By Michael Lindsay
The Upperman Bees kept their undefeated start to the 2024 season alive Friday evening as they took down Macon County in a Region 4-4A showdown, 35-34.
“Hats off to Macon,” said Upperman head coach Adam Caine. “They’re a really good team and it’s becoming a rivalry, and there’s a deep-felt respect for that program. That was a heck of a high school football game with kids laying it on the line.”
The Bees trailed 21-6 in the first quarter and held off a Macon County fourth-quarter run that included a touchdown with less than a minute remaining and a recovered onside kick by the Tigers.
Upperman was led on the ground by quarterback Bronzden Chaffin as he rushed for 132 yards and 3 touchdowns on 22 attempts along with 111 yards and two scores by running back Ethan Palk.
Macon County’s Gabe Borders racked up 145 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries along with 39 receiving yards and a touchdown. Zach Borders posted 96 rushing yards and a touchdown for the Tigers.
Macon County struck first as Luke Gammon punched in a 1-yard touchdown run on the game’s opening drive to give his team a 7-0 lead.
The Tigers weren’t done there as they recovered a fumble on Upperman’s first offensive play and scored a few plays later via an 8-yard touchdown run by Gabe Borders to give Macon County a 14-0 lead with 5:49 remaining in the first quarter.
The Bees rebounded on their following drive as Chaffin punched in a 1-yard touchdown to bring the Bees within a score at 14-6 with 2:25 remaining in the first quarter.
Macon County wasted no time finding the end zone as Gabe Borders took the Tigers’ first play of the ensuing drive 61 yards to the end zone to give Macon County a 21-6 lead with 2:03 remaining in the period.
Upperman responded with a touchdown late in the second quarter as the Bees converted a 4th down and 4 at their own 24 yard line to set up the scoring play later in the drive. Chaffin rushed in a 4-yard touchdown followed by a 2-point conversion pass to Colton Johnston to make the score 21-14 at halftime.
“I think I almost died in the locker room I was so mad,” said Caine. “I really liked how we played in the second half. I’m proud of my guys; there wasn’t a thing going right, but we had enough kids to make some plays to get back in it.”
The Bees tied the game at 21 on the first possession of the first half as Carmine Phillips returned the opening kick of the third quarter to the Macon County 15-yard line, setting up a Palk 1-play touchdown rush later a few plays later.
Neither team would find the end zone for the rest of the third period as they went into the fourth quarter tied at 21.
Upperman opened the fourth quarter with a 2-yard touchdown run by Chaffin to take a 28-21 lead with 9:52 remaining.
Facing their first deficit of the game, Macon County answered with a 26-yard touchdown run by Zach Borders with 6:36 left to tie the game again at 28.
Upperman put together an 8-play, 58-yard drive that consumed 4:08 of game time before an Ethan Palk touchdown rush gave the Bees a 35-28 lead with 2:28 left.
Macon County again answered with a touchdown as Luke Gammon hit Gabe Borders for a 21-yard touchdown pass with 38 seconds left to pull his team within 1, but the ensuing extra point was missed as Upperman retained a 35-34 lead.
The Tigers recovered the following onside kick, but Upperman’s defense ultimately held Macon County out of the end zone to preserve their 35-34 victory in Region 4-4A play.
Upperman moves on to host Livingston Academy (2-1, 0-1) next week while Macon County travels to Smith County (0-3, 0-1).
