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McEachern Rolls Past Kell 40-10 Behind Two Pick-Sixes in Corky Kell Classic

Brenton James throws two touchdown passes to Jahlil Page as the Indians' defense scores twice in a dominant season-opening victory.
Gary Adornato|
McEachern dominated on both sides of the ball as it defeated host Kell, 40-10, in the 2026 season opener for both schools.
McEachern dominated on both sides of the ball as it defeated host Kell, 40-10, in the 2026 season opener for both schools. | Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic

McEachern opened the 2026 season in impressive fashion Wednesday night, pulling away from host Kell for a 40-10 victory in the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic.

The Indians trailed 3-0 early before taking control behind a big-play offense and an opportunistic defense. Ty Nolan's 16-yard touchdown run put McEachern ahead, and Casey Barner Jr. broke loose for a 58-yard touchdown late in the first quarter to make it 13-3.

McEachern's defense then helped break the game open. Marley Underwood returned a tipped pass 78 yards for a touchdown, while Barner added an interception that set up Brenton James' 26-yard touchdown pass to Jahlil Page. Kell answered just before halftime when Boston Pierce connected with Noah Daniel for a touchdown, cutting McEachern's lead to 27-10.

The Indians quickly ended any comeback hopes after halftime. James found Page for another touchdown, and Kayden Battle delivered the night's biggest defensive play with a 100-yard interception return for a score, McEachern's second pick-six of the game.

McEachern's defense forced four interceptions, including three by Battle, while James and Page connected for two touchdowns as the Indians turned a competitive start into a convincing 30-point victory.

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FINAL SCORE
McEachern 40, Kell 10

• McEachern runs out the clock and secures the win.

• Kell turns the ball over on downs, but quickly punts it back to McEachern. The Indians have the ball and the lead, 40-10, with 3:20 to play.

• McEachern is knocking on the door of another Red Zone visit with less than 10 minutes to play.

END OF 3RD QUARTER
McEachern 40, Kell 10

• Kell punts the back back to McEacher. The Indians begin on their own 47, late in the third quarter.

PICK SIX, TOUCHDOWN!
McEachern gets its second pick-six of the night, as Kayden Battle intercepts the ball on his own goal line and races 100-yards for the score. The kick is missed, but the Indians lead, 40-10.

• Kell tries to battle back as Donte Grant Jr. breaks off a long run into McEachern territory.

TOUCHDOWN!
• Brenton James finds Jahlil Page inside the Kell. He makes the catch, spins out of a tackle and scores. McEachern leads 34-10.

• McEachern gets big run by Jarvaris Reed Jr. and the Indians are in Kell territory.

• The teams are on the field and the second half is moments away.

HALFTIME
McEachern 27, Kell 10

TOUCHDOWN!
Pierce completes a screen pass to Noah Daniel and he takes it the distance for a much needed Kell touchdown. McEachern leads 27-10 with 25 second left in the first half.

• Junior quarterback Boston Pierce completes back-to-back passes and Kell is trying to make something happen as the Longhorns have marched inside the 40.

TOUCHDOWN!
McEachern QB Brenton James finds Jahlil Page for a 26-yard touchdown pass and the Indians are rolling, 27-3.

TURNOVER!
Casey Barner Jr. makes another huge play, intercepting a Kell pass and returning it past midfield. The Indians are threatening to break this open.

PICK SIX- TOUCHDOWN!
Marley Underwood, a transfer from California, intercepts a tipped pass and rolls 78-yards for the score. The Indians lead 20-3.

• Kell is on the march. Noah Daniel just converted a first down run down to the McEachering. 8:12 left in the first half.

END OF 1ST QUARTER
McEachern 13, Kell 3

TOUCHDOWN!
• McEachern reaches the end one again, this time on a 58-yard run by Casey Barner Jr.. The Indians lead 13-3 in the final minute of the first quarter.

• Jarvis Reed Jr. comes up with a third down reception to convert a first down for the Indians who have out beyond their 40.

• After moving the ball to its own 45, Kell's drive stalls. The Longhorns punt it away and McEachern will have the ball with 3:05 to play in the opening quarter, at its own 27.

TOUCHDOWN!
Ty Nolan scores on a 16-yard run. The two-point rush attempt failed, but McEachern leads, 6-3.

• McEachern completes a couple of quick throws and has moved to the Kell 39. First down with 7:06 to play in the opening quarter.

