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On Aug. 26, 1999, the Murphy Panthers and the McGill-Toolen Yellow Jackets faced off in their annual battle for bragging rights on Government Street in Mobile. Following a victory against their rival, the winning school's students paint the cannon at the Loop in their team colors. It's been a tradition for more than 60 years but one the Jackets had not been able to perform since the fall of 1991. McGill finished the 1998 season with a 1-9 record and had not qualified for the playoffs the past six years. The Jackets had a new head football coach in Chris Nemith as they opened the season. Murphy was coming off an 8-2 season so the Panthers were considered the favorites entering this game. Jim Sudeiha took over the coaching duties from Terry Curtis following the 1998 season so both teams were starting over with new coaching staffs. The Panthers got off to a quick start on a Tyson Hale 19-yard run and a Johnny Keith 37-yard pass to Jason Poe for a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter. Quarterback Michael Machen got McGill within a touchdown when he raced 62 yards for a score in the second quarter to pull the Jackets within 14-7 at halftime. The Panthers mounted a 72-yard drive off the second half kickoff to take a 21-7 lead. All nine plays during the drive were runs and Hale reached pay dirt on a 13-yard run. The Murphy offense did little the rest of the game as their quarterback was battling cramps the entire second half. The Panthers turned the ball over for the third time and this miscue cost them. McGill moved 21 yards for a touchdown on a 2-yard run by Jerald Jordan to pull within 21-14 with 5:12 left in the third. In the fourth quarter, McGill got another break when the Murphy punter's knee touched the ground while fielding a snap and the Jackets gained possession on the Panther's 36. On the next play, Machen threw a touchdown pass to Bernard Scott to tie the score at 21-21 with 5:49 remaining in the game. The teams seemed content to go to overtime as neither were able to get a drive going in regulation. McGill got the first shot in overtime but could not score on three plays from inside the one-yard line giving Murphy a chance at winning the game on a field goal. Machen broke through the line of scrimmage to block the 23-yard attempt saving McGill and their chances to win. The Panther's quarterback Keith came back after a bout with the cramps to connect with Demone Kyser on a 12-yard touchdown pass in the second overtime period. Machen kept the Jackets in the game with a 22-yard touchdown toss to Scott and the game was once again tied at 28-28. Jerald Jordan scored on a 5-yard run to put McGill back in front by seven after John Edwards converted the point-after kick in the third extra period. Keith answered with a 9-yard scoring toss to Hale and the Panthers lined up for the extra point. As he had done earlier on the field goal attempt in the first overtime, Machen broke through and blocked the try giving the Yellow Jackets the win. The crowd on one side of Ladd-Peebles Stadium erupted in a roar as they knew the McGill-Toolen Yellow Jackets would have bragging rights the next 365 days. They also could get out their paint brushes. Murphy outgained McGill 333-205 and collected 17 first downs to only 7 for McGill but it mattered little as the three turnovers proved to be more costly. The Jackets had waited seven years to beat Murphy so waiting on a couple of overtimes was not going to be a problem.
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The Memorable Games, a series on the important and memorable games in high school football history
David Parker
AHSFHS.org
dparker@ahsfhs.org
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Great Moments in Alabama High School Football History
Luverne 'Toad' Wise was the first female football player in Alabama and may have been the first in the country. She was a kicker for the Escambia County Blue Devils in 1939-40.
Luverne 'Toad' Wise was the first female football player in Alabama and may have been the first in the country. She was a kicker for the Escambia County Blue Devils in 1939-40.
