Kayden Wahl rushed for 193 yards and scored once, playing a pivotal role in McCracken County’s 44-27 victory over the Caldwell County Tigers on Friday night in Princeton. McCracken’s well-rounded offense amassed 514 total yards, with 247 coming on the ground and 267 through the air. Prior to this game, Wahl had only accumulated 134 total yards in four games.
Caldwell County’s early defensive pressure forced McCracken to abandon their first offensive attempt, leading to Brock Wilson kicking a 28-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead.
Cooper Falconite sparked an offensive drive with an interception at the Mustangs’ 37-yard line. Jakari Matchem then caught a 26-yard touchdown pass from Maddox O’Neal, extending the lead to 10-0 by the end of the first quarter.
A surprise onside kick gave the ball back to O’Neal, but Caldwell’s defense stifled the Mustangs’ passing game. The Tigers responded with a two-yard touchdown run from Jack Roach, narrowing the gap to 10-7 after Sutton Ritchey’s extra point.
Wahl’s performance shifted the momentum in McCracken’s favor. He led the ground game, and O’Neal connected with Matchem again for a 27-yard touchdown, making it 16-7. Wahl then scored a touchdown himself, increasing the lead to 23-7 with 6:27 left in the half. O’Neal, who finished 22 of 33 for 267 passing yards, found Reed Brookshire in the end zone just before halftime, pushing the score to 30-7.
Although Caldwell County outscored McCracken 20-14 in the second half, the Mustangs’ first-half lead was enough to secure their second win of the season. Falconite’s six-yard touchdown early in the third quarter raised hopes for a running clock, but Caldwell quickly countered. Roach scored again for the Tigers, making it 37-13.
Jude Lanier’s five-yard touchdown reception capped the Mustangs’ scoring with 2:34 left in the third quarter. The rest of the game belonged to Caldwell’s Gus Fox, who caught six passes for 100 yards and scored twice on receptions of 17 and 37 yards, plus a two-point conversion to finalize the score at 44-27. Fortunately for McCracken, there was little time left for Caldwell to mount a comeback.
Caldwell managed just 280 yards of offense, with quarterback Daelyn Lander throwing for 253 yards on 18 of 34 passing. The Tigers’ rushing game struggled, totaling only 27 yards. Caldwell, now 1-4, will travel to Christian County next week, while McCracken, now 2-3, heads to Murray.