RIPLEY — Kyran McDonald delivered a season-opening performance to remember Friday night, scoring five touchdowns and making game-changing plays on both sides of the football as Ripley defeated Mooreville 34-23 at Tiger Stadium.
The sophomore rushed for 215 yards and four touchdowns on just 14 carries, then added one of the biggest defensive plays of the night with a 95-yard interception return for another score. McDonald accounted for five of Ripley’s touchdowns and 30 of the Tigers’ 34 points as Ripley opened the 2026 season with a 1-0 record.
McDonald wasted little time setting the tone. He broke loose for a 36-yard touchdown run in the opening quarter to give Ripley a 6-0 lead, with Andy Diaz adding the extra point. In the second quarter, McDonald struck again, racing 50 yards for his second touchdown and pushing the Tigers ahead 14-0.
Mooreville answered behind Kason Mathis, who broke a 49-yard touchdown run to cut into the Ripley advantage. The Tigers responded before halftime, however, with McDonald finishing another drive on a three-yard touchdown run. Diaz converted his third extra point and Ripley carried a 21-6 advantage into the break.
The McDonald show continued in the third quarter.
He broke free for a 48-yard touchdown run, his fourth rushing score of the night, to extend Ripley’s lead to 28-6. Mooreville quarterback Cameron Cady later connected with DJ Prince for a touchdown to make it 28-12, but McDonald quickly answered with the play that helped put the game away.
McDonald intercepted Cady and raced 95 yards in the opposite direction for a touchdown, turning a Mooreville possession into six more Ripley points. The pick-six gave McDonald his fifth touchdown of the night and pushed the Tigers’ lead to 34-12.
For the game, McDonald averaged more than 15 yards per rushing attempt and finished with 310 combined yards between his rushing production and interception return. He also recorded a sack defensively, putting together an impact performance in virtually every phase of the game.
Ripley needed the cushion McDonald helped create because Mooreville continued fighting in the fourth quarter. The Troopers recorded two safeties and Mathis broke an 80-yard touchdown run as Mooreville scored the final 11 points of the game. The Tigers had already done enough damage, though, and closed out the 34-23 victory.
Mathis provided most of Mooreville’s offensive production, carrying 16 times for 264 yards and two touchdowns. His scoring runs covered 49 and 80 yards. Cady finished 5-of-23 passing for 74 yards and a touchdown but was intercepted three times, while Elijah Graham threw another interception on his four attempts.
While McDonald supplied the headline plays, Ripley’s defense made life difficult for Mooreville’s passing attack throughout the night. Cohen Wright intercepted two passes, Austin Rucker added another interception and McDonald returned his interception for a score. Cole Rakestraw contributed a sack and forced fumble.
Ripley also received 55 rushing yards from Trace James, including a 37-yard run, while Aking Richard handled a team-high 20 carries. Quarterback Skylar Barkley completed nine passes for 65 yards, with Wright and Rakestraw each catching three passes for 21 yards. Antwain Zinn added two receptions and Jordan Guererro caught one pass for 10 yards.
The Tigers finished with 309 rushing yards and 374 yards of total offense. Mooreville totaled 379 yards, including 292 on the ground, but the Troopers’ four interceptions proved costly.
Ripley also got help on special teams in the field-position battle, averaging 44.7 yards on three punts with a long of 59 yards.
It was a strong opening statement for a young Ripley team, and no player made a bigger one than McDonald. Four rushing touchdowns, a 95-yard pick-six, 215 yards on the ground and a sack gave the sophomore a five-touchdown night to lead the Tigers to their first victory of 2026. Kyran was our Player of the Game.
