Health Sciences/BASC/Charter beating McKinley wasn’t just a win to move the team to 5-0, but a narrative-shifting victory.
The air at All-High Stadium on Saturday wasn’t just crisp, it crackled with the kind of tension that exists when Health Sciences/BASC/Charter is chasing history, and another, McKinley, is trying to halt the momentum. For the Falcons, it was a chance to secure the program’s first 5-0 start and extend their first five-game win streak since 2023.
The Falcons didn’t just win. They dominated the Macks in a 44-20 victory in a Division A2 matchup.
From the first drive, it was clear that the Falcons came prepared to set a furious, relentless pace that McKinley (3-2) couldn’t answer. On the opening possession, senior Kaivohn Pitts took a handoff, found a seam and was gone. Sixty-eight yards later, he was in the end zone. Senior Alante Green punched in the two-point conversion, and it was 8-0. A few possessions later, Pitts crossed the goal line from 14 yards out, pushing the lead to 14-0 after the first quarter.
“They was talking a lot of smack since week one,” Health Sciences senior running back Kevin Guy said after the game, “and we showed them what it was today. We used our pads to talk, and we blew them out.”
In the second quarter, the Falcons’ pads spoke even louder. On the first snap of the possession, Guy burst through the line for a 35-yard touchdown. The lead ballooned to 20-0, but the Falcons weren’t done.
A moment later, McKinley senior quarterback Kalaugn Ford fumbled a snap. Pitts − the engine of the Falcons’ attack − scooped it up and ran 36 yards for the defensive score. The fumble-return touchdown, followed by sophomore Arieun Stevens’ two-point conversion, made it 28-0 with 6:07 left in the half, effectively sealing the contest.
McKinley managed to break through just before halftime with an 18-yard pass from Ford to junior Marcus Daniels, making the score 28-6, but the damage had been done.
Falcons running backs
The Falcons’ two-headed monster at running back was the story of the day. Pitts finished with 107 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries, adding the fumble recovery for a score, while Guy churned out 86 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries.
“They make my job easy,” Health Sciences coach Ty Parker said of his backfield duo. “I don’t think our offense would run if we didn’t have those guys. To have them is unbelievable. … They wouldn’t be who they are without our line.”
Both running backs made sure to tip their cap to the guys in the trenches.
“I just want to say thank you to my O-line,” Guy said. “Without them, me and Kaviohn wouldn’t be able to run through the holes to score.”
The dominance continued in the third quarter when Guy scored his second touchdown from six yards out, followed by sophomore Amare Ridgeway’s two-point conversion, making it 36-6. McKinley’s Anthony Moore answered with an 8-yard run, cutting the Falcons’ lead to 36-14 heading into the final frame.
Green closed the scoring for Health Sciences in the fourth with a 5-yard rush, pushing the score to 42-14. The ensuing two-point conversion − a throw from senior Jordan Oliver to Ridgeway − triggered a running clock with 11:07 left, an authoritative end to a decisive victory.
Health Sciences stays humble
The win wasn’t just significant for the division standings. Coupled with a blowout victory over Class AA Orchard Park earlier this season, it speaks to a program that is taking flight under Parker.
“Those wins say we’re doing the right thing,” Parker said. “We’re building our program from the brick up, and we’re doing it the right way. We try not to get complacent, and stay humble. This is just the beginning.”
Parker stressed that the final score did not fully represent the quality of McKinley, but he emphasized his team’s preparation and focus.
“We have a chip on our shoulder,” Parker stated. “We want to show we can play with the best of them. … I hope our kids get the respect they deserve, because they put the work in.”
As the team celebrates a hot start, Parker’s message is clear: the grind doesn’t stop.
“We have to stay hungry and humble,” Parker said. “We haven’t made it to the playoffs. Once the playoffs begin, it’s a new season.”
The Falcons have tasted perfection. Now, the challenge is consistency − a new frontier for a program that suddenly is one everyone must study. As Guy put it, with a well-earned sense of confidence: “This win shows we work and (we’re) ready to win. Everybody has to study us to beat us.”
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Clevis Murray
Sports Reporter
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