FIELD GOAL!
• The Longhorns strike first with a 31-yard field goal by Brenton James.

• Zamir Jackson makes a first down catch and takes it to the Indians 17.

• The Kell defense forces a three and out. The Longhorns get the ball back in excellent field position at the MCeacher 32.

INTERCEPTION!
• Kell took at shot a deep ball on the first play of the game, but McEachern's Kayden Battle picked off at his own 1-yard line. The Indians will start there.

• We're underway as Kell returns the opening kick beyond midfield to the McEachern 40.

• Still a little delayed but the captains are getting set for the coin toss. Kell is wearing white pants and white helmets with orange jerseys and white numbers.

• Opening kick is expected at approximately 8 p.m.

• McEachern has just taken the field for its pregame warmups. The Indians are dressed in gold pants with blue jersey with gold numbers and gold helmets.

• The opening game just concluded so we are going to have a delayed start. We'll keep you updated when we have an exact time for kickoff.

• Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m

Preview

What: McEachern at Kell in the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic
When: Wednesday, Aug. 19 - 7:30 p.m.
Where: Kell High School

McEachern vs. Kell: Georgia Powers Meet in Corky Kell Classic

Two programs with deep ties to the Corky Kell Classic will take center stage Wednesday night when McEachern visits Kell in one of the marquee matchups of the event.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Kell, following the Pebblebrook-Clarke Central matchup.

For McEachern, the season opener provides an immediate test for a roster that underwent significant turnover. The Indians graduated 35 seniors from last year's team, leaving coach Kareem Reid with a 22-player senior class — his smallest since arriving at McEachern in 2023.

There is still plenty of experience and talent at the top of the roster.

McEachern Reloads With Returning Talent, Transfers

Junior Casey Barner is among the players to watch for McEachern. A dynamic two-way threat, Barner can make plays with the ball in his hands offensively and brings a physical presence to the secondary.

“He loves football, so it’s easy to coach a kid like him because he wants to be great,” Reid said. “He’s dynamic on offense with the football in his hand. On defense, he’s a contact guy.”

McEachern also added several potential impact transfers, including senior quarterback Brenton James, junior receiver Zyon Robinson and senior linebacker Joakim Gouda.

Gouda, however, is expected to miss Wednesday's opener while recovering from a sprained MCL.

Reid believes an offseason trip to Greensboro, Georgia, helped bring together a roster featuring several new faces. Players spent four days together without their phones, an experience Reid said allowed them to build relationships away from football.

Kell Faces New Challenge After Semifinal Run

Kell enters 2026 coming off an 11-3 season and a trip to the Class 4A state semifinals, but the Longhorns now make a significant jump following reclassification to Class 6A.

They'll find out quickly how they stack up.

Kell must replace several important pieces from last season, including quarterback Kaleb Narcisse. Junior Boston Pierce is expected to take over behind center.

Another storyline is the status of senior running back Moonie Gipson, who suffered a broken ankle during Kell's 35-6 semifinal loss to Creekside last season.

The Longhorns are Corky Kell Classic regulars, having participated in the event every year since 2010.

Familiar Coaches Meet on Opposite Sidelines

Wednesday's matchup also comes with a personal connection.

Kell coach Bobby May served as Reid's offensive coordinator at Westlake in 2018 and eventually succeeded him as the Lions' head coach.

Now they'll meet as opponents in an event that also carries plenty of history for McEachern, one of the Corky Kell Classic's founding programs.

“It’s always good to take on a quality opponent early in the year,” Reid said. “It’s always fun matching up against one of my former assistants.”

For both teams, Wednesday offers exactly that — a quality opponent and an early opportunity to establish what their 2026 seasons might become.

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Published | Modified
Gary Adornato
GARY ADORNATO

Gary Adornato is the Publisher of High School On SI. He began covering high school sports with the Baltimore Sun in 1982. In 2003, he became one of the first journalists to cover high school sports online while operating MIAASports.com, the official website of the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association. Later, Adornato pioneered market-wide coverage of high school sports with DigitalSports.com, introducing video highlights and player interviews while assembling an award-winning editorial staff. In 2010, he launched VarsitySportsNetwork.com which became the premier source of high school media coverage in the state of Maryland. In 2022, he sold VSN to The Baltimore Banner and joined High School On SI as East Coast Managing Editor. He took over as VP of Content in 2024 and assumed the title of Publisher in 2026.

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