article No "Slow Down" for Red Hot Ashland

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Ashland Storms Back from Early Deficit to Top Russell

 

Down 14-0 early, Ashland did what they're known for to get back to a tie game: run the football. Then they did what came as a surprise to many to win the game: throw a 97-yard touchdown pass. That pass, from Jake Gregg to JT Garrett with 3:35 remaining in the game, proved to be the difference as the third-ranked Tomcats beat #6 Russell, 21-14.

 

"Too big of a game to slow down," Garrett said to the Ashland Daily Independent. "We’ve been working on that play all week. It turned out perfect." (Air it to Garrett: Junior's 97-yard TD reception lifts Ashland past Russell | Sports | dailyindependent.com)

 

All was not perfect early for Ashland as Russell used two first quarter Nathan Conley touchdown runs to take an early two score lead. Ashland responded in kind with two second quarter Blake Hester touchdown runs, the second from a yard out with eight seconds remaining in the half, to knot the score at 14 headed to the locker room.

 

From that point forward it was a battle of attrition. Russell supplied a steady amount of defensive pressure to slow down the Ashland run game while Ashland managed a late goal line stand to stop Russell. Finally the Tomcats, who'd thrown for only 43 yards on the night to that point (and just 618 yards on the season), broke out the deep ball.

 

"I was a little bit apprehensive," Ashland coach Tony Love told the Ashland Daily Independent. "But Russell had been bringing a lot of guys. At some point, you have to make them pay for it." (Air it to Garrett: Junior's 97-yard TD reception lifts Ashland past Russell | Sports | dailyindependent.com)

 

The win almost sets the district standings in stone, with Ashland the number one seed in the upcoming playoffs, while Russell will need to defeat a much improved East Carter team this week to ensure a first round home playoff game. It seems almost certain, however, that these two will reprise their rivalry with another classic in the second round of the postseason.

 

Glasgow Kicks Taylor County to Lock Up One Seed

 

A 19-yard field goal isn't that long. It's practically an extra point. But with the game and home field advantage for two rounds of the postseason on the line, it can be a challenge. Unless you're Glasgow kicker Alex Elizalde, who calmly stepped up and buried the kick between the uprights to give the Scotties a 31-28 win over Taylor County on Friday night.

 

"It was just a normal field goal that I practice all the time," Elizalde told the Bowling Green Daily News. "I practice them every day. Every day I go out there and practice them, so I just kept that in my mind. I just told myself, ‘It’s just like practice, it’s just like practice.’ I tuned out everybody that was there. Then I just followed through and it went in." (Scotties slip past Taylor County 31-28 on last-second field goal | Prep Sports | bgdailynews.com)

 

The kick, with two seconds remaining in the game, capped an exciting night where each team traded scores the entire evening. Glasgow opened scoring in the first quarter with a 34 yard touchdown pass from Tanner Abernathy to Kynarious Flynt. Taylor County responded with a one-yard touchdown run from Wes Oliver, his first of two on the evening. Taylor's two point conversion attempt failed, however, setting the early stage for late game heroics.

 

Glasgow led 21-20 at the break and would push it to 28-20 after a 13-yard third quarter touchdown run from Nick Mitchell. That would stop the scoring until Taylor County quarterback Gabe Burruss hit Conner Roney with a 47-yard touchdown toss with forty-five seconds remaining in the game. Oliver then converted the two-point try to tie the game and put the Glasgow game winning drive in motion.

 

Top Seed Weekend - Part II

 

Last week's 3A Notebook previewed three pivotal games that would likely determine the top seed in upcoming district tournament play. We will do the same again this week as once again there are three first place deciding games on Friday night.

 

In District 4, top-ranked DeSales travels to fifth-ranked Mercer County in a battle of top tier teams. Both have wins over Christian Academy of Louisville but the Centurions will play a pivotal role in this game. The winner will get the top seed and play host to Western Hills in the first round of the playoffs. The loser will still get a home playoff game, but will have to host a CAL club that lost by just three points to Mercer and in double overtime to DeSales.

 

First place in District 3 will be on the line as Bardstown travels to Elizabethtown in a matchup of top ten teams. Bardstown hasn't lost since opening night, when Class 1A #1 Pikeville beat the Tigers, while Elizabethtown's only losses came against undefeated 6A powers North Hardin and Central Hardin. E'town has beaten Bardstown three of the last four years.

 

The last district first place game will pit a regular against new blood when Belfry travels to Pike County Central to compete for bragging rights in District 8. After a tough early schedule and some key injuries, Belfry appears to be getting healthy at the right time. Meanwhile, Pike County Central (7-1) is off to their best start since 2012, with their only loss coming to county rival Shelby Valley in the Pike County Bowl on August 31. Belfry has won all 27 previous meetings with Pike County Central.

