Lightning flashed across the sky over the Stadium of Champions Friday night, but it was the McKenzie, Tenn., Rebels that supplied the thunder as they defeated Christian County 42-12 in a high school football game.
The two teams came out of the locker room to start the second half when lightning began popping in the area forcing several delays. Both teams agreed to end the game at that point.
The Rebels (2-1) struck for a score on their opening play of the game when quarterback Cole Brown hit a wide-open Kason Brown for a 65-yard touchdown pass. The first of six Aiden Mason extra-point kicks made it 7-0 with 11:44 to play in the opening quarter.
Cole Brown only completed three passes on the night, but all went for scores. His 85-yard toss to Kason Brown with 6:46 to go in the first made it 21-6 and he added a 27-yard scoring toss to Jacobi Melton to push the lead to 35-6 with 8:15 to go in the half.
Senior running back Timmy Arline ran for 120 yards and three scores on 12 carries for McKenzie, which came into the game ranked No. 2 in the Tennessee Sports Writers Association Class 1-A, Division 1 Poll.
Christian County (0-3) cut the lead to 14-6 with 6:50 to go in the first quarter on a 63-yard scoring pass from Tom Johnson to Zyon Wharton. Wharton and Johnson would connect again on a 49-yard scoring pass with 1:09 left in the first half.
Wharton finished the game with five catches for 152 yards and two scores.
Deasian Harris had another good night rushing for the Colonels with 63 yards on 12 carries.
The loss spoiled a special night for Christian County, which celebrated its 2025 Athletics Hall of Fame class and retired the jerseys of former basketball star Anthony Hickey Jr., and softball player Griffin Joiner.
Christian County returns to action Friday night at home against Daviess County, which is the last team the Colonels beat back in October of 2024. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. and airtime is set for 6:30 p.m. on 95.3 The Farm and 953thefarm.com.
Photos by Danny Vowell