Highlights: Boyle County defeats Danville; LCA shuts down Belfry
Highlights from Friday’s Kentucky high school football games:
Boyle County 41, Danville 7: Boyle County’s win over its Title Town rivals came in dominant fashion, as it scored 41 first-half points on its way to a running-clock victory.
Boyle County only needed one play to open up a lead, as sophomore Montavin Quisenberry found senior Cole Sims for a 66-yard jet pass touchdown.
“I think we started out hot, that’s something we wanted to do … our defense played well and gave us great field position,” Boyle County head coach Justin Haddix said. “As a coach, you want to be 100%, knowing you’re not going to be that but you want to be close. We’ve still got a lot of things we can work on as we continue to get better.”
Quisenberry and juniors Sage Dawson and Avery Bodner all had rushing touchdowns for Boyle County (3-0). Dawson also had touchdown passes to Quisenberry and Sims during Boyle County’s 41-point first-half outburst.
One of the standout signs for Haddix about his team through three games, though? The Boyle County defense. Boyle County has allowed a combined 21 points to Madison Consolidated (Indiana), Bryan Station and Danville. Bodner had two interceptions.
The lone scoring play for Danville (2-1) came when sophomore Demauriah Brown ran for a 92-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.
“Defensively, we’ve played pretty well. Obviously, a few little things we’ve got to work on, but we’re going to have a big-time test this weekend against Henderson County,” Haddix said.
Lexington Christian 36, Belfry 7: Cutter Boley connected on touchdown passes of 51, 35, 33, and 11 yards and ran for another score as the Eagles’ defense stymied the defending Class 3A state champions.
“We’ve had athletes with some arm talent, but we’ve never had a guy that could see over the line and stay in the pocket and just has the touch (Boley has),” LCA Coach Doug Charles said of his 6-foot-6 sophomore quarterback. “He went 15-for-20 tonight and he could have done better. … It’s just week three, but he’s got every throw and he’s starting to get comfortable.”
Three LCA receivers scored, led by Will Nichols’ 107 yards and two touchdowns, including the 51-yarder. Parker Chaney and Major Brown hauled in the other TDs. Jay Emerson helped balance out the attack with 85 of LCA’s 183 rushing yards.
Defensively, the Eagles (2-1) held visiting Belfry to 219 total yards, just over half the eight-time state champs’ average, and didn’t let the Pirates (1-2) score until the fourth quarter.
“We challenged (the defense) to be physical this week and they responded,” Charles said. “We got some guys that are young, but we’ve got some guys who will flat get after you.”
Covington Catholic 7, Lexington Catholic 6: In a low-scoring game that saw all of its points scored in the second half, Covington Catholic (2-1) used a 3-yard touchdown run by senior Tyler Rennekamp and an extra point from sophomore Andrew Weitzel to get past LexCath (2-1).
Lexington Catholic took the lead in the third quarter on a 73-yard touchdown pass from junior Jackson Wasik to senior Max DeGraff, but a two-point conversion attempt failed.
Madison Central 20, Madison Southern 17 (OT): Brock Eads’ 3-yard touchdown run in overtime helped the visiting Indians (3-0) fend off the neighbor Eagles.
With last year’s standout running back, Brady Hensley, out due to injury, Madison Central struggled offensively and trailed 8-7 at halftime. Southern took the early lead on a 31-yard TD catch by Jayshaun Ethridge in the first quarter. Central quarterback Hagan Harrison and Eads responded with rushing TDs.
The Indians led 14-8 until Madison Southern’s Ethan Woods hit Ethan Moore with a 29-yard TD pass to tie the game at 14-14 late in the third quarter. The extra point was blocked by Parker Mullins, setting up the overtime drama. Avery Davis converted a short field goal for a 17-14 lead on Madison Southern’s overtime possession.
North Laurel 15, Johnson Central 14: Tucker Warren scored on a 1-yard plunge with 1:41 left in the game and followed up with a two-point conversion for the lead as the Jaguars (1-1) stunned the visiting Golden Eagles (2-1).
North Laurel capitalized on a fourth-and-1 gamble by Johnson Central on its own 11-yard line. The Jaguars defense held and set up the short go-ahead drive.
“The thing that makes it good, is how much respect our team has for Johnson Central,” North Laurel Coach Jason Chappell told the London Sentinel-Echo. “I love how physical and disciplined they are. … I told the boys, one play is going to change this game, and it finally did.”
Mason County 24, Tates Creek 21: Royals quarterback Keshaun Thomas capped a 10-play, 52-yard fourth-quarter drive with a 6-yard TD pass to Carson Pugh to take the lead and Pugh sealed the victory with interception on the Commodores’ final possession.
Thomas threw for 206 yards and three TDs, with Terrell Henry gathering in two scores on his 142 yards receiving for Mason County, one of them and 86-yard bomb in the third quarter for a 17-7 lead.
Tates Creek responded with the next two touchdowns of the game to go in front early in the fourth. Mason Jackson caught a 3-yard TD pass from Andrew Witherington and Laquan Newby punched in a 1-yard score.
But Tates Creek’s final three drives ended with a missed field goal, a punt and the interception as the Royals avenged last year’s loss to the Commodores in Maysville.
Frankfort 28, Sayre 21: Fourth-quarter touchdowns from seniors Caleb Hack and Jaden Morgan vaulted Frankfort (2-1) in front for good in the Mingua Beef Jerky Bowl. Sayre (2-1) led 14-7 at halftime after first-half touchdowns from junior Travis Smith and sophomore Charlie Slabaugh. Among the scores from Frankfort was a 49-yard touchdown by senior Larry Carter.
