McKinney North defeated McKinney 31-24 on Friday at McKinney ISD Stadium, closing out the contest with two late touchdowns in the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs overcame an early deficit to claim the win in a rivalry game that had not been played since the current head coach took over.
Senior John Richardson was the offensive centerpiece, rushing for 122 yards on 22 carries and scoring twice. His 1-yard run in the third quarter tied the game at 24-24, setting the stage for the final scoring drive. Junior Amari Young added a 39-yard touchdown run with just over three minutes remaining to put the Bulldogs ahead.
Together, Richardson and Young accounted for 201 of the team's 362 total rushing yards.
McKinney took an early 7-0 lead after senior linebacker Chijioke Ukaji intercepted a pass on the first play of the game. The Lions capitalized on the turnover with a 56-yard touchdown pass from junior Kip Killough to senior Griffin Shelley.
However, the Bulldogs regained momentum after a muffed punt by McKinney, allowing Richardson to tie the score at 7-7 with 6:07 left in the first quarter. Senior Zaylon Carter extended the lead to 17-7 midway through the second half with a 28-yard run.
Killough, a second-year quarterback, finished with 121 passing yards and two touchdowns, along with 62 rushing yards. He connected with junior Mason Seeley for a 10-yard score to narrow the gap to 17-14. Senior Boston Stephens kicked a 30-yard field goal as time expired in the first half to tie the game at 17-17.
