High school football playoff highlights: Dunbar edges Tates Creek; Scott Co. rolls.
Highlights from the first round of the high school football playoffs around Kentucky on Friday night:
Class 6A
Paul Laurence Dunbar 23, Tates Creek 20: The newest member of the team proved to be the difference for the host Bulldogs.
Bethel Green joined Dunbar as place-kicker this month after her career with the Bulldogs’ girls’ soccer team ended. She made all four of her extra-point kicks plus a field goal in her debut two weeks ago as Dunbar closed the regular season with a 45-0 win over Lafayette.
On Friday, Dunbar took a 20-13 lead late in the third quarter on Jake Smith’s 18-yard touchdown pass to Howard Jackson. In a high-pressure situation late in the fourth, Green nailed a 25-yard field goal to stretch the advantage to 10 points and the Bulldogs held on to knock off Tates Creek.
“I just had a feeling,” Dunbar Coach Wes Johnson said of sending out Green for the field goal attempt. “She’s been hitting them all week from that distance and she has had a really good week from that hash, actually. I just had a really good feeling that she was going to go in there and nail it. And she did.”
Green’s kick ultimately proved to be the difference.
“It was huge,” Johnson said. “She wasn’t even on the team three weeks ago and comes in with ice water in her veins and just sticks it through there like she’s been kicking all her life.”
It was the best effort of the season by the Commodores, who were crushed by Dunbar 42-0 last month.
“Playoffs are just different, you know, and, of course, city rivalries are different,” Johnson said. “All in all, I thought, Tates Creek’s really improved and we had a battle to win against a well-coached team.”
Tates Creek (0-6) got on the board first when Eric Hackett forced a fumble and returned it 3 yards for a touchdown. Dunbar (5-2) evened the game 7-7 on Smith’s first TD pass of the night, a 3-yard strike to Jakobe Bickerstaff.
Tates Creek went up 13-7 on Aaron Klein’s 22-yard touchdown run on a quarterback keeper, then the Bulldogs pulled ahead for good, 14-7, on Smith’s 1-yard TD plunge.
“It was a good team win all the way around. People had to step up and make plays the whole game,” Johnson said. “It was good for us to do that and battle that out, because we’re going to have to do that at other points in these playoffs if we want to move on.”
Smith completed eight of 17 passes for 114 yards and two touchdowns in the win, adding 21 rushing yards. Kamarion Robinson led the way on the ground for the Bulldogs with 103 yards.
Klein led Tates Creek with 42 rushing yards and completed 13 of 29 passes for 120 yards, tossing a 10-yard TD to Trepeon Broadus with 1:07 left to set the final score.
Dunbar advances to a second-round matchup against Lexington rival Henry Clay.
Henry Clay 31, Lafayette 13: After trailing 10-0 and 13-7, host Henry Clay ripped off 24 unanswered points to knock off Lafayette (1-6).
“It feels good. We hadn’t played in over a month, so it feels real good to get a win,” Henry Clay Coach Demetrius Gay said.
Owen Hellard scored a 5-yard touchdown to open the scoring with less than two minutes to go in the first quarter, then Paul McGee nailed a 24-yard field goal to stake the Generals to a 10-0 lead.
With Lafayette backed up on its own goal line a couple possessions later, Henry Clay’s William Webb intercepted a pass in the end zone to get the Blue Devils on the board.
McGee put Lafayette ahead 13-7 with a 34-yard field goal in the closing seconds of the first half.
A 33-yard field goal by Sergei Buchheit, followed by a 1-yard touchdown run by Webb gave Henry Clay (2-3) its first lead, and the Blue Devils’ defense did the rest.
Christian Barrentine returned an interception 12 yards for a touchdown, then Darik Holman put the finishing touches on the win with a 42-yard pick-six.
“We just start clicking on defense,” Gay said. “Defensively we had things go our way and a few turnovers (that) went for touchdowns. That’s what turned everything around.”
Bryan Station 14, Madison Central 13: Canon Scenters threw a 27-yard touchdown to Jayden West with 1:50 left in the fourth quarter to pull Madison Central within an extra point of tying the game, but the kick failed and the host Defenders recovered an onside kick then ran out the clock.
The game unfolded in a far different manner from Bryan Station’s 21-0 regular-season victory over the Indians. Defenders’ Coach Phillip Hawkins didn’t like that his team won its ninth game of the season because of a missed extra point, but the close call surely delivered a message.
“I didn’t have a lot to say tonight, because I knew they knew what I knew, you know what I mean?” Hawkins said. “It felt like a loss, but maybe this is part of what they needed to have to experience that. Now, they’ve experienced it.”
