Oxford Defeats Desoto Central 51-6 on Homecoming

Judson Scott
HottyToddy.com Intern
jcscott5@go.olemiss.edu

The Chargers defense held the Jaguars to six points in the game. Photo by Judson Scott.

The Oxford High School football team was victorious over Desoto Central on Thursday night, winning 51-6.

The Chargers were forced to move their homecoming festivities and game up one day because of the threat of rain Friday night.

The team got the scoring started early when Jack Tannehill connected on a 40-yard field goal in the first quarter. The Chargers would follow that score with a 7-yard touchdown run by quarterback John Meagher. The two-point conversion was unsuccessful. 

Meagher would score his second touchdown of the game on the ground when he scampered in from 13-yards out to give the Chargers a 16-0 lead.

Toward the end of the first half, a scary scene developed at Oxford High School. Cade Gray, a sophomore lineman was face down, motionless on the ground for some time after a big hit the previous play.

Head Coach Chris Cutcliffe did not have an update on Gray postgame but did speak on what he told his team after the incident.

“One thing I told them was it was not in any way any kind of dirty play…unfortunately, things like that can happen in football,” Cutcliffe said postgame.

The team would respond very well to adversity as Meagher would get into the end zone for the third time in the first half, this time from three yards out.

Desoto Central would get on the board before the half ended when Isaiah Saleem took a Tannehill kickoff all the way back for six. Desoto Central’s two-point try was unsuccessful and the game headed to half, Oxford leading 23-6.

The second half was all Oxford as they opened up the offensive floodgates. Byron Pearson got the scoring started in the second half on a 35-yard touchdown run, making it 30-6.

Meagher would then find Trynten Brannon in the end zone from 21-yards out to extend their lead to 37-6. Meagher’s touchdown pass gave him three total touchdowns on the night.

Oxford then began to get some second and third-string players in the ball game. Backup quarterback Michael Harvey threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Egerson, extending the lead to 44-6.

Oxford would complete their drive on a 45-yard run from Lucas McKeown, giving them a commanding 51-6 lead.

Cutcliffe talked about his team’s ability to run the football tonight, especially out of the quarterback position.

“I thought some of our misdirection running was good for us, and John did a nice job in the scrambling game and passing game,” Cutcliffe said.

With the win, the Chargers move to 6-1 overall and 3-0 in the district. The team will be on the road next week when they travel to Horn Lake. 

“Horn Lake is the defending state champion, a physical run team and physical on defense. They’ve got some big defensive players on their defensive front and they are always going to be well-coached, so I know it is going to be a huge challenge for us,” Cutcliffe said.