FOLEY, Ala. – It was a sweet homecoming for the Foley Lions as they ran past

the McGill-Toolen Yellow Jackets 35-7 Friday night at Ivan Jones Stadium.

The Lions racked up 273 yards on 44 carries on the ground, led by Kalif

Koen's 140 yards on 23 carries, and Darius Powell's 133 yards on 20

carries.

Powell ran for four touchdowns and passed for another, completing a total

of 77 yards with one interception in the contest for the Lions.

But it was a goalline stand in the waning moments of the second quarter

that would prove to be a game-breaker for the Lions.

After Powell scored the Lions first two touchdowns of the game, the first

on a five-yard run with 2:18 left in the opening period, then on a

one-yard dive with 10:07 to play in the half, the Yellow Jackets came back

with a 65-yard touchdown return to cut the lead to 14-7 with 9:56

remaining in the half.

McGill-Toolen would get the ball back at midfield after Foley went

three-and-out and a short punt gave the Yellow Jackets the ball with good

field position. Three first downs later, McGill was knocking on the Lions

door at the Foley 4-yard-line, but the Foley defense stiffened, allowing

just three yards on three plays, then stuffed a quarterback keeper on

fourth down to get the ball back, preserving a 14-7 lead with 3:39

remaining in the second quarter.

Foley managed to get the ball out of its own endzone with Powell

completing a 10-yard strike to Seth Tibbs to the Lion 11, but a 25-yard

strike from Powell to Bob Pugh was negated by a holding penalty two plays

later and the Lions were forced to punt from their own 17 after gaining

another 12 yards, four yards shy of a first down.

McGill got the ball back with less than a minute to go in the half, but

after completing a seven-yard pass on first down, a second-down pass

sailed out of reach and Jacob Prim nearly picked off a third down offering

to give the Lions back the ball with just over 30 seconds left in the

half.

Powell took a knee, endin the first half threat and the second half would

prove to be all Lions as Powell ran for two more scores and threw a

five-yard pass for another score.

The two teams traded drives to open the second half with McGill going

three-and-out and Foley throwing an interception, but the Lions would

capitalize on it's next drive after the Yellow Jackets stalled on their

own 48, punting the ball back to Foley, who took over on the Lion 16.

Powell took the ball mostly on the ground rushing six times for 67 yards,

including a 31-yard run down to the McGill 27. A five-yard run by Koen was

followed by another first-down run by Powell, then Powell collected

another 10-yard run to set up first-and-goal at the 5. Powell's one-yard

run was followed by a penalty backing the Lions up to the 9, where Powell

hit D'Marsjae Casey for the score, going up 21-7 with 2:06 remaining in

the third quarter.

Foley tacked on another score after the defense held McGill once again to

three-and-out, taking the ball on their own 26 and driving 74 yards in 14

plays, aided along the way by two huge Yellow Jacket penalties.

Two plays to start the drive netted just one yard, then Powell was

intercepted by Michael Radoslovich who took the ball in for the score. But

the play was negated by a roughing the passer penalty, giving the Lions

new life at their own 42.

Two plays later, it was Foley who would negate a big play with a penalty

as Koen ran from midfield deep into McGill territory, but a holding

penalty brought the ball back to the Lions 48.

Powell ran for a first down to the McGill 47, but three plays netted just

7 yards and the Lions were forced to punt. McGill would be called for

roughing again, this time on the Lion punter, giving the drive another new

life at the McGill 35-yard line.

This time, the Lions would take advantage and Powell ran for 20 yards to

the Yellow Jacket 15, then scampered in from six yards out on a

third-and-one play. Kicker Jose Zepada made it four-for-four on extra

point attempts on the night, giving the Lions a 28-7 lead with 7:24

remaining in the cointest.

Foley would tack on one more score driving 64 yards in nine plays. Powell

called his own number again, this time on a fourth-and-one play from the

McGill 22-yard line, rolling around the right side untouched for the score

and Zepada again added the extra point to go up 35-7 with 1 minute showing

on the clock.

McGill would let the clock run out, taking the ball on three running

plays to end the contest with the Yellow Jackets at their own 43-yard

line.

Foley, now 3-1, 1-1 in 6A Region 2 play, will take a break from Regional

action next week, traveling to take on Alma Bryant next Friday night

before returning to Regional and county action Oct. 1 against Baldwin

County High School in Bay Minette.