article 3A Notebook: Taylor County Cardinals Alive and Well

[gchs_uk9]

Taylor County Fights Back to Top Cross-town Rival Campbellsville

 

The banner held up by the Taylor County cheerleading squad prior to Friday night's city-county showdown with Class 1A #2 Campbellsville said "2019, the Year the Eagles Went Extinct." For much of the night it looked like the Cardinals of Taylor County were the birds in distress. However, two fourth quarter touchdowns by running back Wes Oliver and a late Carson Watson interception gave Taylor a 29-20 victory and gave notice to Class 3A that the Cardinals will be just as much of a threat in their new class as they were in Class 4A in 2018.

 

A fourth-and-ten touchdown reception by Gabe Burress gave Taylor an early 7-0 lead but Campbellsville closed the gap to 7-6 at the half and used two quick third quarter scores to make the deficit 20-7. Tre Goodin's only score of the evening lessened the margin for Taylor before Oliver scored twice to seal the win. Oliver finished the evening with 186 yards rushing and two touchdowns.

 

For Taylor County (3-0) and new head coach Sam Marple the question in the offseason was whether they could continue playing at the same level that took them to the 4A semifinals in 2018. Early returns said yes but the win over a bonafide state title contender in Campbellsville gives rise to even higher hopes. After next week's game with Green County, Taylor will face a stiff challenge on the road at Simon Kenton. There's also a mid-October district game with district rival and fellow Class 3A newbie Glasgow. So, while it might be too early to say Taylor County can win a crown, you can rest assured they're far from extinct.

 

Pendleton County's Hard Work Leads to Wins

 

It has been some time since Pendleton County enjoyed a winning season. Ten years in fact, with 2009 and 2005 the only teams in school history to finish .500 or better (the school began playing football in 2003). After years of struggle the wins are starting to come. If their 57-12 win over rival Bracken County on Friday is any indication, it could be a banner year in Falmouth.

 

"We’ve got a lot of seniors on this team that have been playing for a long time. They’ve got a lot of varsity experience and I like to tell the guys hard work pays off," head coach Brian Burgemeier told the Maysville Ledger-Independent (Pendleton pounds Polar Bears | Ledger Independent – Maysville Online). "We’ve been working hard for a long time and haven’t seen the results in the past and we’re starting to feel that this year. This team just goes out and believes, that’s our motto this year is to believe and they really do and it’s been paying off for us."

 

Pendleton's success starts on the ground. As a team, the Wildcats (3-0) have rushed for 1,074 yards through three games and the load is balanced. Lyle Secrist leads the team in rushing with 292 yards and teammate Matthew Campbell is right behind him with 286. Six different Pendleton players have scored rushing touchdowns on the season. The schedule has been admittedly weak, but for a program searching for wins and momentum, it's been just what the doctor ordered. And in a wide open District 6, the Wildcats might just be good enough to win them all.

 

Ground-and-Pound Golden Lions Match Last Year's Win Total

 

After a seventeen year absence from Garrard County football, head coach Jerry Perry returned in 2014 and immediately led the Golden Lions to a district championship. From that point the number of wins decreased each year as the district slate became brutal with the likes of Boyle County, Lexington Catholic, and Wandale Robinson-led Western Hills, although Garrard did advance to the second round of the playoffs in three of the five years.

 

It looks as though the talent in Lancaster is back on the uptick and the same old formula that has worked for Perry for so many years is working once again: an offensive line that wears out its opponent and a running game that piles up the yards.

 

Garrard County whipped Western Hills, 46-19, on Friday behind 293 rushing yards and five touchdowns for junior Christian Hansford. On the season Hansford has already rushed for 678 yards and 11 scores in helping Garrard match their previous year win total. As a team the Lions (2-1), who've only attempted two passes, have ran for 1,169 yards while an opportunistic defense has forced three fumbles in as many games.

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Around the Rankings

 

#1 Christian Academy of Louisville (3-0) was finally scored upon after two straight shutouts, but it hardly mattered as the Centurions beat Eastern, 35-20. CAL plays host to 6A power Ballard this week before traveling to Boyle County, the top team in Class 4A, on September 20.

