By Tyler Hess and Megan Jantos
The West Platte Bluejays defeated the Penney Hornets 50-44 on Friday night at Penney High School. It was a really exciting conference game, and both teams made some big plays.
The teams were tied 14-14 after the first quarter. Brady McMillan scored on a 42-yard run for one of West Platte’s early touchdowns.
Penney scored first in the second quarter to take a 21-14 lead. West Platte answered with three touchdowns. McMillan scored twice on 1-yard runs, and Mark Sanders scored on a 2-yard run. The Bluejays led 35-21 at halftime.
Penney cut the lead to 35-29 in the third quarter, but McMillan answered with a 13-yard touchdown run. Sanders then completed a pass to Macklin Bolling for the two-point conversion, giving West Platte a 43-29 lead.
McMillan scored again on a 5-yard run in the fourth quarter to put West Platte ahead 50-29. Penney scored twice late in the game, including a 91-yard return with 39 seconds remaining, but West Platte held on for the six-point victory. Penney also had some big plays, including a two-point conversion by Aiden Hawkins.
McMillan finished with 167 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 20 carries, according to GameChanger statistics. Sanders rushed for 235 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries. He also completed eight of 15 passes for 122 yards.
West Platte rushed for 438 yards and finished with 25 first downs. Blaze Masoner led the Bluejays’ receivers with three catches for 61 yards. Masoner and Reid Conrad each recorded an interception.
The win moved West Platte to 4-0 overall and 2-0 in conference play.
West Platte will play the Mid-Buchanan Dragons at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, in Faucett, Missouri. The Bluejays will try to keep their winning streak going.
