article 3A Notebook: DeSales Avoids District Reformation in Win over Christian Academy

[gchs_uk9]

DeSales beats CAL in Yet Another Classic

 

One of the best rivalries in recent years has pitted DeSales and Christian Academy of Louisville. Placed in the same district for the first time in 2005, their annual matchup (or matchups, as they've met nine times in the postseason) has typically yielded a battle that comes down to the wire. Friday night was no different as DeSales watched a fourth down catch by CAL be ruled out of bounds which allowed the Colts to win, 35-28 in double overtime.

 

"This was definitely a classic game," DeSales coach Harold Davis told the Louisville Courier-Journal. "We knew this was going to be a battle. It is every time we play them."

 

"You like playing football and you want to win, but you also want to have a good game and not just beat a team by 50," DeSales defensive end Demetri Scott said in the same article. "You want to have a challenge and today we got a challenge." (Desales football beats Christian Academy of Louisville in overtime)

 

DeSales, ranked #1 in Class 3A, jumped to a quick lead behind a 73 yard James Johnson touchdown run and a DeMarcus Avery touchdown catch. However, CAL quarterback Anthony Sabatino scored twice on short runs to knot the score at 14. It would be tied at 28 at the end of regulation and neither team scored in the first overtime period. A second touchdown pass to Avery gave DeSales (5-2)the lead in the second overtime before CAL's winning attempt came down out of bounds.

 

The win sets up a matchup between DeSales and Mercer County on October 25 that should determine who gets the top seed in District 4 in the playoffs. The loss all but assures CAL, ranked 8th in Class 3A, the three seed and a road playoff game in the first round. And while CAL (4-4) has lost four of their last five, dropping them from the top of the 3A rankings, their performance in both district losses shows the Centurions will still be a force to reckon with in the postseason.

 

Ashland, Russell both Cruise on Way to District Showdown

 

Ashland and Russell, two schools located only 6.5 miles from each other will meet this Friday with first place in the district on the line. Ashland, long a larger school than Russell, was dropped to Class 3A in the most recent KHSAA alignment, placing the Tomcats and Red Devils in the same district. The last time the two programs met with this much at stake was November 3, 1989, when Ashland topped Russell, 32-14.

 

Ashland (6-1) got to this point with a workman-like 35-13 victory over East Carter. Blake Hester scored from 13 yards out in the first quarter and Keontae Pittman from one yard out in the second quarter to give the Tomcats a 14-0 halftime lead. Hester then scored on the first play of the third quarter, after which the teams traded scores to set the final margin.

 

Meanwhile, Russell (6-1) was having no trouble on the road against Greenup County, rolling the Musketeers, 42-0. Russell dominated early holding Greenup County, who entered the game leading Class 3A in passing yards, to a mere four yards in the first half. The shutout was the second of the season for the Red Devils, who are allowing only 7.1 points per game.

 

Championship, er- Top Seed Weekend

 

With the new football postseason plan put in place by the KHSAA for this season, no longer is a district champion crowned based on regular season standings. Instead, district championship trophies will be awarded after the second round of the playoffs. This weekend is the first of two marquee dates on the calendar in which the all-important number one seed in district play will be up for grabs.

 

In District 7, as mentioned above, third-ranked Ashland will travel to seventh-ranked Russell in what should be a classic matchup. Both the Tomcats and Red Devils have a single loss on the season, each coming in close competition against teams from Ohio. Russell leads Class 3A in scoring defense while Ashland is seventh. Ashland has won four straight in the series, including last season's 41-0 blowout.

 

District 2's top placement will be on the line when Taylor County visits Glasgow. Both teams sit just outside the Bluegrasspreps.com Class 3A rankings with the winner poised to jump back in. Glasgow is 6-1 and outscoring opponents by nearly five touchdowns per game. The only blemish on the Scotties' card is a 21-20 loss to 5A power South Warren. Taylor has been nearly as dominant, rolling to a 6-1 record with the only loss coming at 6A Simon Kenton. Both clubs are new to Class 3A but not to success as Glasgow was a 2A region finalist and Taylor County a 4A state semifinalist in 2018.

 

Far western Kentucky's top seed will likely be determined when Union County travels to Paducah Tilghman in a District 1 showdown. Tilghman is the heavy favorite and will again rely on their two-headed rushing tandem of Damien Ford and Jayden Freeman. The two have combined to average 244 yards per game rushing and they've accumulated 30 total touchdowns. Union County's last win over Paducah Tilghman was in 2009.

[gchs_uk9]

Around the Rankings

 

#4 Bell County (7-0) had little trouble with visiting Garrard County, rolling to a 39-0 victory. Despite knocks on the Bobcats schedule throughout the season, Dudley Hilton's team is currently ranked first in the KHSAA's Class 3A RPI ratings.

 

#6 Elizabethtown forced three turnovers and quarterback Clay Games passed for 118 yards and two touchdowns as the Panthers (5-2) bested 6A Meade County, 34-13.

 

Extra Points

 

Fleming County (5-2) used a Carsen Gulley pick-six late in the third quarter to widen the margin on their way to a 29-19 victory over Mason County, the sixth consecutive win in the series for the Panthers. A win over underdog Pendleton County this Friday would clinch the one seed for Fleming.

