‘We’re locked in.’ Boyle County’s star duo helps spell defeat for Frederick Douglass.
Boyle County’s dynamic senior playmakers, Montavin “Tavi” Quisenberry and Demauriah Brown, accounted for more than 400 yards of offense and three touchdowns in the Rebels’ 38-17 home win against Frederick Douglass on Friday night.
That kind of output against Class 6A’s No. 6 team can’t help but give the Class 4A No. 1 Rebels (10-0) a ton of confidence going into the postseason.
“This is the best game we could have had. I think that’s one of the top teams in the state,” Quisenberry said of the Broncos (6-4). “Their defense flew around the whole game. We watched film on them just to see the holes to hit. Mauri had a hell of a game today. I think this game sets us up perfect for the playoffs.”
With the win, Boyle County leap-frogged Franklin County and Paducah Tilghman to take over the No. 1 slot in the KHSAA’s Class 4A RPI standings, which means the Rebels will have home-field advantage in the playoffs until they reach Kroger Field.
While Quisenberry had his usual multifaceted impact with 138 yards and a TD rushing, 48 yards receiving and an 18-yard TD pass to Lyndon Smith, Brown delivered one of his best games of the season with 203 yards rushing to go with a touchdown and an interception on defense.
In fact, Brown made two successive plays at the start of the second half that put the Rebels in control the rest of the way.
On the third play after halftime, Brown picked off Broncos quarterback Jaxon Strautman at the Douglass 46-yard line. On the next play, Brown took a handoff to the house to help give Boyle County a 24-7 lead less than two minutes into the third quarter.
“The push up front was outstanding,” Brown said, bragging about his offensive line.
Quisenberry, a Kentucky commit, and Brown, an undeclared senior with offers from West Virginia, Western Kentucky and Eastern Kentucky, “play for each other,” Boyle County coach Justin Haddix said. “And that says something both ways.”
Quisenberry has been the more high-profile player during his Boyle County career, but Brown doesn’t mind it.
“It’s great. We’re just two dogs being dogs,” Brown said. “We’re locked in. We’re good friends, and we just want to see each other win and do our thing.”
The game looked competitive in the early going. Douglass forced Boyle County to kick a field goal on its first drive despite facing a first-and-goal from inches away. A penalty, two tackles for a loss followed by a sack by Ismail Naji snuffed Boyle’s touchdown hopes.
After a Douglass punt, Quisenberry capped a nine-play, 81-yard drive with a 3-yard touchdown run that he scored via direct snap for a 10-0 lead with 22 seconds left in the first quarter.
Douglass responded with Dakari Talbert’s 9-yard TD run on its next series to cut the lead to 10-7 with 7:42 till halftime.
Douglass looked to have made a huge momentum play just before the break by turning Boyle County over on downs in the red zone with 3:12 left in the second quarter. But the Broncos fumbled on the next play to give it back.
Six plays later Boyle County’s Seneca Driver scored on a controversial play on second-and-goal from the 1-yard line. Driver stood outside a running-play pileup but came out with the ball in his hands in the end zone on an apparent shovel or fumble. The officials talked about the play but ruled it a touchdown to help Boyle County take a 17-7 lead with 27 seconds left in the second quarter.
Following Brown’s third quarter touchdown, Douglass and Boyle traded scores. Broncos kicker Steven Aranda booted a 28-yard field goal to cut the Boyle lead to 24-10. Boyle answered with a seven-play, 90-yard drive capped by Gage Feltner’s 3-yard TD run. Talbert then scored his second touchdown for the Broncos to trim the deficit to 31-17 with 35 seconds left in the third quarter.
Though Boyle had to punt on its next series, Rebels cornerback Austin Bodner picked off Strautman to set up Boyle’s final scoring drive. Quisenberry’s halfback option pass to Smith set the final margin.
“When you turn it over against a good football team that’s what happens,” Douglass coach Nathan McPeek said of his team’s two interceptions and a fumble. “It’s really the same story in all four (losses) for us. Penalties weren’t as bad tonight, but turnovers were. If we fix that, I think we can make a run. If we don’t, obviously, it’ll be short.”
Boyle County’s impressive offensive showing might have been outdone somewhat by its defense. The Rebels only allowed Douglass 70 yards rushing, more than 130 yards below its average.
“You’ve got to be good on defense,” Haddix said. “Our defensive guys did a great job. We gave up a few big plays, but, playing a good team, they can do that.”
Lexington Catholic tops Scott County in overtime
Lexington Catholic (4-6) stopped Scott County quarterback Andrew Hickey short of the goal line on fourth-and-1 in overtime to earn a 36-29 win to close out the regular season with four straight victories.
The Knights rallied from a 21-10 halftime deficit to take a 29-21 lead on Matthew Kern’s 38-yard TD run with 1:59 to play.
Scott County (5-5) quickly answered with a Buddy Collins score from 6 yards out and Eli Lilly’s two-point conversion run to tie the game at 29-29 with 25 seconds left.
Mathew Kern then hit Jackson Kreutzer with a 2-yard TD pass to put LexCath ahead 36-29 in overtime. It was their second TD connection of the game. Kern finished with 257 yards and four TDs passing. Cole Space and Duncan Guance caught the other scores in the Knights’ second-half surge.
Friday’s other Lexington games
Lexington Christian 25, Raceland 13: The Eagles (8-2) jumped out to a 19-0 lead on TD runs of 32 yards by Saxton Howard and 25 and 82 yards by Leland Edwards. Howard added a 10-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Lafayette 41, East Jessamine 15: The Generals (6-4) guaranteed their first winning season since 2016 as Ransom Payton threw for 175 yards with TD passes to Cale Locklar, Isaac Barro and Jackson Stephens. Mekhi Taylor added a rushing touchdown.
Tates Creek 42, West Jessamine 21: BJ Evans Jr. rushed for 260 yards and three touchdowns for the Commodores (6-3). Darnell Burnside Jr. added a pair of TD passes to JT Cooper and threw another to Detrell Johnson.
Sayre 44, Bethlehem 6: The Spartans (10-0) completed their second straight undefeated regular season.
Bryan Station 35, Central Hardin 7: Kalen “Jaws” Washington rushed for 145 yards and three TD for the Defenders (6-4). Taeandre Clark added a 75-yard interception return for a touchdown and a 5-yard TD run.
Also: Eastern 32, Paul Laurence Dunbar 31; Southwestern 31, Henry Clay 0.
This story was originally published November 2, 2024 at 9:46 AM.