 

#4 Bell County (3-0) used 262 yards of offense and three touchdowns from London Stephney and another four scores from Brandon Baker to rout South Laurel by a basketball score, 80-40.

 

#5 Ashland (3-0) had little trouble with West Virginia power George Washington, beating the Tigers, 49-16. The Tomcats rushed for 269 yards and held George Washington to minus-three on the ground.

 

#6 Elizabethtown (2-1) rebounded from a close loss in a rivalry game to secure an easy win in a rivalry game, topping John Hardin, 37-6. Quarterback Clay Games was 5-10 for 112 yards and a touchdown pass on the evening.

 

#7 Paducah Tilghman's streak of losses to Mayfield extended to 14 games with a 38-20 win over the Blue Tornado (2-1). Damien Ford rushed for 120 yards in the game but was kept out of the end zone for the first time this season.

 

#8 Glasgow (3-0) stayed unbeaten with a 57-14 trouncing of former district rival Monroe County. The Scotties are averaging 49 points per game and allowing only nine.

 

#10 Mercer County (3-0) held on late to beat 4A #8 Anderson County, 15-13. Isaiah Dismuke's interception at the 17-yard line with under a minute to play sealed the victory for the undefeated Titans.

 

Extra Points

 

Greenup County (2-1) used a stifling defense and explosive offense to beat Montgomery County, 54-12. The Musketeers defense held Montgomery to 1-11 on third down and 1-5 on fourth. Quarterback Eli Sammons passed for 183 yards and three touchdowns in the win.

 

Union County (2-1) pitched a second consecutive shutout, blanking McLean County, 34-0. The fabulously named Corithian Seales-Portee had four rushing touchdowns for the Braves.

 

Mason County (1-2) picked up their first victory of the season with a 28-21 win at Clay County in the Appalachian Bowl. Carson Brammer passed for 131 yards and two touchdowns while Caden Clark-Roberts rushed for 122 yards and a score for the Royals.

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Three to See

(Each week the 3A Notebook will preview the three best games featuring Class 3A teams for the coming week)

 

1. DeSales at Lexington Catholic. Two premier parochial schools in the commonwealth meet up in what should be one of the best games of the weekend. DeSales has beaten Lexington Catholic each of the last two years but the Knights, behind UK-commit Beau Allen have been impressive through three games.

 

2. Belfry at Archbishop Alter (Ohio). After a week off, Belfry travels north to meet an Ohio powerhouse. Alter, from Kettering (just outside of Dayton, is 2-0 and ranked in the top ten in Ohio's Division III. Belfry is no stranger to out-of-state competition, having compiled a 9-4 record against teams from neighboring states since 2013.

 

3. Ballard at Christian Academy of Louisville. Just over ten miles separates two schools that are district foes in every non-classed sport. Ballard, ranked sixth in Class 6A last week, travels to the top-ranked team in Class 3A. The meeting is the first ever between the two schools.

 

Just One More

(Tired of the same teams every week? Want to go off the beaten path for a 3A game this Friday night? Each week we'll look at an under-the-radar matchup to watch in Class 3A)

 

West Carter at East Carter. A matchup that has rarely pitted two teams with winning records could be one of the best game's in the mountains this weekend. West Carter, 1-1 after an off week, travels to undefeated East Carter. West Carter have won the last five meetings.

[Sport of Kings]

GCHS, well said... Taylor County is a legit threat... Campbellsville will be fine in Class A... a lot to learn from this film.. Good Luck to both teams....

[Coltcity]

Thanks for this report, look forward to them every week !

[gchs_uk9]

ttt

[Calico Jack]

GCHS, well said... Taylor County is a legit threat... Campbellsville will be fine in Class A... a lot to learn from this film.. Good Luck to both teams....

 

Taylor County is definitely a threat & not only will Campbellsville be fine in Class A, but with that being said there are several schools in the Top 10 to 15 in several classes that don't want any part of that smoke.