By Scott Brown

J.J. Is ‘Dyno-Mite’ in Union County’s Win Over Trigg

Posted: September 30, 2023
Article, Featured

Trigg County’s playoff hopes were dealt a serious blow Friday while Union County has positioned itself as the district’s top seed for the playoffs.

Jarren Johnson ran for two touchdowns and threw for two more to lead Union County to a 42-12 win over Trigg County at Perdue Field.

The Braves are 7-0 overall and 3-0 in the district with games remaining against Hancock County and Webster County.

Johnson, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the first game of the 2022 season, has returned with a vengeance in 2023.

His two rushing TDs give him 19 for the season and he doubled his passing touchdown total thanks to a 6-for-9 performance Friday that went for 85 yards. He also ran for 163 yards on 10 carries.

While Johnson was the focus of the Trigg defense, it was a pick-six that proved to be the early dagger for the Wildcats.

Johnson put the Braves ahead 14-0 on runs of 22 and 23 yards. The second score was a busted play that saw Johnson zig and zag through the defense and break several tackles on his way to the end zone.

The Wildcats tried to provide an answer before halftime but Rylan George picked off a Jerimyah Shearer pass and returned it 55 yards for the pick-six and a 21-0 Braves lead heading into intermission.

Union County’s relentless defensive pressure up front bothered Trigg County all night, limiting the Wildcats to 63 rushing yards on 34 carries and sacking Shearer seven times.

Johnson’s two touchdown passes came in the second half – one to Caton Wilson for 28 yards and the other to Abreyan Fletcher for seven yards.

Down 35-0 in the waning minutes of the third quarter, Trigg County got on the scoreboard when Shearer lofted a pass to the corner of the end zone where Peyton Williams made a one-handed grab over a Union defender for the score.

Trigg County ran 54 plays to Union County’s 30 although the Braves outgained the Wildcats 262-207.

Although not reflective in the final score, Union County was hampered by 125 penalty yards that gave the Wildcats four first downs.

Shearer carried the football 26 times for 52 yards. After the first half pick-six, Shearer completed nine consecutive passes and finished 13-of-20 for 144 yards.

Jhaden Vaughn caught seven passes for 63 yards and became the school’s career reception leader with 120, passing Jakobe Bridges (115). Vaughn already holds the school’s career receiving yards record (2,250).

Trigg County dropped to 2-5 overall and 0-3 in the district. Trigg County must win its two remaining district games with Hopkins County Central (Oct. 6) and McLean County (Oct. 20) to avoid missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016.