One of the great rivalries in Kentucky, Ashland and Boyd will play this Friday at Ashland. To start with Ashland, they have scored 42+ points in five of their seven games this season and has averaged 51 points per game over their last four. LaBryant Strader is a tough QB with an excellent arm, completing 67% of his passes. Cam Davis ranked #7 in 4A in yards per rush at 11.4 per carry. Ashland ranks #16 in 4A in rushing, down ten spots from last year when they were #6. However, they still have several different players that are threats running the ball. Last year when Ashland was ranked #6 they did not have a 1,000 yard rusher and it looks to be a similar case this year as Ashland will give the ball to several different athletes. Same with receiving this year as their three leading receivers have 19, 17, and 17 receptions. 

Boyd County has made tremendous strides under Evan Ferguson and with one more win this season they will tie their total number of wins from the entire decade of the 2010's. Boyd had 25 wins in the 2010's and in the 2020's they have 24. They would love to pick up that win against rival Ashland, who they have not defeated since 2003. However, in recent years Boyd has been knocking on the door. Last season they led Ashland at halftime before the Tomcats would take over in the second, two years ago they were a yard away on the goal line from potentially changing the outcome as the goal line stop triggered a momentum swing and Ashland would complete a long touchdown pass to Brandon Houston to go further ahead. And in 2021 they gave Ashland all they wanted in a 10-7 Ashland victory. This will not be an easy win for the Tomcats. Boyd is led by their all-time leading passer in Rhett Holbrook who has 11 touchdowns and has completed nearly 66% of his passes. Rhett also leads the team in rushing. Boyd has multiple threats at receiver, in particular Cole Hicks who Coach Ferguson was able to convince to come out for football last season where he would snag 35 receptions with 8 touchdowns. This season he has 29 receptions with 323 yards and 3 touchdowns. Defensively, Erik Germann is the #1 tackler in 4A with 13.6 tackles tackles per game. While that is impressive, Boyd's defense is ranked #30 in rushing in 4A. However, Boyd is ranked #9 against the pass and that has to give the team some optimism against Ashland's passing attack.

This should be yet another great battle in an intense rivalry, in particular featuring two great quarterbacks. Strader has a great arm and is big guy that takes several defenders to tackle. Rhett Holbrook also has an impressive arm and is extremely agile - you have to make sure you have him fully wrapped up when you tackle him. 

What are your thoughts? Will this be the year for Boyd or will Ashland continue the streak?

Ashland by 20+ up to a possible running clock.

Bump.

Should be a great environment at Putnam for a rivalry with a ton of unmet potential. Boyd's had a couple of opportunities to hang with the Tomcats in recent years, but couldn't get that elusive W.

I don't look for it to happen this year. The Lions bear too much of a resemblance to Greenup County, meaning they're too reliant on a their quarterback. Ashland contained Tyson Sammons and thrashed the Musketeers. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Boyd hang around a while simply because they'll be up for this one. I just don't think it's enough. 

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@TCR

Tell Chris and Mike that Ashland wore gray pants in 1990 and possibly most of the rest of that decade.

Boyd is on the move, just inside Ashland's redzone. Rhett Holbrook's hard at work on the opening drive.

Touchdown Boyd. Holbrook kept it for 16 yards.

7-0 Lions

7:59 1Q

53 minutes ago, TCR said:

Watch live and for free here!

 

High quality broadcast!

Braxton Jennings answers from five yards out.

7 all

5:02 1Q

End of 1Q

Ashland 7

Boyd County 7

 

The Lions have measured up so far. Holbrook is a player.

The Tomcats are harassing Holbrook. Not many clean looks a throwing the ball so far.

14-7 Tomcats. 

1 minute ago, theguru said:

14-7 Tomcats. 

That's two identical 5 yard touchdown runs for Braxton Jennings tonight.