Choctaws get first-ever win against Union City, moves to 3-0

Dyer County quarterback Landon Daniels drops back for a pass during the Choctaws win over Union City on Friday night in Newbern.

Photo/Courtesy of Spencer Noel

By SPENCER NOEL

Special to the State Gazette

The Dyer County Choctaws looked to keep their winning streak alive Friday night in Newbern against the Union City Golden Tornadoes. After a close first half, the Choctaws imposed their will and notched their first ever win against Union City with a 40-22 victory.

A trio of Dyer County defenders combine for a sack on the Union City quarterback during the Choctaw win.

Photo/Courtesy of Spencer Noel

For the second time in three games, the Dyer County kickoff unit recovered a muffed opening kickoff and got the ball at the Union City 27-yard line. After two modest gains, Korey Taylor picked up the first on third and 2. Two plays later, Taylor got down to the 3-yard line. On the next play, Ja’Bari Livingston rushed for a Dyer County touchdown. The extra point by Tyler Fowlkes was good, which gave Dyer County the early 7-0 lead.

Union City got the kickoff at their own 18. Quarterback Zak Summers keeper to start the drive gained 35. The next handoff to Tayehari Jones gained 11. Two plays later Summers picked up five for a first. Two good gains made it third and 1 from the Choctaw 8-yard line. Gavin Lynn tackled Summers, but it made it first and Goal. Two plays later, Summers takes a Quarterback draw for a Golden Tornadoes touchdown. The extra point by Marcos Landeros was good, which made the score 7-7.

Union City kicked off to Everett Kuykendall, who took it to the Choctaws 44-yard line. On the first play, Ja’Bari Livingston took a handoff to the Union City 17-yard line. After a hold, Landon Daniels was sacked on first and 20 which made it 2nd and 28. Jamin Gauldin took a screen making it third and 14. On the next play, Daniels threw it to Devin Hayward for a Choctaws touchdown. The extra point was no good, making the score 13-7 Dyer County.

Union City’s Cohen Simpson took the ensuing kickoff to his own 45. After two plays, Union City was in third and 9, but a pass from Zak Summers to Aiden Reid got the Golden Tornadoes to the Choctaws 23-yard line, which ended the first quarter.

On the next play, Tayehari Jones took a handoff to the house for a Union City score. The extra point was good, making the score 14-13 in favor of the Golden Tornadoes.

The Choctaws got the kickoff at their own 41. After three short gains, Dyer County was in a fourth and 1, but Ja’Bari Livingston picked up first down by a few inches. After two no gains, it was third and 10, and Landon Daniels dialed up a deep pass to Jamin Gauldin to get to the Union City 13-yard line. On the Next play, Landon Daniels tossed a jump ball to Devin Hayward for a touchdown in the back corner. The two-point attempt was no good, which made the score 19-14 Choctaws.

Union City took the ensuing kickoff to their own 37. Zak Summers took a Quarterback keeper to the Choctaws 48. After three more big gains on the ground, Union City got into a third and 12 from the Dyer County 16, and a quick pass to Tayehari Jones was stopped in its tracks. The Union City field goal attempt was blown up and the Choctaws took over at their own 27.

After no gain on first down, a Landon Daniels pass to Jamin Gauldin picked up 11. Two plays later, another pass to Gauldin got down to the Union City 22 . On the next play, Ja’Bari Livingston took a handoff to the 6. Two plays later, Livingston scored from the 1 half-yard line. The extra point was good, making the score 26-14. The Choctaws stuffed the Golden Tornadoes after the kickoff to end the first half.

The Choctaws went three and out to start the second half, and Union City followed it up by turning the ball over on downs. Dyer County once again went three and out, and Union City followed that up by once again having a turnover on downs. After three modest gains, Dyer County also turned the ball over on downs after a pass from Landon Daniels to Everett Kuykendall would come up two yards short of the line-to-gain.

After a loss on first down, Union City’s Tayehari Jones gained 11 and picked up a first down by moving the ball to the Choctaws 35, which ended the third quarter.

To start the final quarter, Tayehari Jones gained nine on second and 7 to pick up first down. On the next play however, he lost six yards. Zak Summers threw two incompletions in a row, which resulted in another Union City turnover on downs.

On the first play of the next Dyer County drive, Ja’Bari Livingston took a handoff 30 yards. Two plays later, he gained 18 to make it first and 10 from the Union City 15-yard line. Two plays later, Korey Taylor ran into the end zone from the 10 for a Choctaws score. The extra point was good, which made the score 33-14.

Union City took the ensuing kickoff to their own 45. Cohen Simpson took a swing pass on the first play to the Choctaws 27-yard line. Zak Summers took two Quarterback runs and picked up a first down to the 18. Tayehari Jones took a handoff the next play for a touchdown. The two-point attempt was good with a run from Summers, which made the score 33-22 in favor of the Choctaws.

Dyer County got to the Union City 13-yard line with an onside kick recovery from Gavin Lynn. Ja’Bari Livingston took back to back handoffs, the second of which was for a six-yard TD. The extra point was good, making the score 40-22 Choctaws.

After another Union City turnover on downs, the Dyer County offense had time on their side. The Choctaws ran the clock as much as they could until it was fourth and 6 with 1:10 to go, and gave the ball back to UC with 1:03.

Union City started their final drive on their own 45 and had a 15-yard gain, but the next two plays both resulted in a sack, and after a short completion, time ran out with the final score 40-22 Dyer County, giving the Choctaws the program’s first ever win against the Union City Golden Tornadoes.

After the game, Choctaws Head Coach David Whittle was impressed with how the team performed. Whittle said after the game, “I thought we could wear them down. I think as the game went on, some guys for Union City started to drag because they were playing both sides. Offensively, we played really well in the first half, but we took the game over defensively in the second half. I thought that was a good win for our program, they are a really good football team.” Coach Whittle said the Choctaws are going to prepare the same way this week as the team plays Chester County on the road, saying, “We’re going to prepare the same way we always do, except this time we’re going to get on a bus.” Dyer County travels to Henderson to take on the Eagles of Chester County on Friday, Sept. 13.