McCallie
Knoxville Catholic
10/19/2026 9:13:00 AM | Football, General
McCallie Football battled until the final minutes Friday night but came up short against Knoxville Catholic, falling 20-14 at Spears Stadium on October 16.
The Blue Tornado put together a strong offensive performance, totaling 370 yards and 21 first downs while holding Knoxville Catholic to 227 total yards. Despite the statistical advantage, turnovers and costly penalties proved to be the difference in the closely contested matchup.
After Knoxville Catholic opened the scoring in the second quarter, McCallie responded with a 57-yard touchdown pass from Levi Scott to Antonio Burton to tie the game at 7-7 heading into halftime.
The Fighting Irish regained the lead in the third quarter, but McCallie continued to battle. Kelby Barnett added a 10-yard rushing touchdown to keep the Blue Tornado within striking distance.
McCallie had an opportunity to take the lead late in the fourth quarter, driving inside Knoxville Catholic's five-yard line with less than two minutes remaining. However, a penalty and a strong defensive stand by the Fighting Irish prevented the Blue Tornado from completing the comeback.
Xavier Fillion led McCallie's rushing attack with 122 yards, while quarterback Louis Fortier finished with 143 passing yards. Defensively, Tyler Lawrence and Dallas Gardner each recorded an interception.
The loss moves McCallie to 3-5 on the season. The Blue Tornado will look to regroup as they travel to Nashville to face Montgomery Bell Academy on Friday, October 23.
