Seventh-ranked McEachern and Hillgrove traded scores, yardage, long drives and a few mistakes throughout the first quarter and a half of the unofficial Region 4-AAAAAA championship game Friday.
Eventually, McEachern’s ball control, and senior running back Sam Jackson, proved too much for the visiting Hawks as the Indians rolled to a 37-17 victory to claim their first region title since 2012.
McEachern (9-1, 6-0) will begin the state playoffs at home next weekend against Lowndes, the No. 4 seed from 1-AAAAAA. Hillgrove (6-4, 4-2) fell to the No. 3 seed from the region and will play at eighth-ranked Camden County.
Jackson was a major part of McEachern’s 554 yards of total offense, rushing for 171 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries, catching one pass for 18 yards, and completing a pass for 31 yards. The Indians dominated time of possession – 32:26 to 15:34 – and ran 82 offensive plays to Hillgrove’s 52.
Jackson’s 12-yard touchdown run late in the second quarter gave the Indians the lead for good at 16-10, but it was his 59-yard score with 8:11 to play in the third quarter that broke the game open. Jackson weaved and broke tackles all the way down the field to give McEachern a 23-10 lead.
“We knew we had to take the short stuff and keep the ball moving,” McEachern coach Kyle Hockman said. “Eventually we’d move the ball down the field. Sam’s a heck of an athlete, and he finally broke one for us. But the offensive and defensive line is where it’s at with all that stuff.”
McEachern quarterback Bailey Hockman was 14-of-26 passing for 241 yards and two touchdowns. Tyler Simmons ran for 60 yards on 10 carries and had four receptions for 65 yards, including a 42-yard touchdown reception on the first play of the fourth quarter.
Hillgrove outgained McEachern 128-58 in the first quarter but led just 3-0 on a 39-yard field goal by Eirik Abney on the Hawks’ first drive.
McEachern erased the scoring deficit on the first play of the second quarter, when Hockman threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Smith. Hillgrove blocked the extra-point attempt to keep the Indians’ lead at 6-3.
Hillgrove ran just nine plays in the second quarter, but one of them was a 67-yard touchdown pass from Matt Wilson to Jeremiah Bridges that gave Hillgrove a 10-6 lead.
McEachern answered with a 24-yard field goal by Cesar Dominguez, then recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff. Jackson scored two plays later for a 16-10 lead. The Indians threatened to score again after a short Hillgrove punt, but Hockman was intercepted by Kenny Owens on a third-and-goal play from the 10-yard line just before halftime.
Hillgrove quarterback Matt Wilson was 16-for-32 passing for 239 yards. His top target was Bridges, who had 155 yards on five receptions. The Hawks were held to 60 rushing yards on 20 carries.
“Our region is tough,” Kyle Hockman said. “Hillgrove is really well-coached. They’ve got great schemes on both sides of the ball. We knew it was going to be a battle.”
Hillgrove – 3-7-0-7 – 17
McEachern – 0-16-14-7 – 37
H – Eirik Abney 39 field goal
M – Brandon Smith 35 pass from Bailey Hockman (kick blocked)
H – Jeremiah Bridges 67 pass from Matt Wilson (Abney kick)
M – Cesar Dominguez 24 field goal
M – Sam Jackson 12 run (Dominguez kick)
M – Jackson 59 run (Dominguez kick)
M – Quay Holmes 5 run (Dominguez kick)
M – Tyler Simmons 42 pass from Hockman (Dominguez kick)
H – Tavion Walker 9 run (Abney kick)
