KM vs. Hickory, 3AA first round

It's kickoff time at KM's John Gamble Stadium.
Mountaineers win toss and defer to second half. Opening kickoff goes out of bounds so Hickory starts at its own 35.

Hickory moves for two first downs before stalling. Hickory punts it down to the KM 16 where Mountaineers take over.
On the second play, KM QB Mike Roberts breaks free on a 48-yard gainer to get the Mountaineers rolling. Mounties get to the Hickory 10
before a penalty sets them back. KM lines up for a 34-yard field goal try but the snap is high. Roberts, the holder, is dropped for a nine-yard loss and Hickory takes over at the 25 with 4:04 left in the first period.

Hickory goes three and out and punts it away. KM starts from its own 41 with 1:36 to go in first period, still no score.
Mountaineers unable to move. KM's Jake Allen punts to the Hickory 28 as the quarter ends with a 0-0 score.
The punting duel continues. This time KM takes over at its 42 with 10:29 left in the half. Mounties can't move again and Allen comes on to roll a 46-yard punt dead at the Hickory 4 with 9:19 on the clock.

Hickory starts a drive. After a pair of first downs running, Hickory hits a 33-yard pass to the KM 37.
On fourth-and-four at the 31, Hickory throws deep for an apparent TD but a holding penalty brings it back. Red Tornadoes punt it away and KM is forced to start from its own 3 with 5:03 left in the half.
After another KM punt, Hickory gets possession at the Mountie 48 with 3:08 to go in the half.
Hickory runs a trick play letting the flanker throw downfield on a reverse and it goes for a score, but a penalty for an illegal block gives Hickory first down at the 21.
Hickory moves it down and has second and goal at the one. Hickory's TJ Wimbush is stacked up at the one and the football pops out. KM's Anthony Dalton picks up the fumble and carries it out to the 30 with 1:08 to go in the half.
KM goes to the air and gets to the Hickory 42 with 34 seconds left in half. KM though draws a five-yard penalty and then a 10-yard holding call and is unable to generate a threat. Clock runs out.
No score at the half.

Hickory kicks off to start third quarter and KM begins from its 35. Mounties forced to punt and Hickory takes over at its 24.
Hickory stays on the ground and moves across midfield, facing third-and-three at the KM 45. Rush of LB Zach Hopper disrupts a pass and causes Hickory to punt.
KM takes over at its 12 with 7:43 left in third period.
Mounties' running game gets untracked. Carlos Bell, Mike Roberts and Joe Chambers share the load for a first down at the 40.
Roberts breaks free for a first down to the 13 with 4:16 left in the third period.
Mountaineers stall at the 12. Edward Blackburn comes on to try a 29-yard field goal and puts it through. With 3:02 left in the third quarter, it's now ... KM 3, Hickory 0.

The teams exchange punts. Hickory takes over at its own 29 as the third quarter ends with the score still ... KM 3, Hickory 0.
Again KM defense holds and Hickory kicks it away. This time Terrance Young collects it at his own 34 and sets sail up the middle. He breaks to the right sideline and goes all the way to the Hickory 10.
QB Roberts keeps it twice in a row, going in from the one with 9:53 left in the game. Blackburn's kick is good, making it ... KM 10, Hickory 0.

Hickory comes right back with a 64-yard, 6-play scoring drive. T.J. Wimbush goes 13 yards off the right side for the score. Patrick Smith's kick is good. With exactly eight minutes to go it's ... KM 10, Hickory 7.

Mountaineers get moving again. Young returns the kickoff to midfield, then Carlos Bell break free for 28 yards to the Hickory 18.
KM though is stymied by a pair of illegal block penalties that wipe out gains, putting the Mounties in second-and-14 situation at the 22 with 5:08 to go. After a nine-yard gain by Robers, then an incompletion, KM goes for it. Throw for Chambers in the end zone draws a flag.
Mounties get first down and goal on the interference call at the seven with 4:09 to go.
Chambers punches it in from the three with 3:25 to go. Blackburn's kick is good. The score is now ... KM 17, Hickory 7.

KM strikes again. This time Zach Hopper picks off a Hickory pass and returns it 40 yards for a score to give Mountaineers a commanding lead. Blackburn's kick was good with 2:33 left to go making it ... KM 24, Hickory 7.

Hickory moves across midfield but comes up inches short on first down at the 35. KM takes over, takes two snaps to kill the clock.
Final score: KM 24, Hickory 7.
KM will host Mooresville next Friday in the 3AA second round.