Martin can’t hold on after ‘special’ start

Martin’s start was very special indeed.
The end, however, was not.
Converting three Martin fumbles into touchdowns, Union City rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit for a 28-20 win in their middle school football showdown Tuesday night at Martin.
Jeremy Bumpus scored on runs of two, 45 and 11 yards with Cooper Hurt and Taeshawn Allen each adding a two-point conversion in the second half.
UC’s strong second half came after a “special” first half for the Panthers.
Held to a three-and-out on the game’s opening drive, Martin was granted a second chance when UC muffed the punt return.
The Panthers then converted on 4th-and-1 and followed up with the first score of the game when DJ Coffman scored on a 10-yard run with 1:01 to play in the opening period.
Coffman had earlier converted the fourth-down.
UC’s second offensive snap of the game opened the second quarter, and it proved to be big as Taeshawn Allen sprinted 76 yards for the tying score at 7:47.
Martin answered with two more TD drives before Union City got the ball back, starting with Joe Perry’s 4-yard run at 6:42.
The Panthers then pulled off an onside kick and capitalized with Coffman’s second score of the game, a one-yard run with 2:30 to play in the half. Tavien Holland pulled in the conversion pass from McKinney Baker for a 20-6 lead.
Union City’s third snap came with just 2:18 to play in the half, and the Golden Tornadoes drove deep into Martin territory before losing a fumble with 24 seconds to play.
Everything changed in the second half, mainly on UC’s ability to force and recover three Panther fumbles.
Bumpus’ first TD came at 1:19 of the third quarter after Austin Meadows pounced on a Panther fumble.
Hurt then rolled left on a bootleg and stretched out for the pylon to convert the two-pointer, bringing UC within 20-14.
Another fumble recovery led to Bumpus’ 45-yard scamper at 6:58 of the fourth quarter, and then Meadows forced a fumble that Jaylen Crumble recovered deep in Panther territory with 52 seconds remaining in the game.
Bumpus scored on an 11-yard run, and Allen squirted in for the two-pointer with 28 seconds remaining.
Martin travels to Crockett County on Tuesday.
Union City, meanwhile,  will play its home opener Tuesday vs. Lake County. Published in The WCP 8.30.12

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