Gilbert Offense Rolls Behind QB McLauchlin

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>GILBERT |</strong> A little less than two months ago, <strong>Kitt McLauchlin</strong> was sitting in the Gilbert student section for the season opening contest against Lexington.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fast forward to Friday night and McLauchlin threw two touchdown passes to <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1734581' first='RJ' last='Kearse']</strong> and engineered the Indians offense to one of its better efforts of the season in a 30-19 victory over Brookland-Cayce.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“The coaches make sure I know what I'm doing and make sure we establish the game play that makes me comfortable,” McLauchlin said. “The line protects me and I just get the ball out to the playmakers and let them make the plays. My job is easy.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>McLauchlin last played football in the eighth grade, when he was a tight end. But after expected starter <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1393774' first='Kaden' last='Kingery']</strong> was injured, the quarterback spot was in flux. Coach Ozzie Exume coached the senior in basketball previously and knew the exploits of McLauchlin as a pitcher for the Indians baseball team. He throws in the upper 80's and has a lot of arm-strength and while it's been a learning curve, Exume is beginning to see the results he thought were possible when he approached the 6-foot-2, 192-pounder to give football a try.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“We're trending upward offensively,” Exume said. “Kitt is extremely smart, and he's taken everything in and been a pleasure to be around. He's very coachable and I think as we go, we can put in some more complex things to make this offense even better.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>McLauchlin only threw it six times in the first half with the big one coming with 3:36 remaining in the half when he found a wide-open Kearse on a post pattern from 29 yards out. That gave the Indians a 16-7 lead at the break.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Those same two connected again on a 37-yard scoring play to cap a 12-play, 79-yard drive that increased the lead to 23-7 late in the third quarter. McLauchlin scrambled out of the pocket and hit Kearse in the left flat and the 5-foot-7 speedster did the rest.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“Those touchdowns weren't on me, it was all (McLauchlin) and my coaches putting me in the position to make plays,” Kearse said.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>McLauchlin, who wears No. 41, finished 6-of-13 for 122 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Kearse caught two passes for 65 yards and contributed three tackles and a pass breakup on defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After Gilbert stopped a fake punt on the next series, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1043170' first='Wynn' last='Meetze']</strong> carried it all five times, the last one being from six yards that increased the lead to 30-7 with 10:06 remaining. Meetze, a Touchstone Energy North-South selection as a safety, finished with 69 yards on 12 carries.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Bearcats added two scores late to make it more respectable. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1360306' first='Bennett' last='Plane']</strong> caught a 20-yard scoring pass from <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1816457' first='Andrew' last='Frick']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1816469' first='Avery' last='King']</strong> scored his second TD on a 16-yard run. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Frick finished 20-of-25 for 186 yards but threw three interceptions. Plane had his second straight game with over 100 yard receiving as he finished with 102 yards on seven receptions. King ran for 67 yards on 16 carries. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This game ended 50-49 last season, and it looked line it was headed for another shootout in the early going <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1054176' first='Grayson' last='Gunter']</strong> intercepted a pass on the second play of the game and returned it 32 yards to the Bearcats 23-yard line.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The drive stalled and Gilbert had to settle for a <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1822429' first='Noah' last='Blackwell']</strong> 27-yard field goal.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brookland-Cayce (2-6, 2-3) then embarked on a 13-play, 79 yards when <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1816469' first='Avery' last='King']</strong> powered in from a yard out behind the blocking of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1817807' first='Anderson' last='Coggins']</strong> and <strong>Kerondre Carmichael</strong>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gilbert (4-4, 3-2) responded with its best drive of the half, an 8-play, 64-yard drive that ended with a four-yard TD run by Gunter that increased the lead to 13-7 on the second play of the second quarter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Gilbert defense picked off three passes in the first half. Gunter had the one to set the first scoring drive and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1664620' first='Gavin' last='Elliott']</strong> and <strong>Chandler Gutherie</strong> added interceptions in the second quarter. Gutherie and Elliott were also the leading tacklers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>GILBERT NOTABLES</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1822432' first='Ashton' last='Smith']</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1819914' first='Logan' last='Taylor']</strong> and <strong>K'Mari Brown</strong> all had tackles for loss and made several plays at the line of scrimmage. Brown had back-to-back plays in the third quarter where he had a tackle for loss and sack to force a punt.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1819908' first='Jiraiya' last='Staley']</strong> was the leading rusher with 17 carries for 88 yards.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>BROOKLAND-CAYCE NOTABLES</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Frick threw the three interceptions, but he was very accurate for the most part. The sophomore went 20-of-25 for 186 yards and the touchdown.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Bearcats had two interceptions with <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1816485' first='Nigel' last='Anyomi']</strong> and <strong>DeLeon Gore</strong> coming away with the picks. Gore played linebacker and fullback and is only a freshman. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1816473' first='Evan' last='Simmons']</strong> and <strong>Steven Bennerman</strong> played well on the defensive front.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->