Central 21 Bardstown 19

[Randy Parker]

Final score

[Watusi]

Would love to hear some details about this one.

[WestDanville]

Sounds like it was a good one!

[Hearsay]

Great game. Region title kind of atmosphere. Proud of the Tigers, they are disheartened, but stood toe-to-toe with one of the state's elite programs and were essentially a botched extra point from an even game.

 

Tigers De'Ondre Boggs returned the opening kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown. Central drove the ball, but threw an interception in the Tiger endzone. Unfortunately, both of Bardstown's first two drives were 3 and outs. Central eventually tied the game early in the second quarter on a TD run by Corey Johnson. The Yellow jackets controlled the ball, field position, and time of possession most of the first half.

 

Midway through the second, Central's punter got off a 77 yard punt that was downed at the Tiger 2 yard line, but the Tigers converted a 3rd and 11 run, and ended up driving 98 yards for a nifty Tariq Armour touchdown with about 2 minutes left in the half. However, it had started raining at that point, and we didn't get real good blocking on the extra point, which was put down slowly, and the kick was blocked. 13-7. Then, Bardstown's defense inexcusably let a receiver break open deep and the Yellowjackets got a 55 yard TD pass just before halftime and kicked the extra point to make it 14-13 at half.

 

Bardstown's defense made some halftime adjustments to stop the crossbuck running that had plagued them in the first half, and the teams traded blows through much of the 3rd quarter. Central took advantage of a very questionable pass interference call late in the 3rd and converted it to a Johnson TD run to take a 21-13 lead, but Bardstown answered with a long drive into the 4th quarter and a pretty fade pass TD from Santrel Farmer to Trejan Walls. The Tigers had a really nice two-point conversion pass drawn up, but the Central defender made a fingertip stop of the pass to keep the score at 21-19 with about 9 minutes to go.

 

On the ensuing drive, the Tiger defense came up big and Central was primed to punt deep in their own territory. The Yellowjacket punter shanked the punt, and it took a high bounce at about midfield, with everyone sort of standing around. Bardstown's Boggs, trying to make a play, rushed up on it and grabbed it, but after about 3 steps it slipped out of his hands and Central recovered the fumble. Its a play that Boggs should try to make everytime and 6 out of 10 times he probably scores, but it ended up giving Central the clock and field position.

 

The Tiger defense held and Central punted, the Tigers getting the ball back at their own 13 with about 6 minutes to go. Unfortunately, after a couple first downs, a snap went into a running back, a stuffed run, and a dropped snap forced them to punt again, and Central got the ball inside their own 10 with about 3 minutes to go. They converted a 3rd and 14 pass, a 3rd and 12 pass, and a run to run out the clock and win the game.

 

This was truly a clash of titans, with thorobreds for both teams making plays on both sides of the ball. In the end, while the skill players for both teams were equal, I'd say that Central's lineman won about 55-60% of their battles (particularly in the first half) and that ended up being the difference in the game. That and some rain droplets that affected Bardstown more than Central.

 

I haven't watched Lexington Catholic or Boyle County, but these two teams are really good and I could easily see a rematch in the region championship at Central's field.