Photo Credit: Lou Murray
Album Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/45681226@N02/albums/72177720301583350
The Caledonia Fighting Scots were one of the best surprises in the 2021 season. As a result, they received numerous preseason accolades. In the first week of the season, they welcomed Holt to town. This game was one-sided throughout, as the Fighting Scots shutout Holt 35-0.
Neither team scored in the opening quarter of this game, with a few opportunities squandered. On the first play of the second quarter, Caledonia got on the board. Mason McKenzie, the senior signal-caller for Caledonia, kept the football for an 11-yard touchdown run. After recording a stop, the Fighting Scots had the football back. Their lead doubled when McKenzie again found the endzone. This time, it was a 3-yard plunge across the goal line.
Caledonia would extend their lead to 21 points when they got another touchdown on their ensuing drive. Brock Townsend joined the scoring party with a 3-yard touchdown run. A two-point conversion toss from McKenzie to Justice Reed gave Caledonia a 21-0 advantage as the teams broke for halftime.
The Fighting Scots would employ the running clock in the third quarter. They scored a pair of touchdowns to push their lead to 35 points. First, Blake Herron used his legs on a 4-yard carry. With just under three minutes to go in the frame, McKenzie found Kaden DeHorn on a 14-yard touchdown pass. Luke Voegler was able to boot two extra points through the uprights to give Caledonia the 35-0 advantage. With the running clock ticking, neither team would find the endzone over the final fifteen minutes of action.
Caledonia outgained Holt 362-109 in this game. The victors rushed for 285 yards, paced by Brock Townsend’s 102. Blake Herron (72), DJ Walker (53), Mason McKenzie (49) and Brody Betser (11) also contributed to the team tally on the ground.
Defensively, Derek Pennington Jr. and Tyler Burd each led the Fighting Scots with 4.5 tackles. Pennington paced the Scots with 3 tackles for loss. With this victory, Caledonia starts 1-0 for the third straight year. They will look to improve to 2-0 when they travel to North Farmington next week. Holt will play a tough CAAC crossover next week when they square off with Mason.
