as a whole.