Mercer pulls away from Taylor 43-7

Mercer County scored the game’s final 36 points to upend home-standing Taylor County 43-7 on Friday night at Thomas Porter Stadium.
The Titans (4-4) needed only 57 seconds to score the game’s first touchdown after a short delay when the lights would not turn on at Clay Marcum Field.
After Mercer County did not connect on a 27-yard field goal, Taylor County went 80 yards on 14 plays to knot the score at 7-7 on Dylan Bright’s 11-yard score and Raphael Cunha’s extra-point boot.
Cody Newton’s 17-yard gainer on a draw play and Daulton Turpin’s 28-yard quarterback keeper around left end were huge plays for the Cardinals.
However, the Titans tallied two touchdowns in a three-minute stretch midway in the second quarter to lead 21-7 at intermission.
Mercer County held the Cardinals starting the second half and tacked on a third-period score and field goal to increase its advantage to 30-7 before adding a pair of fourth-quarter TDs for the final cushion.
Blake Dudgeon, who blocked  pair of Titan extra-point tries, returned a kick-off to the Titan 25-yard line early in the fourth, but the Cards could not muster a first down.
Newton led Taylor County with 44 rushing yards while Dudgeon had 39, Bright 34, Turpin 28 and Jarrett Benningfield 22. Dudgeon had both TCHS catches.
The Cardinals (3-5) conclude regular-season play at home by hosting Barren County on Friday. TCHS visits Hart County in the season finale on Oct. 28.

Bobby Brockman

Cody Bast (40) and Jared Peake (31) try to corral Mercer County quarterback J.T. Long (14) during Taylor County 43-7 home loss to the Titans.

Buy this photo

Dennis George

Blake Dudgeon carries for one of the Cardinals’ 10 first downs in their last district encounter. TCHS hosts Barren County this Friday.

Buy this photo