Week 15 is Golden for Tigers!!
Members of the Class 4A Championship Tigers prepare to receive the first gold ball in the 98 year history of the program. (Photo by Julie Collins)
By Mark Darnell
Saturday Dec 7th might have marked the 83rd anniversary of Pearl Harbor and the start of a World War for the US but Macon County invaded Chattanooga last Saturday for the Class 4A Blue Cross Bowl. Total domination by the Tigers resulted in a gold ball.
This was the first appearance by the Macon County Tigers in the 98 year history of the program. After game film study, this game was going to be won up front in the trenches. I felt Macon had the advantage, and boy did they prove me right.
The Tigers received the opening kick-off for the 12th time in 15 games but did not score for the 11th time in that span. Following a Tiger punt, Melrose ran the ball inside the five. Senior Ty Young recovers a Wildcat fumble inside the Macon one yard line for the defense.
On the next offensive possession the Tigers appeared to have a first down but fumbled the ball back to Melrose at the Macon 22 yard line. The Wildcats would commit 31 yards in penalties and have to punt the ball back to the Tigers.
Following an exchange of punts the Tigers had an eight play 66 yard drive which resulted in a halfback pass from Gabe Borders to Luke Gammon of 32 yards with 9:17 left in the half. Eli Gammon would make the PAT and Macon led 7-0.
On the next Melrose possession Hunter Griggs would recover a Wildcat fumble near midfield. The Tigers would start pounding the ball with great play from their offensive line. Brennan Flowers would score from two yards and Eli Gammon kick the extra point to give the Tigers a 14-0 lead with 6:17 left in the half.
Melrose would take the next possession to the Tiger 46 yard line and commit their third turnover of the half, this one on fourth down. Zach and Gabe Borders led the offense downfield and Eli Gammon would kick his third field goal of the season from 35 yards to give the Tigers a 17-0 lead heading into the locker room.
Melrose took the second half kick-off and scored on a 25 yard run to cut the lead to 17-7 with 9:09 left in the third quarter. Good teams answer scores with scores and Macon led the offense right back down the field and scored on a 20 yard run by Zach Borders. Eli Gammon would make the kick and Macon led 24-7 with 6:00 left in the third.
You don’t get to this game and not have a good team. Melrose would march back down the field and score again with 3:07 to go in the third to cut the lead to 10 at 24-14. However, the same could be applied to the Tigers as they answered with a one yard run by Zach Borders for the touchdown after a 10 play 80 yard drive. Eli Gammon made the kick and with 9:42 left in the game Macon led 31-14.
Following a three-and-out by Melrose the Tigers kept their foot on the gas. Zach Borders scored on the first play of the possession from 47 yards. Eli Gammon hit the PAT and with 7:54 to go Macon led 38-14.
The Tiger defense got better and better as the game went along. They forced another Melrose three-and-out. The Tiger road graders went right back to work with rushing gains of 2, 3, 8, 10, 14, 1, and a 5 yard score by Zach Borders, his fourth touchdown of the second half. Eli Gammon kicked his sixth PAT and Macon led 45-14 with 2:49 to go with a running clock.
Melrose only ran one play in their next possession. As the clock hit zero Tiger fans rejoiced. Final score Macon County 45 Melrose 14.
For the game Zach Borders ran 25 times for 250 yards and four touchdowns. He was named the game’s Most Valuable Player. Twin Gabe Borders ran 18 times for 93 yards and threw a touchdown pass for 32 yards. Brennan Flowers ran two times for three times and a touchdown. Quarterback Luke Gammon ran three times for one yard and caught the only completed pass for 32 yards and a touchdown. Walrond, Whittemore, Johnson, Frye, West, Hire, and Wheeley all get a lot of credit for leading the Macon offense with 347 yards rushing in the game. They got stronger and stronger as the game went along.
Zach Borders would also set the single season rushing record for Macon. He finishes this season with 196 carries and 1,917 yards from scrimmage.
The Tiger defense turned in another great performance. They only surrendered four first downs in the second half, all on the first two Melrose drives. The front seven of this defense also proved me right as five of the top seven tacklers in the game came from the guys up front. Senior Isaac McClard led the way with nine stops followed by Corbin Stephens with seven, one was a sack and two were for a loss. Matthew Wheeley, Zach Borders, and Ty Young each had five while Bradyn Hasse, Hunter Griggs, and Cooper Carlisle had four each. Melrose only converted 3 of 10 third downs and 1 of 3 fourth downs on this defense.
So 2024 is a golden season for the Tigers. With a record of 13-2 they finish with the first football championship in history as well as a number or other program records. The approximately 3,000 fans that were in attendance of the championship game would tell you it was a great day to be a Tiger.
Congratulations to this team, coaches, and community.
