Calil McNary scored on a 1-yard run with just 2:14 to play as Hopkins County Central upended Caldwell County 20-14 in season-opening football action Friday night in Mortons Gap.
The Tigers had taken a 14-6 lead to the fourth quarter, but McNary found the end zone twice in the final frame to lift the Storm to victory.
But the key play of the game may have been a reception by McNary that led to his first touchdown.
With the Storm trailing by eight points and facing 4th-and-10 at the Caldwell 31, McNary was left open in the middle of the field and hauled in a 24-yard pass from Isac Earl to keep the drive alive.
McNary then scored on a 4-yard run two plays later. Logan Rodgers carried in the two-point try to tie the game at 14-14 with 9:25 remaining.
Earl came up with some big plays on Hopkins Central’s next possession. He scrambled for 19 yards after the Storm took over at its own 16. A 15-yard face mask penalty moved to the ball to midfield.
Three straight pass completions by Earl moved the ball to the Caldwell 9. A 7-yard run by Earl on 3rd-and-goal from the 8 got the ball inside the 1-yard line.
On fourth down, McNary bowled into the end zone to put Hopkins Central in front.
Caldwell turned the ball over on downs on its next possession and the Storm ran out the clock on its victory.
Hopkins Central had struck first in the contest. A 23-yard pass from Sylas Gunn to Konner Harrison put the Storm up 6-0 at the 3:12 mark of the first quarter.
Caldwell countered in the second quarter on a 3-yard scoring toss from Luke Parker to Gus Fox. Timothy Nichols kicked the extra point to put the Tigers up 7-6 with 7:29 left in the first half.
Caldwell added to its lead in the third quarter when Parker dived just inside the pylon on a 3-yard run. Nichols again added the PAT as the Tigers stretched the margin to 14-6 at the 7:22 mark of the third period.
But Caldwell struggled to get much going offensively the rest of the night.
Hopkins Central finished the game with 221 total yards — 143 of that in the air. Combined, Gunn and Earl were 8 of 21, but Gunn was picked off four times before Earl took over in the fourth quarter.
McNary was held to 26 yards on 13 carries. Rodgers was the leading ground-gainer for the Storm with 39 yards on nine tries.
Jerimiah Groves caught three passes for 56 yards.
Caldwell had 183 total yards. Fox had 46 yards rushing on 13 carries.
Parker was 10 of 18 passing for 98 yards and one interception.
Xzavier Lee caught four passes for 54 yards.
Caldwell had 11 first downs while Hopkins Central had nine.
The contest was marred by penalties.
The Storm was whistled 14 times for 130 yards while the Tigers were penalized 11 times for 97 yards.
Cooper Mobley led the Tiger defense with 13 tackles and an interception. Jack Roach had 11 tackles, an interception and a sack. Cole Sherill had 10 stops and a sack.
Fox and Daelyn Lander also had interceptions.
Caldwell plays next week at Madisonville-North Hopkins.
