Bulldogs Battle Through Tough Night Against Jackson County
The Macon County Tigers held their home opener for the 2026 season last Friday night. They hosted the Westmoreland Eagles. Both teams came out slow and the Eagles were plagued with poor field position. With 9:56 left in the first quarter Xavier Bently scored for Macon on a ten-yard run. The Tiger missed the PAT which made the score 6-0. With 1:40 left in the half Cameron Miller would take an eleven-yard reverse in for a touchdown.
Fredy Vincente would convert the PAT and at the half Macon led 13-0. At the 7:15 mark of the third period Roberto Perez would kick a 27- yard field goal to make the score 16-0 Macon. Then on the next Tiger possession Carter Haehl would hit Miller on an eighty-five-yard touchdown pass.
Perez made the PAT and with 0:56 left in the third quarter Macon led 23-0. At the 9:45 mark of the fourth quarter Brennan Flowers would score on a thirteen-yard run. Perez made the PAT and Macon led 30-0. Macon would finish the scoring with five minutes left in the game with a fortyfive- yard punt return by Cole Hackett for Macon. Perez made the PAT and the final score was Macon 37 Westmoreland 0. For the Tigers Haehl finished the game five of ten passing for 145 yards passing and one touchdown. Miller caught two passes for 92 yards and a score and Hackett caught three passes for 53 yards. Xavier Bentley had eleven runs for 97 yards and a score while Flowers ran eleven times for 92 yards and a touchdown. Miller had eleven yards rushing and a touchdown. For Westmoreland Zander Hodge was two of eight passing for nineteen yards and two interceptions and rushed eight times for twenty yards.
Braxton Cook rushed ten times for forty yards, Jorden Bell had three rushes for fifteen yards, James Graves ran three yards for twelve yards, and Dylan Gann ran twice for four yards. Aaden Freeman caught one pass for fourteen yards and Bell caught one pass for five yards The Tiger defense was strong. In the shutout they only allowed seven first downs and 111 total yards. Lane Oliver led the way with five and a half tackles followed by Hunter Jones and Bradyn Hasse with four and a half and Taylen Swaffer with three and a half.
For the Eagles James Graves had five and a half tackles followed by Braxton Cook and Zander Hodge with four and a half, and Jordan Bell and Brett Lowery with three and a half tackles. Next week the Tigers will be back on the road as they will travel to Greenbrier to face the Bobcats on September 4th. Kick-off is scheduled for 7 pm. (Photos by Kylie Birdwell)
