Bryan Station football routs Oldham to reach third round for first time this century
Following a masterful regular season in which it lost just one game, Bryan Station got a wake-up call in the first round of the KHSAA football playoffs last weekend; The Defenders survived for a 14-13 win over Madison Central when the Indians missed a late extra-point kick.
That close shave clearly made an impression, because Station left little room for doubt in Friday’s second round. The host Defenders burst out of the gate with a vengeance and dominated Oldham County, 58-29, to win the 8th District championship and advance to the Class 6A quarterfinals for the first time this century.
“We told our kids Monday morning they were a two-point conversion from being done,” Bryan Station first-year head coach Philip Hawkins said. “It woke them up and they were laser-focused tonight. ... They were doing everything right.
“This whole year has been interesting because there’s been a lot of firsts. ... It’s been fun because it’s new to me with these kids, and certainly this level of winning is new to them.”
Friday’s rout was a far cry from the nip-and-tuck October affair between the two teams, which Bryan Station won 25-20. This time around, the Defenders jumped all over the Colonels on both sides of the ball. After forcing a three-and-out on the game’s first possession, Bryan Station marched downfield and took a 7-0 lead when quarterback Mikaleb Coffey scrambled away from pressure and threw a 19-yard touchdown to Tylin Israel.
On Station’s next possession, running back Joseph Bond knifed through the defense for a 34-yard gain and scored two plays later to make it 14-0.
Bryan Station (10-1) converted six first downs in the first quarter while forcing three consecutive three-and-outs. Coffey deftly directed a hurry-up offense that kept the Oldham County (5-4) defense on its heels the entire first half. Bond’s second TD run pushed the lead to 20-0 early in the first quarter.
“I think what really caught them off guard is we wound up in a formation they had not seen. It’s something we’ve just been sitting on for 11 weeks,” Hawkins said. “They really were surprised when we started running option. Nobody had seen that from us. It caught them off guard, I believe, and before you know it we’re up three touchdowns ... Our kids were just having fun and they were scrambling trying to figure out how to stop the bleeding.”
After Station forced and recovered a fumble, Coffey hit Carl Munford for a 19-yard touchdown then ran in a two-point conversion to make it 28-0. Oldham County quarterback Sam Young later scored on a 2-yard keeper to draw the Colonels within 28-7 at halftime.
Bryan Station scored on the first possession of the second half, then went up 42-7 when Coffey found AhTraivon Jenkins for a 70-yard touchdown off a play-action pass. Coffey ran for a TD later in the third quarter to push the Defenders ahead 49-14.
Young and Oldham County’s offense picked up steam in the second half, but the Colonels had no answer for Station’s offense. The Defenders made an interception with about nine minutes to play to slam the door. Bryan Station forced three turnovers on the night — scoring off each — and came up with four sacks.
Bryan Station totaled 647 yards of offense with Coffey’s passing for 319 yards and four TDs and rushing for another 69. Damin Green led the receivers with 116 yards and two scores. Bond finished with 125 yards rushing and four TDs.
Young finished with two touchdown passes and two more scores on the ground for Oldham County. Following a fantastic season, he’ll return as a senior next year.
Hawkins said no matter what happens going forward, this season will occupy a cherished place in program history.
“It’s been special for the whole Bryan Station family,” Hawkins said. “We’re in a good place right now with our kids; they’ve bought in. Regardless of what happens next week, they’ve had a great season. Our message is just going to be, ‘stay the course, see if we can win one more game.’”
Bryan Station will host Paul Laurence Dunbar in next week’s Class 6A quarterfinals.
This story was originally published November 27, 2020 at 11:13 PM.
