By JIM STEELE
mckenzierebels.com

McKenzie could have suffered cataclysmic results against visiting Gleason Friday night.

The Rebels were fresh off a big win over archrival Huntingdon, had a week of homecoming events to contend with and had to play a team that hadn't beaten them since 1987. It stood to reason that McKenzie might have a lackluster effort against the Bulldogs.

Instead, the Rebels delivered an inspired effort and did a homecoming dance at the expense of Gleason, 36-0. The Rebels are now 5-1, 3-0 in Region 7A. Almost to a man, the Rebels said they had short memories when it came to Huntingdon and had a marksman's focus when it came to Gleason.

"You have to play tough in region games," said senior Tyler Reeder, who had nine tackles, six sacks and a blocked punt. "You can't take a week off. We haven't won the region yet and Huntingdon wasn't a region game. This was. We had to play well tonight."

Shabree Payne, who caught a 59-yard pass to start the scoring cavalcade, said this game was the most important of the season, because it was the next one.

"I think we stepped up the whole game," he said. "We improved a lot this week and in the second half, we did what we wanted to do. We remember what it was like against them two years ago (when Gleason gave an inspired effort despite losing 62-42 at Rebel Field). We can't get the big head or anything like that and we have to keep our level of play high."

Payne had three catches for 83 yards and a score.

"We couldn't come in here just thinking we could win," said senior Tyler Moore, who had 12 carries for 100 yards. "We had to play hard. In practice the coach said we had to play at a higher level than them and I think we did."

"That first play, it was the first time we completed it for a touchdown," said senior quarterback Derek Carr, who was on the throwing end of that 59-yard TD pass. "We've run it and had big plays with it, but we've never scored."

Carr said that pass sent a message.

"It basically told them we ain't laying down," he said. "We came out firing."

"We came out and attacked them," said MHS coach Wade Comer. "We had good protection, we had good play-action and Derek hit Shabree right in stride. It set the tempo for the game."

EDWARDS QUEEN FOR A NIGHT: When McKenzie public address announcer Josh Kee announced the winner of homecoming queen Friday night, junior Sarah Edwards was sort of just looking around as a member of the court during pre-game ceremonies.

When Kee announced her name, Edwards looked like she was about to pass out. She mouthed the words, "Oh my gosh," and covered her mouth in disbelief while breaking out in an infectious smile.

Edwards is the daughter of Stephen and Dayna Edwards and the sister of former Rebel all-state offensive lineman Paul Edwards, currently a member of the University of Memphis football team.

Edwards received a boquet of flowers, a tiara and a sash. Other members of the court included Josie Jarrett, Lauren Flippin, Victoria Hampton and Jana Barham, all four former cheerleaders at one time or another.

MHS SACK EXCHANGE: McKenzie's defense made Gleason quarterback Zach Wallace's night a long one Friday night. Rebel defenders sacked him 11 times. Reeder hauled him down six times, Evan Rogers four times and Tyler Watson once.

"We got after them," said Reeder, who wasn't really aware that he had what could have been a record-setting performance. "We played pretty good defense, but we just have to get better each week."

Rogers had four and almost had one more: "I just couldn't hold on to him and he slipped away."

The sophomore thought the defense played pretty well.

"We improved this week," he said. "We could have done better; their trap got us a couple of times, but we fixed that."

As for his four sacks? "It feels good," he said with a grin.

MOORE DOING FINE: Senior running back Tyler Moore gave Rebel fans quite a scare in the fourth quarter of last week's game against Huntingdon. He was flipped on a play near the goal line and he landed on his head.

He complained of neck pain and after the play was over an ambulance crew came on the field to take him to McKenzie Regional Hospital for precautionary measures.

With the way he played Friday night, he should get hurt more often.

Moore didn't miss school and practiced all week with only a slight tweak in his neck. All the scans suggested that Moore was fine. And indeed he was, carrying 12 times for 100 yards and a touchdown.

"I felt good and there were no problems whatsoever," insisted Moore.

"L" IN LAUGHREY FOR LSU?: When McKenzie scored its last touchdown, football coach Wade Comer told his team to get ready for a new wrinkle. Evidently more than one member of the Rebels' team saw the South Carolina-Louisiana State game on TV last week. The Tigers were setting up for a field goal when the holder sold the kick, then flipped the ball blindly over his head to the sprinting kicker who raced in for the touchdown.

The play even drew a smile from the Ol' Ball Coach himself, Steve Spurrier, the Gamecocks' head coach.

"I told coach (Comer) we needed to draw that play up Monday," said quarterback Derek Carr. "We practiced it Thursday then when we were coming off the field, the coach said we may try it on the next touchdown."

Carr said it worked perfectly. It did. The Bulldogs raced in around the ends, Harris Laughrey took a step then started drifting behind Carr toward the end zone and Carr made a perfect flip. Laughrey had time to smoke a cigar had he wanted to. He tiptoed into the end zone.

"They were coming hard off the edge and I told coach we had to do it," Carr said. "It was amazing."

Carr seemed to be more stoked about the execution of the play than Laughrey did. The holder gave a big fist pump at about the 20. Laughrey just sort of quietly headed back to the sideline.

Laughrey, the recipient of the gadget play was rather subdued about the result, except for a constant grin on his face.

"It was pretty cool. We practiced it some," Laughrey said. "They said we were going to do it next touchdown. It was nice. Nobody was expecting it and it was awesome."

GREENFIELD NEXT: McKenzie will face the upstart Greenfield Yellow Jackets this Thursday night at Harris Field. The Jackets are off to a 4-2 start and defeated South Fulton 53-19 Friday. Greenfield is having its Fiddlesticks Festival, formerly the Fire Prevention Festival, which required moving the game up a day.