Junction City Opens with Statement Win

Published On: August 30, 2025Categories: High School, News, Scores

Junction City Opens with Statement Win

Junction City 36, Harmony Grove 0

Junction City opened fast and never flinched, blanking Harmony Grove (Ouachita County) 36–0 in a physical Week 0 matchup. The Dragons struck first when junior Zamundrae “Dre” Gray ripped a 40-yard touchdown run behind a surging front, then doubled the lead on a 50-yard burst by Jackson “Nemo” Caldwell.

Senior quarterback Dakorey Larry managed the game with poise, extending plays with his legs and delivering two timely scoring throws—one to 6-3 senior playmaker Dakylan Hampton before halftime and another to Caldwell on a late-half drag route. Junction City’s defense did the rest, stacking tackles for loss, forcing a turnover on downs inside the red zone, and adding a fourth-quarter interception to preserve the shutout.

Harmony Grove authored its best stretches behind senior quarterback Damien Burns, who churned out chunk gains on keepers and directed a second-quarter march to goal-to-go. Junior Logan Nipp popped the Hornets’ longest run, while seniors Dannon Vint and sophomore Kody McDonald shouldered tough yards between the tackles. Junior wideout Landon Berends drew several deep targets on the perimeter as Grove kept swinging late.

The Dragons begin 2025 with momentum behind a balanced attack and punishing defense, while the Hornets showcased grit and a promising run game to build upon.

Scoring Summary

1st Quarter
Junction City – Zamundrae Gray 40-yard run (conversion failed), 6-0.
Junction City – Jackson “Nemo” Caldwell long run (Larry run), 14-0.

2nd Quarter
Junction City – Dakylan Hampton TD pass from Larry (kick failed), 20-0.
Junction City – Caldwell TD pass from Larry (Larry run), 28-0.

3rd Quarter
Junction City – Hampton short run (Hampton run), 36-0.