Mikaleb Coffey connected with Carl Munford for a 20-yard touchdown pass to put Bryan Station (9-1) up 7-0 early in the second quarter, then later in the period Scenters scored on a 1-yard keeper to knot the game, 7-7, at halftime. Coffey’s 4-yard TD pass to Ahtraivon Jenkins late in the third quarter proved to be the game winner for the Defenders.
Madison Central brought a different defensive formation to the rematch that threw the Defenders for a loop much of the game, but Hawkins was able to counter with his own new wrinkle in the second half to set up the go-ahead score. He wasn’t happy about it, though.
“You’ve got to keep some of that in your pocket,” Hawkins said. “But it ended up being what it took, actually to get anything done. We just changed the way we lined up.”
Adrien Parks ran for 80 yards to lead Madison Central (1-8). Bryan Station will face Oldham County next Friday. The Defenders beat Oldham County, 25-20, on the road last month.
Oldham County 31, Clark County 21: Sam Young’s 1-yard touchdown run with 2:24 left in the game set the final score and sealed the Colonels’ (5-3) spot in the next week’s 8th District finals at Bryan Station. Young had a pair of TDs, one rushing, one passing to Jacob Davis in the first quarter as Oldham took the early advantage. He hooked up with Justin Ruffin on a 30-yard TD pass later in the half. Clark County got a pair of TD passes from Jordan Manley and a TD run from Jeremiah Mundy-Lloyd.
Class 5A
Frederick Douglass 62, Great Crossing 21: The Broncos jumped out 19-0 in the first quarter without a score from its offense as Caden Johnson got a 36-yard fumble scoop and score, Isaiah Allen took in a pick-six from 30 yards and Dane Key returned a punt 77 yards.
A fumble and an interception stymied Douglass’s first couple of offensive series and Great Crossing’s Kalib Perry scored two of his three touchdowns in the first half to help the Warhawks keep it close, 26-14, late in the second quarter.
But Douglass’s Ty Bryant returned the ensuing kickoff for a TD and quarterback Samuel Cornett connected with Dane Key on a 28-yard TD pass as time expired in the first half to help put Douglass up 40-14. Cornett also threw two TDs to University of Kentucky commit Dekel Crowdus.
Scott County 63, Grant County 12: Jeremy Hamilton scored three of his four rushing touchdowns in the first quarter as the host Cardinals jumped all over Grant County (3-5) and never looked back.
Hamilton added a 25-yard TD run in the second quarter to make it 35-6 Scott County (7-0). He accounted for 110 of the Cardinals’ 306 rushing yards. Montago Jones added 84 yards and a TD on nine carries.
Conner Knipp led Grant County, completing 10 of 18 passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns to Carson Bick, who caught six balls for 72 yards.
Scott County will face Frederick Douglass in next week’s second round. The two were scheduled to meet in the regular season on Oct. 30, but that game was canceled because of COVID-19.
Covington Catholic 36, Cooper 8: Brayden Collins, Reid Hummel and Caleb Jacob each ran for first-half touchdowns as host Covington Catholic (8-1) built a 22-0 halftime lead on its way to a rout. Jacob ran for 81 yards and completed nine of 13 passes for 166 yards. Ethan Reardon caught four passes for 107 yards in the win. Jeremiah Lee led Cooper (3-6) with 123 yards and a touchdown on the ground and added 70 passing yards. Covington Catholic will face Highlands next Friday.
Madison Southern 35, Collins 14: The Eagles (5-3) avenged their early-season loss to the Titans getting a pair of TD passes from Cole Carpenter, including a 76-yard bomb to Jonah Farnstrom in the first half. Farnstrom also caught a 28-yard toss from Walt Smith on the day, giving Smith a TD pass to go with his two rushing TDs.
Highlands 27, Conner 16: Charlie Noon capped a stellar night with a 56-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to seal the victory for the visiting Bluebirds. Noon ran for 191 yards and three touchdowns and added 82 yards passing, including a 23-yard scoring strike to Clayton Lloyd. Colton Roy kept Conner (3-4) in the game, rushing for 71 yards and two touchdowns and adding a 21-yard reception.
Southwestern 42, Whitley County 15: Tanner Wright and JJ. Hutchinson each scored a pair of TDs and Giddeon Brainard rushed for 110 yards and another score as the Warriors (9-1) set up a district title showdown with cross-town rival Pulaski County next week to try to avenge their only loss of the season.
