Oldham County 31 George Rogers Clark 21

[Tigerpride94]

Oldham County avenges regular season loss to GRC.

[EastSideJunkie]

Congrats to the Colonels.

Sam Young two TD passes and a pair of TD runs.

OC had lost 48-28 last month to GRC

[ColonelMike]

Great win for Oldham County....quite a turnaround from last month's game.

Unfortunate that Azariah Isreal didn't suit up for his team, but Oldham's defensive game plan was impressive; the holes Isreal exploited last month simply weren't there last night as the Colonels shifted their defensive fronts, and the front 7 simply clogged all the lanes.

Colonels took the initative from the opening kick, and never trailed in the game.  It was 14-0 Oldham after one period - a period in which the GRC offense managed just 33 yards, unofficially.   The Colonels got touchdowns from Young (a two yard run with 4:39 in the period) and from junior wideout Jacob Davis (a 46 yard touchdown catch with 1:27 left in the first.)   

Oldham moved the ball at will in the first, gaining 182 yards (unofficially) in the frame, compared to GRC's 33 yards.   Both teams had the ball three times.

After GRC pulled to within 14-7 in the second period on a 19 yard TD pass from Jordan Manley to Tate Spayd, Oldham pushed it out to 21-7 on perhaps the biggest play of the night.   Facing 4th and 24 at the GRC 30, Oldham went for it, and junior QB Sam Young hit freshman slot receiver Justin Ruffin on a post pattern for an almost uncontested 30 yard TD.

Sam Young completed 6 passes in the first half; 5 of them went for 27 yards or more, including 3 of 40+ yards.

After exploiting the GRC defense for big plays in the first half, Oldham salted away the game in the second by playing ball control and limiting GRC's possessions.    After allowing GRC to have the ball 13-14 times in October, the Colonels made sure the Cardinals didn't have that opportunity in the second half, running the ball on 22 of 26 second half snaps with Young and sophomore running back Jalen McRoberts - who got his first start of the year at running back - getting the majority of the carries.  Those two combined for about 140 yards rushing.   The second half flew by.

GRC battled back to within 21-13 - the extra point was blocked - only to see Oldham get a 19 yard FG from Jacob Pollak on the very next possession to push the lead back to 24-13 as the third quarter came to a close.

The Cardinals, behind some good passing from Jordan Manley, kept it close.   6'5" senior tight end Dylan Gibson made a spectacular catch in the back right corner of the endzone between two Oldham defenders to pull the Cards to within 24-19; the Cardinals went for two and Jeremiah Mundy-Lloyd - who got the start with Isreal out - ran it in for a two point conversion.   It was a new game at 24-21 with a lot of time (9:25) left to play.

Nothing about Oldham's next drive was surprising - the Colonels kept the ball on the ground as they sought to score with very little time on the clock - but GRC simply wasn't able to stop the run.   Although the Cardinals' defense gave ground grudgingly, the Colonels methodically worked the ball downfield, and with just 2:37 left - a nearly 7 minute drive - Sam Young scored his second rushing touchdown from one yard out.   Pollak's PAT made it 31-21, Oldham.

To GRC's credit, Jordan Manley and company engineered a big drive.   Oldham appeared to have the Cards stalled short of midfield, but Manley connected on a 45 yard pass into the Colonel red zone, and seconds later, the Cardinals had a first and goal.   A couple of Manley runs put the ball at the two, and a third down pass fell incomplete.   

On fourth and goal from the two, the Cardinals - needing two scores - passed on the field goal and went for the touchdown, but Oldham cornerback Aiden Gremmert tipped away the pass to end GRC's final threat.   Oldham then ran out the clock to preserve the win.

The Colonels improve to 5-3 on the year, guaranteeing Oldham their fourth consecutive winning season in the four seasons Mike Fox has been coach.   The Colonels' mentor is now 29-15 in his four years at the helm, including 4-3 in the playoffs.

Oldham travels to Lexington to face Bryan Station, a 14-13 winner over Madison Central, in the Class 6A second round.

CM