There’s a lot to be said for playing your best ball with the playoffs just around the corner, and McEachern is doing just that.
The Indians won their sixth consecutive game after starting the season 0-4 and completed a perfect run through the Region 3-7A schedule with a 38-0 victory over rival Hillgrove on Friday in the teams’ regular-season finale at McEachern’s Cantrell Stadium.
Region 3 champion McEachern (6-4, 4-0) will open the Class 7A playoffs next Friday at home against Campbell, the No. 4 seed from Region 2. Campbell is 3-7 overall but earned its first playoff berth since 2017.
“That’s kinda what you want, right? You want to get better as you progress throughout the season, and we’ve done that,” McEachern first-year coach Kareem Reid said. “I’m really happy with our kids just staying locked in every week. That’s what it’s been about - our preparation, our approach and coming out and executing every Friday night.”
Hillgrove, which beat McEachern in the regular-season finale last year in a game with the region’s final playoff berth on the line, finished the season 2-8 overall and 0-4 in the region. The Hawks came into this year’s game having already been eliminated from the playoffs and will miss the postseason for the third time in four seasons. They were a playoff team the previous 10 years.
McEachern quarterback Jaydon Kinney had perhaps his best night of the season. The senior was 9-of-13 passing for 258 yards - an average of 28.7 yards per completion - and threw for three touchdowns. That more than offset a running game that was limited to 41 yards on 20 carries.
“The kid’s been playing lights out for us since about Week 4,” Reid said. “He just did what we asked him to do, knew where to go with the football, and our receivers made plays on the ball today, which is good to see.”
The teams had combined for just 20 yards of total offense when McEachern took possession at its 49 after recovering a fumble with about a minute to play in the first quarter. The Indians needed two plays to score from there, a 37-yard pass from Kinney to Cam Traylor and a 14-yard touchdown run by Jayreon Campbell for a 7-0 lead with nine seconds left in the quarter.
McEachern also scored on its final two possessions of the half for a 17-0 lead. Kinney connected with Traylor for a 68-yard touchdown, and Jonathan Rodriguez kicked a 25-yard field goal on the last play of the half.
Kinney threw third-quarter touchdown passes to Myles Character (18 yards) and Terry Wilson (48 yards) to build the lead to 31-0 and force a running clock in the fourth quarter. Dy’lon Womack completed the scoring with a 65-yard interception return for a touchdown in the final period.
This was the most-lopsided game in the history of the series and the first in which either team was shut out. The teams have played each other every year since 2010, with each winning seven times.
McEachern held Hillgrove to 144 total yards, including 42 yards rushing on 29 carries. The Indians also had a fumble recovery and an interception and sacked Hillgrove quarterback Donovan Mack three times for 26 yards in losses.
Caleb Walters led the Hawks’ offense with 47 yards rushing on 12 carries.
“Our defense has played great all year,” Reid said. “They’ve really been opportunistic. They take the ball away just about every week. This is who we are. The kids play to the standard, and I’m really happy with their effort.”
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