Different might mean better for Woodford County as Yellow Jackets roll over Dunbar
This year’s edition of Dennis Johnson’s Woodford County football team might not be as bruising and physical as the one that rolled undefeated to the Class 5A state semifinals last season.
But that doesn’t mean it can’t be just as good or better, senior running back Preston Stacy said Friday after the Yellow Jackets defeated Paul Laurence Dunbar 43-14.
“A lot of people say we aren’t the team we were last year, but I feel a little bit different,” said Stacy, who racked up 67 yards and two TDs rushing in the road win. “We’ve got a lot of really good people on this team … a lot of dogs.”
Sophomore quarterback Andrew Nason counts among them, especially after running Woodford’s triple option to devastating effect with 183 yards rushing and a TD to go along with 122 yards passing and a score.
“He’s making the right reads and getting more comfortable,” Johnson said. “He’s a great runner, so I just told him to trust your reads and trust yourself.”
It’s easy to trust a receiving corps that includes 6-foot-3 sophomore Mahki Smith, who has already drawn a Kentucky scholarship offer and is being courted by many other Division I schools.
“He goes up and gets the ball strong and that’s what they want in a receiver,” Johnson said. “He’s a special talent.”
Smith elevated for his touchdown grab in the first half on his way to 115 yards receiving.
“I’ve got to make them look good,” Smith said, smiling. And he’s developing chemistry with his QB. “I believe in him every snap. I believe he’s going to get the ball where it’s supposed to be.”
Woodford’s offense stalled within sight of the goal line a couple of times in the first half, thanks to some mistakes Yellow Jackets players and coaches shared, Johnson said.
“We weren’t good as coaches early on, so we cleaned some stuff up at halftime,” Johnson said. “Then I said, ‘Guys, I need you to bail me out in the second half,’ and those guys came out and did it.”
Woodford’s Leland Taylor jump-started the second half with an 85-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
“I didn’t think they were going to kick it to me. The first kickoff, they pooched it, but in the second half, it was like, ‘wow,’ they kicked it to me,” Taylor said. “These guys block phenomenal. All I have to do is break one tackle and I’m gone.”
Leland has had a few big returns this season, so Johnson wasn’t surprised by the effort.
“He can fly,” Johnson said. “When he gets the ball in his hands, he’s been electric every time he’s touched it.”
Woodford’s defense held Dunbar to just 136 total yards and only 32 on the ground as it forced three straight punts after allowing the Bulldogs to score on the opening drive, a 2-yard TD run by Noah Chapman to cap an 11-play, 80-yard series.
When Dunbar’s offense found success again in the second quarter, the Yellow Jackets snuffed it with an interception by Abdul Bilal. in the end zone.
“I think we’re faster on defense and probably more explosive,” Johnson said as he compared this year’s squad to 2021.
Bilal also got to show off his throwing arm as Woodford unveiled an option pass play in the series after his interception for Woodford’s third score. He hit Smith over the middle for 35 yards to put the Yellow Jackets at the Dunbar 8-yard line. Nason hit Smith at the goal line on the next play for a 21-7 lead going into halftime.
Woodford (3-0) scored 22 points in the third quarter to put the game away on drives than included Stacy’s second TD and a 4-yard score by Kenyun Maxberry.
Dunbar (1-2) got a 78-yard scoop-and-score fumble recovery by Jose Kazadi in the fourth quarter for the final margin.