Pulaski County 33, North Laurel 12: Barek Williams scored three TDs, including a 48-yard run, and Tristan Cox added two more as the Maroons (8-1) won easily in their first game in three weeks.
Class 4A
Franklin County 41, Shelby County 12: Flyers quarterback Nick Broyles returned from injury to toss three touchdown passes, two of them to Fred Farrier. Kaden Moorman broke tackles on his way to a 54-yard TD to open the scoring for Franklin County. Brenton Sears and Zach Claudio also got on the board for the Flyers (6-1) who will travel to Central on Friday for the district title.
Johnson Central 46, Harlan County 8: The Golden Eagles’ Grant Rice threw for 213 yards and three TDs, including long-distance connections to Mason Lawson (52 yards) and Toby Spriggs (56 yards). Dylan Preston had a pair of TDs one on the ground and one through the air. Johnson Central next faces Letcher County Central.
Corbin 38, Lincoln County 14: Seth Mills scored two TDs, including a 44-yard breakaway to put away the Redhounds’ (7-1) seventh straight win. Peyton Addison scored twice and Cameron Combs added another for Corbin. Lincoln County got a 78-yard TD pass from Clayton Davis to Skyler Quinn in the first half to keep it close and a 19-yard pass from Davis to Nathan Carter in the second half before Corbin pulled away.
Knox Central 46, Wayne County 36: Brady Worley completed 20 of 24 passes for 357 yards and four touchdowns as the Panthers (5-2) rallied from a six-point third-quarter deficit. Ethan Mills rushed for 155 yards and a score and Abram Brock accounted for 199 yards receiving and one of the TD catches. Steve Partin caught two more and had a team-high 13 tackles on defense. Braedon Sloan led the Cardinals (4-4) with 193 yards rushing and two scores.
The game marked the end of Wayne County Coach Shawn Thompson’s 17-year career at the helm. Wayne County’s winningest coach, who also played for the Cardinals, compiled a 137-67 record, according to the school. His teams won four regional titles, including three straight from 2015 to 2017 and had a state runner-up finish in 2013.
Class 3A
Mercer County 53, Henry County 10: Titans QB Trosper Buchanan tossed TD passes to Riley Peavler, Jalen Lukitsch and Aaron Caton while Braden Dunn had a pair of scoring runs in Mercer’s rout. Caton also had an interception return for a touchdown. Jackson Peavler and Cayden Devine also scored for the Titans. Mercer (7-1) next takes on Christian Academy of Louisville.
Belfry 54, Magoffin County 12: Isaac Dixon ran for 115 yards and two touchdowns and caught a 51-yard TD as the host Pirates rolled. Six different players scored rushing touchdowns for Belfry (6-3), which chewed up 342 yards on the ground. Tyler Chaffin and Dre’ Young each contributed 52 yards and a touchdown. Aden Barnett and Grayson Walker each caught a touchdown from Lucas Litteral for Magoffin County (3-4). Belfry hosts Lawrence County next week.
Bell County 43, McCreary County 6: Brandon Baker rushed for 108 yards and three touchdowns as the Bobcats controlled the game from the outset. Bell County got interceptions by Cameron Burnett, Johnathan Langford and Chandler Mink to earn a date at Rockcastle County next.
Class 2A
Somerset 48, Danville 14: Kentucky commit QB Kaiya Sheron had three TD passes, including a 49-yard end-of-the-first-half Hail Mary to Kade Grundy and also ran in a pair of scores as the Briar Jumpers (6-2) advanced to a rematch next week with the Eagles at Lexington Christian. Gavin Stevens hauled in the other two of Sheron’s TD passes. Corydon Crawford scored both of Danville’s TDs.
Breathitt County 66, Knott County Central 26: Lane Weddle rushed for 141 yards and one TD, caught two TD passes and had a 72-yard interception return for a score for the Bobcats (5-1). Jaylen Turner added four TD passes and a pair of touchdown runs.
Class A
Pikeville 49, Sayre 13: Panthers QB Isaac McNamee ran for two TDs and threw for four more as the defending state champions (6-2) knocked off the previously undefeated Spartans (8-1). Zac Lockhart caught two of the scoring tosses with Brandon Lowe and Blake Birchfield on the end of the others. Birchfield also scored on a 3-yard run. Caleb Kern and Cole Pennington scored for Sayre.
Paintsville 55, Betsy Layne 8: Harris Phelps and Luke Hyden each had a pair of rushing TDs and Karsten Poe threw for one score and ran for another at the Tigers (6-2) rolled. Harris finished with 126 yards rushing.
This story was originally published November 21, 2020 at 1:20 AM.
