Four first-half interceptions—three of them returned for touchdowns—spelled doom for McKenzie from the outset as the Brantley Bulldogs took a commanding 55-0 win over the Tigers.

The Tigers’ opening gambit onside kick gave Brantley a short field to work with.  Bulldog QB Parker Driggers stiff-armed his way to pay-dirt on a 37-yard keeper down the sideline for Brantley’s first score.

McKenzie reached deep within its own playbook on their first drive from scrimmage, but the Bulldogs saw through the Tigers’ guise as a flea flicker was intercepted by Tyler Booker and taken almost to the house for a Brantley score.

Running back Mack Wise made up the difference to give Brantley its second score.

Booker made the McKenzie offense pay a second time with his second interception, this time taking it 80 yards all the way for a Bulldogs score.

Wise reeled in the Bulldogs’ third interception, returning it for yet another Brantley pick-6.

D’Andre Sinclair came down with the fourth interception, taking it once again to the Brantley end zone for a 35-0 lead.

Sinclair’s number would be called again, this time on offense, to give Brantley its 41st point of the half with just seconds left for the Tigers to respond.

McKenzie head coach Tony Norris said that, with the burden of high stakes lifted, his final goal was for his team to play hard and have fun.

The was the last game of the season, and there is no playoff picture for us, so I was just trying to have a little fun,” Norris said.

Though the Tigers won’t see postseason play, Norris added that he had the utmost respect and appreciation for his seniors.

“I couldn’t be more prouder of a group of seniors than these,” he added.

“Their leadership over the past few weeks has really meant a lot to me and a lot to this team.”

In the latter weeks of the Tigers’ season, a number of young players stepped up to fill roles that they didn’t have to in the season’s opening months.  Norris said that, because of their resilience, the future of the McKenzie football program is in good hands.

“We’ve got to go back to the weight room and start winning games now.  We don’t win games in August, September and October.  We win games now.”