UNION – Normally, running just two plays in the first quartergets a team in trouble in the state playoffs. But not when the twoplays produce touchdowns. Union had just two offensive snaps in thefirst quarter of Friday’s 47-14 MHSAA Class 2A rout of Loyd Star,but Forzetra Ealy made them count for 60 and 80-yard scores as theYellowjackets grabbed an early 14-7 lead.

“That breaks your back,” said Loyd Star coach Randall Huffman. “Wefelt like we knew what they were going to do, but we didn’trecognize a formation and get where we’re supposed to get. “Then onthe next one, we had two people hit him in the backfield and didn’tmake the tackle. When you get the opportunity to make a play,you’ve got to make it.

“We weren’t sharp tonight at all. They did everything they neededto do to win the ballgame. We laid it on the ground and made a lotof mistakes.

“But we’re proud to make the playoffs. I’m proud of my kids. Ithought we came a long way. We’ll go back to work and try to beback here again next year with different results.”

The Hornets suffered three lost fumbles and two interceptions inthe loss. The ‘Jackets had the ball for just 38 seconds in theopening period.

Union upped its lead to 41-14 going into halftime and outgained theHornets 288 to 85 in total yards in the first half.

“That’s the best we’ve played this year, no doubt,” said Unioncoach Brad Breland. “We didn’t have the ball very much, but when wedid we made it count. The line blocked well and the backs blockedwell for each other too. And the backs ran hard. It was just a goodoverall effort.”

Loyd Star’s first quarter touchdown came on a 1-yard keeper byquarterback Korey Allen.

Ealy made it 20-7 with 11 minutes left in the second quarter whenhe took a late option pitch from Chance Lowery 24 yards to the endzone after a high snap on a Loyd Star punt attempt gave Union theball at the Hornets’ 24.

Union went up 28-7 on a four-play, 20-yard drive set up by a fumblerecovery by Jesse Gill. Chrisean Tyson scored on a 7-yard run, thenadded a 2-point conversion with 8:44 to go in the half. Loyd Star’sJosh Butler returned the kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown with CoriCrowe’s PAT cutting the Hornets’ deficit to 28-14.

The ‘Jackets put together a five-play, 70-yard scoring drive to goup 35-14.After Tyson rumbled 49 yards to the 16, Lowery kept fromtwo yards out for the score and Jim Franklin added the PAT.

Allen threw an incompletion on a fourth-and-12 gamble from theHornets’ 24 and Union extended its lead to 41-14 as Tyson talliedon a 3-yard run with 2:07 left in the half.

Loyd Star drove to the Union 20 before turning the ball over ondowns as the first half ended.

The only scoring in the second half came on a 35-yard keeper byLowery with 6:30 remaining in the third quarter.

The Hornets used a 31-yard kickoff return by Marquis Sims tothreaten, only to turn the ball over on downs at the Union 26following a fourth-down sack of Allen by Demantreo Johnson. Ealyhad 172 yards on six carries for Union, 7-5.

Loyd Star finished 4-7.

The Hornets got 45 yards rushing from Marquis Hayes on 10 carries.Allen had 7 rushes for 19 yards and a TD. Sims rushed 10 times for18 yards.

Allen completed 8 of 178 passes for 73 yards. Crowe caught 4 passesfor 48. Branden Canny had 1 catch for 13. Travis Sorrells had 1catch for 11 yards.

On defense, Corey Funk and Josh Butler each had 6 tackles. CodyTeekel made 5 tackles and Sorrels 4.