North Oldham vs Henry County Predictions/Updates

[ColonelMike]

WHO:   North Oldham Mustangs (3-2) vs. Henry County Wildcats (4-0)

WHEN: Friday, 9/22/23    Kickoff 7:30 pm ET

WHERE:  North Oldham HS, Goshen, KY

IMPLICATIONS:   This is a district matchup; North is 1-0 in Class 4A, District 4 play; Henry County is playing its first district game.

SERIES:   All-time series between North and Henry is tied at 6-6.   North has won the last 4 and 5 of the last 6.

LAST MEETING:   10/24/2020 - North Oldham 13 Henry County 7  (Prior to that game, the two teams had not played in 8 years)

BROADCAST:   FREE, live HD video coverage begins at 7 pm ET on www.pegasussportsky.com     Mike Montgomery and Mark Neu have the call.

VERY interesting matchup in Goshen tonight.    These may not be two ranked teams, but they are two good teams, and appear very well matched.   It's a district affair, with very real playoff implications already.

North bounced back from some early-season injury issues to hammer a decent Shelby County team last week, 49-21.   It was the Mustangs' highest-scoring game of the year, and the newly-installed Mustang passing game, led by third-year starter, senior QB Jack Bullock, was practically unstoppable as Bullock connected on 29 of 43 passes for a whopping 5 TDs and 0 picks and 423 yards.    Star WR Gray Schmittel hauled in 12 receptions for 169 yards and 2 TDs - he's caught 25 passes for over 300 yards and 4 TDs in the last two games against respectable competition (5A rival South Oldham and district rival Shelby County).

The Mustangs welcomed big-play capability back to their receiver corps in the form of sophomore Lucas Tompkins, who had exploded onto the scene last year as a freshman, showing an incredible propensity for coming down with the deep ball.    Tompkins, in his first action of the season, caught 8 passes for 131 yards and 2 TDs, and gave North the real ability to stretch the field.

The running game wasn't so prolific, however, finishing with just 35 yards and a TD on 16 carries.

Defensively, LB Mack Pyle continues to excel this year for North, with 9 total tackles, along with a "pick six".

Henry County returns the bulk of the skill players from last year's team, and it shows in the numbers the Wildcats are putting up.   Henry scored 28 points in a season opening 28-12 win over Newport - and has scored more points in each succeeding game, including 49 points two weeks ago against 5A Anderson County.  

QB Jordan King had a stellar year in 2022, but Henry isn't leaning to hard on his abilities.   He's thrown just 42 passes in four games, completing 21, but throwing for 346 yards and 5 TDs, against just one pick.

The Cat's #2 and #3 running backs are back this year, with Ray Matthews leading the way with 649 yards on just 84 carries, with 9 TDs.   Blaik Nation, who rushed for over 500 yards last season, helps provide a 1-2 punch with 170 yards and 3 scores so far.   Both runners are a threat to catch the ball out of the backfield.

Contrasting sharply with North Oldham's arial assult is the Henry ground game; last week against Anderson County, the Cats rushed for 375 yards, with two players over 100 yards (Matthews  181 yards, 3 TDs, and Nation 126 yards 2 TDs).  

Last year's leading receiver also returns - Kyle Gillingham - and he has 6 catches for 120 yards and 3 scores so far, all team-highs.

Defensively, Brody Staples (49 total tackles, 6 TFL) and Craig Cole (47 total tackles) are both averaging around 12 tackles a game.   Both Staples and Cole had 17 tackles against Anderson County two weeks ago.   Kyle Gillingham - when he isn't catching passes - is catching quarterbacks....he leads Henry with 6.5 sacks through 4 games.

There's no easy win in this district, so all district games are tremendously important, but North could all but seal a playoff berth with a win tonight, putting them at 2-0 in district play, with games against #6-ranked Franklin County (4-0), Western Hills (4-0), and Spencer County (1-4) still to play.    

Broadcast time of what should be a VERY entertaining game begins at 7 pm ET on www.pegasussportsky.com

[DevilMayCare]

North Oldham leads undefeated Henry County 7-0 at the end of the 1Q.

[livesportscaster]

7-0 North Oldham in crystal clear HD video with just over a minute remaining in the half. https://livesportscaster.com/video/9803/ky-hs-football-north-oldham-vs-henry-county-9-22-23-7-pm-et-pegasus-sports-network/

[DevilMayCare]

It's now 7 all in Goshen, late in the 3Q. 

[DevilMayCare]

Henry County goes up 13-7 with 8:31 remaining. 

[DevilMayCare]

Knotted up again at 14.

Four minutes left. 

[DevilMayCare]

Mustangs take the lead with 3 minutes remaining. 

21-14 NO

 

A big kick return by Henry County is wiped out by a hold.

[DevilMayCare]

Ballgame. North Oldham wins, 21-14.