Clark County 49, West Jessamine 18: Kalen Washington returned the opening kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown as the Cardinals (3-0) routed the visiting Colts (1-2). Bryce Chestnut, Zaydin Turner and Tyleik Maxwell also scored for the Cards, who have the program’s first 3-0 start since 2010.
Corbin 40, Franklin County 20: Corbin stayed perfect on the season thanks to plays like a 33-yard rushing touchdown by senior quarterback Cameron Combs. Corbin (3-0) shook off a slow start by scoring three touchdowns in the third quarter. Sophomore quarterback Kade Elam, a Louisville baseball commit, had multiple rushing touchdowns for Corbin. Franklin County (1-2) got a 40-yard rushing touchdown from senior Kaden Moorman, a UK commit.
Bourbon County 70, Harrison County 53: In what will surely be one of the highest-scoring games of this season, Bourbon County (1-2) got its first win this year against Harrison County (1-2), outscoring the Thorobreds 27-18 in the fourth quarter.
The game didn’t begin until nearly 10 p.m. due to weather delays and featured a 31-yard touchdown pass from Harrison County junior Kaydon Custard to sophomore Jashon Lewis, a preview of the scoring that was to come. Custard finished with 377 passing yards, five touchdown passes and no interceptions.
Bourbon County senior Josh Moody had 217 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns, including a 46-yard scamper in the fourth quarter. Bourbon senior quarterback Clay Estes threw for two touchdowns and ran for three more, including two in the final frame.
Mercer County 49, Anderson County 14: The Titans (1-2) picked up its first win of the season — and the first in the coaching tenure of former UK football star Craig Yeast — against Anderson County (0-3). Mercer led 35-6 at halftime and got a 99-yard interception return touchdown by junior Wade Lane.
Great Crossing 34, Henry Clay 20: Great Crossing scored 20 points in the second quarter to stay perfect this season in a two-touchdown win over Henry Clay (1-2). All five Great Crossing (3-0) touchdowns came on the ground from senior Cayden Allen (two), senior JK Patterson (two) and junior Zach Morris (one). Henry Clay junior quarterback Malcolm Paul had two touchdown passes, both to sophomore Jackson Kreutzer.
Breathitt County 29, Hazard 27: Jayden Gibson’s 33-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter provided the Bobcats (3-0) the cushion it needed to survive a late charge from the Bulldogs (2-1). Breathitt’s Tyler Bryant and Kory Combs also got short rushing TDs. Brady Tincher pounced on a bad Hazard snap for a fumble recovery TD in the endzone. Max Johnson scored twice for Hazard on a 34-yard scoop and score and a 21-yard TD pass from Max Pelfrey. Hank Pelfrey’s 85-yard kickoff return for a TD in the last two minutes closed the gap for Hazard.
Pikeville 36, Paintsville 0: The Panthers (1-2) rolled to their first win of the season in a shutout against Paintsville (1-2). Pikeville got two rushing TDs in the first half from senior Blake Birchfield and two passing scores from junior Tayvian Boykins. Birchfield added a third rushing touchdown in the third quarter to help trigger a running clock.
Collins 50, Jeffersontown 0: Kenyon Goodin threw for 155 yards and four TDs and had a pick-six as a defender as the Titans (3-0) defense held Jeffersontown (0-3) to one first down and zero net total yards. Darius Evans had 94 yards and two TDs receiving to go with a 51-yard punt return score. AJ Higgins and Devan Chesher also crossed the goal line.
Pulaski County 36, Lincoln County 14: Brysen Dugger threw for 188 yards and four TDs and led the Pirates (3-0) in rushing with 79 yards. Chandler Godby racked up 154 yards receiving and all four TD catches. Cody Nichols also scored for Pulaski.
Shelby County 20, East Jessamine 15: Gianni Hunter scored three short rushing TDs and freshman Isaac Estrada had a pair of interceptions for the Rockets (2-1), who took control with 20 second half points after trailing 3-0 to the Jaguars (0-3) at the break.
Adair County 24, Berea 6: Lane Grant broke TD runs of 35 and 25 yards to go with a 7-yard score in a game cut short with 58.1 seconds left before halftime after two on-field incidents late in the second quarter resulting in ejections prompted Berea to call for an end to the contest. Byron Rogers also scored on a 38-yard run for the Indians. Berea got a 15-yard TD from Yamil Cruz.
Mayfield 16, Paducah Tilghman 14: Lincoln Suiter’s 33-yard field goal with 4:44 left in the game gave the Cardinals (3-0) the lead and Mayfield’s defense got a fourth down stop at midfield to close out its 17th straight win in this historic rivalry. Suiter also nailed field goals of 32 and 36 yards. Jutarious Starks led Mayfield with 111 yards rushing and the Cards’ lone TD. Malachi Rider scored twice for the Blue Tornado (2-1).
St. Xavier 24, Male 10: The Tigers (3-0) held their 2021 Class 6A championship opponent without an offensive touchdown as St. X got interceptions by Christian Coleman, Kanon Williams, Jack Fitzgerald and Henry Murr. Adam Boone scored two TDs for St. X, one on a pass from Trevor Havill. Demetrius Dunlanp scored on a 75-yard pick-six early in the first quarter for Male (1-2). The game marked the 800th win for the St. X program and was also the first time Male has lost consecutive games since 2012.
This story was originally published September 3, 2022 at 12:42 PM.
