By Judson Scott
Hottytoddy.com Intern
jcscott5@go.olemiss.edu
The 2019 Oxford football season could not have ended any sweeter for the Chargers as they were able to come back and beat Oak Grove by a final score of 31-21.
The Chargers’ win marked the first-ever football state championship for the program after falling short from 2013-2015.
“It was such a joy for me to watch our player celebrate winning the state championship,” head coach Chris Cutcliffe said. “They take a lot of pride in bringing our first state championship to Oxford.”
Oxford got on the board first in the first quarter thanks to a Jack Tannehill 27-yard field goal.
Oak Grove would quickly take all of the momentum as they scored three different times in the first half.
Quarterback Damon Stewart got Oak Grove on the board first, then E.J. Newell found the end zone before Oak Grove showed some trickery right before the half as Stewart caught a touchdown with just a few seconds left before the half.
Oxford’s defense, which has been a force all year long, came through in the second half.
“The second half, we showed who we want to be as a program. We put on more steam and found a way to get the job done,” Cutcliffe said.
The Chargers struck quick in the second half when John Meagher hit J.J. Pegues for a 62-yard touchdown.
The Chargers would get right back on the board in the same quarter as Meagher was able to take a quarterback keeper into the end zone. The two-point conversion was unsuccessful for the Chargers so they still trailed 21-16.
The defense bent but did not break on a long Oak Grove drive that was stopped on a fourth and goal from the one-yard. The Charger’s defense was able to hold strong and give their offense another chance.
The offense did not disappoint as it was Meagher to Pegues again, this time more of a post route. The touchdown and two-point conversion gave the Chargers their first lead since the
fourth quarter 24-21.
“John and JJ are fantastic young men. They are both incredible leaders and I knew they would step up in the biggest moments,” Cutcliffe said.
Meagher would seal the game for the Chargers when he escaped from the pocket on a 3rd down and 28 and went all the way into the end zone.
The score would hold to produce an Oxford 6A state championship.
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