BY BRIAN HAMILTON
KNOXVILLE – The King’s Academy Lions found themselves in choppy waters early against the Christian Academy of Knoxville Friday night. Despite having star running back Nakelin McAfee, the Lions offense could never get in a groove, as TKA lost 33-6.
CAK successfully recovered an onside kick on the first play of the game and then scored a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage to lead 7-0.
On TKA’s first possession, the Lions were forced to punt to CAK running back J.D. Dunn, who returned it to the TKA 38-yard line. A punt by the Warriors pinned the Lions inside their own 5-yard line, which resulted in a safety, giving CKA a 9-0 advantage.
Dunn ran for a 5-yard touchdown midway through the first quarter to put the Warriors ahead 16-0, which would remain the score at the end of the first quarter.
A field goal by CAK’s Jack Britton would put the Warriors ahead 19-0 with seven minutes left in the first half.
The Lions were backed up in their own territory when quarterback Elijah Williams-Smith found Marshaun Bowers for a 75-yard touchdown, which would be the only TKA score of the night. The extra-point attempt was blocked, leaving CAK in front 19-6.
Warriors quarterback Thomas Simpson threw a 15-yard touchdown with under three minutes until halftime.
The Warriors put up 26 of their 33 points in the first half and led 26-6 at intermission.
Neither team scored in the third quarter, but CAK put up another score in the fourth when a blocked punt set up a 10-yard touchdown run by Dunn, making the score 33-6, which would be the final.
The Lions (0-1) will host Meigs County (1-0), the No. 1 team in Class 2A. CAK (1-0) will travel to face Prince Avenue Christian in Georgia.