By james art On a rainy night when the weather affected both teams’ passing attack, Madison Prep used its running game to take control against University High.
The Chargers rolled for 249 yards and two touchdowns in the second quarter as they took control of District 6-3A with a 14-6 victory over the Cubs on Thursday night at Memorial Stadium.
U-High (7-2, 4-1) had one last shot to tie the game. With 2:32 left in the game, the Cubs moved from their own 20 to the MPA 18. The key play was a 42-yard completion from Emile Picarella to Ethan Kimmie at the U-High 19.
The Cubs also converted on a fourth down on Picarella’s 21-yard throw to Zay Martin. That brought first at MPA 18, but the U-High momentum stalled. Joshua Hebert intercepted Picarella’s fourth-down pass as the Chargers held on.
Madison Prep (6-3, 5-0) had a three-pronged rushing attack that filled the clock in the second half after the Chargers led 14-6 at halftime.
Alfred McKnight scored two touchdowns in the second quarter and finished with 135 yards. Jeremiah Anderson rushed for 73 yards and quarterback Tylan Johnson added 50 on the ground.
Johnson completed 4 of 9 passes for 50 yards, including two in the final five minutes, helping the Chargers eat five minutes off the clock.
The Cubs were led by running back Corbin Odell with 54 yards on 12 carries. Picarella was 11 of 24 passing for 111 yards.
Early in the third quarter, Piccarella led the Cubs on a drive that carried inside the MPA 10. On fourth-and-1 at the MPA 9, running back Alex Haynes came up short on a shotgun snap to end the threat.
U-High did not re-enter the MPA 10.
Madison Prep struggled to move the ball in the first quarter. The Chargers had a trio of three-and-outs and lacked an early offensive rhythm.
U-High mustered its only shot of the half midway through the opening quarter. On fourth and -1 at midfield, Alec Haynes took a 42-yard field goal to the MPA 3. Haynes scored on the next play, giving the Cubs a 6-0 lead.
The Chargers’ ground game started to work in the second quarter. Running backs Jeremiah Anderson and Alfred McKnight began to break through the Cubs defense, and the Chargers scored on McKnight’s 22-yard run early in the second quarter.
The extra point was blocked, leaving the score tied 6-6.
Madison Prep moved 81 yards to score its next touchdown. Key plays were Keion Robinson’s 25-yard reception from Johnson and McKnight’s 37-yard run. McKnight went around left end for a 6-yard TD run, and Johnson came in for the 2-point conversion.
U-High, which had just three first downs in the half, trailed 14-6 at halftime.