 

Floyd Central's Dalton Boyd scored and the Jaguars stopped Magoffin County's two-point conversion attempt, winning 36-34 in overtime. It was the first overtime game in the brief history of Floyd Central High School. The victory all but seals a playoff berth for the Jaguars (3-5).

 

Western Hills led Henry County by seventeen points at halftime but watched the lead disappear before winning, 46-45 in double overtime. Both teams scored in the first overtime but both missed their extra point kicks. Henry scored first in the second overtime and made their kick, before Western Hills (3-4) scored on a Jason Rogers touchdown run. Rogers then caught a pass from Dylan Engler for the two-point conversion and the win.

[gchs_uk9]

Three to See

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

 

1. Ashland at Russell. Quite simply the best game in Class 3A this weekend and perhaps the premier game in the state of Kentucky. The winner is first in line for the top seed in the playoffs, although a second meeting for the district championship in November seems likely.

 

2. Taylor County at Glasgow. Two clubs smarting from being left outside the Top 10 in Class 3A, both are looking to prove their mettle among their more well-known 3A peers. Both have played similar schedules, with the only common opponent being Larue County, who Glasgow beat 35-13 and Taylor County beat 34-13.

 

3. Larue County at Elizabethtown. It doesn't have quite as much riding on it as the last time these two met, but there's still a ton to play for on Friday. Larue County roared back to beat the Panthers in last year's regional final and needs a win to stay in contention for a possible first place district finish this season. An E'town win would mean a matchup with Bardstown next week for all the marbles.

 

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)

 

Casey County at Hart County. Casey took a big step toward a playoff berth with last week's tight victory over Adair County but must beat Hart County to avoid a three-way tiebreaker. For Hart County, who has lost three straight after a 3-1 start to the season, a loss means no playoffs for the first time since 2014.

[GOREDDEVILS]

Ashland is still a larger school than Russell. They will be lucky if they stay out of 4A next alignment. They barely got into 3A this time. Enrollment reports based on last school year show Russell with 641 and Ashland with 919 total students.

[GOREDDEVILS]

Nice recap and preview of the week ahead gchs_uk9. That Russell/Ashland game should be a war.

[Coltcity]

Another great recap.

[gchs_uk9]

That Russell/Ashland game should be a war.

 

The new playoff setup intrigues me in districts such as District 7. Two teams are clearly ahead of the rest and almost assuredly will play in the second round. Do you go all out in the regular season game or do you hold something in reserve for November?

[GOREDDEVILS]

You try your best to win(always nice to play at home in the playoffs) but I would say both teams coaches may have something saved back for the playoffs.

[gchs_uk9]

ttt

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

I love the reformation reference in the title :lol2:

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

3. Larue County at Elizabethtown. It doesn't have quite as much riding on it as the last time these two met, but there's still a ton to play for on Friday. Larue County roared back to beat the Panthers in last year's regional final and needs a win to stay in contention for a possible first place district finish this season. An E'town win would mean a matchup with Bardstown next week for all the marbles.

 

These two have two common opponents thus far. E-town beat Thomas Nelson 54-0 and then beat Nelson County 61-14. LaRue County beat Thomas Nelson 46-0 and beat Nelson County 54-20. Offensively that gives the Panthers a little bit of an edge, and then (not taking different opponents into account), the Panthers defense has also been a little more stingy when it comes to passing yards allowed. Fortunately it looks like the Hawks offense is much more focused around their running game. A lot of this game's outcome looks like it may come down to LaRue's ability to score when necessary, and their ability to stop E-town in the air.

 

I see this one going one of two ways:

 

1) Elizabethtown comes in with a chip on their shoulders, takes an early lead and wins it by roundabout two touchdowns.

 

2) The two teams are going to trade off scoring, and the outcome is going to end up being determined largely by whichever team can control more of the clock.

[gchs_uk9]

I love the reformation reference in the title :lol2:

 

I was hoping someone would get it!

[Hearsay]

These two have two common opponents thus far. E-town beat Thomas Nelson 54-0 and then beat Nelson County 61-14. LaRue County beat Thomas Nelson 46-0 and beat Nelson County 54-20. Offensively that gives the Panthers a little bit of an edge, and then (not taking different opponents into account), the Panthers defense has also been a little more stingy when it comes to passing yards allowed. Fortunately it looks like the Hawks offense is much more focused around their running game. A lot of this game's outcome looks like it may come down to LaRue's ability to score when necessary, and their ability to stop E-town in the air.

 

I see this one going one of two ways:

 

1) Elizabethtown comes in with a chip on their shoulders, takes an early lead and wins it by roundabout two touchdowns.

 

2) The two teams are going to trade off scoring, and the outcome is going to end up being determined largely by whichever team can control more of the clock.

Both Nelson and TNHS are galactically awful so I wouldn’t take much from those games.

 

Larue will grind it and chew clock, but cannot stop Becherer, McNeil, or the passing game. Larue is also really banged up. I expect E-Town to win this going away.