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Around the Rankings

 

#1 DeSales junior James Johnson ran for 103 yards and two touchdowns as the Colts had little trouble with Western Hills, winning 48-13.

 

#2 Belfry running back Isaac Dixon returned from injury and scored on a kickoff return as the Pirates rolled Lawrence County, 48-0.

 

#4 Bell County kept its second consecutive opponent from crossing the goal line en route to a 45-0 romp over Jackson County. The Bobcats will need a win next week at Estill County to assure themselves a one-seed in the upcoming playoffs.

 

#5 Mercer County had little trouble with Henry County, beating the Wildcats, 50-7. Four different Titans scored rushing touchdowns and another three caught touchdown passes on the evening.

 

#7 Elizabethtown used an all-around big night from Joseph Becherer to whip Larue County, 41-7. Becherer ran for 117 yards and two scores and led the Panthers with twelve total tackles.

 

#9 Bardstown was scored on for the first time since September but it didn't matter as the Tigers routed Thomas Nelson, 58-14. The win was the seventh straight for Bardstown while Thomas Nelson is still looking to get in the win column for the first time in 2019.

 

#10 Paducah Tilghman scored twice on the defensive side of the ball in a 49-13 win over Union County.

 

Extra Points

 

Pike County Central forced two fumbles on kick returns and got all the points they would need in the first half, blasting Magoffin County, 42-6.

 

Estill County scored early and held on late to beat Garrard County, 36-16. The win gives the Engineers a chance at the top seed in District 5, provided they upset Bell County and Garrard knocks off Rockcastle County.

 

East Carter trailed by two touchdowns at halftime but stormed back to beat Greenup County, 30-29. Micah Adams intercepted Eli Sammons in the end zone on the final play of the game to assure the Raiders of their first winning season since 2005.

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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 Mercer County. Two teams new to Class 3A are looking to perhaps establish themselves as the favorite in Class 3A. If nothing else, they're at least playing for a number one seed in the playoffs. Both sides are stacked with athletes, have strong line play, and are very good defensively.

 

2. Bardstown at Elizabethtown. E'town has held the edge in recent games, winning three of the last four in the series, but the Panthers are also something of an unknown having no real "good" wins. Bardstown has been dominant through much of the season but hasn't faced a challenge since beating Danville on August 30. The winner will be the top seed in the playoffs.

 

3. Belfry at Pike County Central. Belfry has never lost to Pike County Central but they've rarely played a Hawks team of this caliber. Pike Central does most of their damage on the ground, having rushed for over 2,500 yards as a team. These type of games are old hat for Belfry, though. Can Pike Central pull the upset?

 

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)

 

Nelson County at Thomas Nelson. The 3A Notebook hates the idea of a team going winless and four teams in Class 3A are facing that possibility in 2019. One will get their first win in this meeting, however, as winless Nelson County travels to winless Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson has been best on the ground, with Korian Hardin rushing for 384 yards and Will Ullery rushing for another 325 on the season. Nelson County has struggled mightily on offense, being shut out five times on the season. Jayron Tongue has run for 596 yards and four touchdowns for the Cardinals.

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The Ashland/Russell game was very evenly played up until that back breaking, length of the field bomb. The teams traded 14-0 quarters in the first half. The third frame was a scoreless stalemate, and I was thinking overtime before Garrett got separation in the Russell secondary and Gregg hit him in stride. In a game that close, that tight, all it takes is one team finding the slightest edge to swing the outcome in their favor. Love took a chance with Ashland backed up deep in their own territory for the second straight possession and it couldn't have worked out any better for them. All due credit to him for making that play call and to Gregg and Garrett for executing, especially considering that play happened right after Ashland put the ball on the ground on the previous play. They immediately shook off the nerves and made one of the great plays in Ashland's recent history.

[Hearsay]

Last year’s ETown-Bardstown game was very strange. ETown won 34-7. One score came when a kickoff was returned for a score with 3 blatant blocks in the back weren’t called. Another came when a duck of a pass became a jump ball, the Tiger defender mis-timed, and the Panther receiver went about 55 yards on the last play of the first half. A third score occurred when the Tigers fumbled on their own 5, and Etown put it in a couple plays later. And yet another was a 98 yard INT return for a TD as Bardstown was driving to score. The last play of the game resulted in a benches-clearing brawl and several ejections. Bardstown contained Becherer pretty well, but could not get out of their own way offensively, throwing 3 INT’s and many other mistakes. I expect Friday night to be a wild, wild ride.

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