September 8, 2025—Friday night’s matchup featuring the Kell Longhorns (Region 6-AAAA) visiting the Wheeler Wildcats (Region 5-AAAAAA) promised to be a great one. Both teams earned playoff berths in 2024, and each suited up statistical stars in Georgia this year. Wheeler’s senior running back Greg Kendrick had 461 yards leading the Wildcats through their first three games so far this season. On Kell’s sideline, junior Moonie Gipson was the one to watch. Gipson entered the game with 494 yards rushing, good for seventh in the state and tops among the 4A classification.
The game did not disappoint and big plays were plentiful. On the opening snap from scrimmage, Kendrick broke free and sprinted 48 yards for a Wildcat touchdown.
“One of the things we talked about coming into the game,” Wheeler Head Coach Bryan Love said, “is when you’re playing a quality opponent such as Kell, the game is going to be a lot of ebbs and flows.”
The first half was exactly that. Early in the second quarter, Kell senior quarterback Kaleb Narcisse connected with senior Jowell Combay on a short pass to the flat and Combay took it for a 34-yard TD reception to tie the game at seven. Moments later, Wheeler senior speedster Brock Adams stepped in at quarterback and ran a draw untouched for a 62-yard score. The point after failed, but the Wildcats had the lead, 13-7.
“When they were able to gain some advantage by having big plays, we wanted to make sure we answered,” Love said later.
The Longhorn response to Wheeler's second score took only two plays. Gipson took the handoff around the left end and went down the sidelines for a 61-yard TD of his own. When Gipson added a short three-yard score with 1:57 left in the half, Kell led 21-13.
With 10 seconds left in the first half, Adams launched a 37-yard pass into the end zone that junior wide receiver Matthew Morris hauled in for a touchdown. It seemed certain that 21-20 would be the halftime score. However, on the ensuing kickoff, Kell’s junior kick returner Brock Burrus fielded the squib kick and went 80 yards through traffic for a back-breaking score as the horn blew. The Longhorns led 28-20 at halftime.
“We have some resilience,” Kell Head Coach Bobby May said. “We have players that really care about their team and aren’t worried about being known. We talk about not worrying about being known, but worry about being great, and I think a lot of our kids stepped up in this game.”
Midway through the third quarter, Gipson extended Kell’s lead with a 1-yard TD plunge to make it 35-20. Then, after Wheeler drew within one score on an 80-yard TD pass from Adams to Kendrick, Gipson scored his fourth touchdown of the game, going in from 15 yards with just over four minutes left. That proved to be the final score and Kell walked away with a 42-28 victory, their third of the season.
Gipson’s monster game is sure to keep him among the state’s rushing leaders and atop the 4A classification.
“You know, I was the number one last year,” Gipson said, “so I’m trying to go back-to-back this year. But, you know, I got my (offensive) line. The line’s going to block for me. I got receivers, everybody. So, it’s not just me. It’s all the team. It’s not just me scoring touchdowns.”
Wheeler begins their region schedule next week, welcoming nearby Marietta to Wildcat Stadium. Kell travels to Lowndes on Friday for a non-region matchup against the Vikings.
Nonbranded photos courtesy of Helen Davis/@hdavisflicks
