The Murray County Central Rebel football teams stepped on the field at the MCC Sports Complex last Friday to open the 2026 season. The Rebels played host to the Dawson Boyd Blackjacks a team that beat them a year ago 7-0 to open the season. The Rebels are coming off one of their best seasons in school history that saw them get to the State Football Semi-Finals for the second time in school history. People forget they opened the season with two straight losses. The new look Rebels were hoping to surprise the Blackjacks who are a senior loaded team this year. The Rebels did some positive things in game one but they would not spring the upset.
The Rebels never led in this game as the Blackjacks scored first after the Rebels fumbled after picking up their first first down of the season. The Blackjacks drove to the two yard line when Aedyn Dahl finished the drive with a two yard run and Elvis Bellefueille made the extra point with the Rebels trailing 7-0 after six minutes. The Rebels would then go three and out and had a short punt of 14 yards to the 30 yard line. Carson Stratmoen completed his first pass of the game to Mason Bothn for a 19 yard touchdown and Dawson Boyd led 14-0 with five minutes to play in the first half. The Rebels scored in the second quarter when Carson Lewis finished off a drive with a two yard touchdown run and Beckett Stelter made the extra point. The drive was highlighted by a Caleb Rosenbrook 45 yard run to put the Rebels in scoring position. Unfortunately for the Rebels, Dawson Boyd pushed their lead going to halftime 28-7.
The second half saw the Rebels dominate the time of possession and the team would put together a pair of scoring drives but they offset the big runs of Colten Bothun. Bothun had two carries in the third quarter - one a 48 yard touchdown run and the second a 27 yard touchdown run. Noah Frisk took some big shots as the MCC starting QB, but he threw a nice screen pass that Carson Lewis turned into a 40 yard touchdown in the third quarter. In the first play of the fourth quarter, Parker Olson scored on a 27 yard sprint for the Rebels while Stelter made both extra points in the second half the Rebels would still take a 42 to 21 loss.
It was a huge first test for the Rebels, and though they did not win, there were positive signs from the very young team in the field. The Rebels were playing maybe the most experienced team they will face this season with 8 and 9 seniors starting on both sides of the ball. Caleb Rosenbrook led the Rebels in rushing with 11 carries for 102 yards. Carson Lewis ran 64 yards and a touchdown and had two catches for 41 yards and a score. Dugan Kluis had a nice interception for the Rebels who forced two turnovers from the Blackjacks.
MCC will be back in action on Friday night at home against Springfield.
