Lexington Herald Leader: Boone Co. beats Devils on final play

 

 

FLORENCE — Boone County quarterback Mike Walsh hit Daniel Lokesak with an 8-yard touchdown pass as time expired to give the Rebels a 9-7 victory over Henry Clay in the Class 6A playoffs Friday night.

 

It was a stunning conclusion to a frigid night of football.

 

Nobody scored until Boone County's Brad Chalfant booted a 30-yard field goal with 63 seconds left.

 

Henry Clay answered right back as Tyler Hooker returned the ensuing kickoff 82 yards for a go-ahead touchdown with 49 seconds left.

 

But Boone County wasn't finished.

BC winning on a passing play, that's not an every day occurence.

 

I was thinking the same thing. Guess we oughta prepare for the end of the world.

I was thinking the same thing. Guess we oughta prepare for the end of the world.

 

Not all that surprising. Boone has always used the run to set-up one or two game changing passes per game.

Cincy Enquirer: Boone County 9, Henry Clay 7

 

Mike Walsh didn’t really know what to say. He stood near the 50-yard line in a daze. A very happy daze.

 

Walsh threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Lokesak in the corner of the end zone to beat tight coverage on the final play of regulation to give Boone County a 9-7 win against Lexington Henry Clay in a second round Class 6A playoff game at Owen Hauck Stadium in Florence.

Cincy Enquirer: Boone County 9, Henry Clay 7

 

Mike Walsh didn’t really know what to say. He stood near the 50-yard line in a daze. A very happy daze.

 

Walsh threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Lokesak in the corner of the end zone to beat tight coverage on the final play of regulation to give Boone County a 9-7 win against Lexington Henry Clay in a second round Class 6A playoff game at Owen Hauck Stadium in Florence.

 

WOW

Not all that surprising. Boone has always used the run to set-up one or two game changing passes per game.

 

:confused: Please. Boone has always used the run for the single-minded purpose of running the ball down the throats of their opponents. And every once in awhile one of their pass plays works. I don't really think their mindset is to "use the running game to set up a big, game-changing pass play."

Not all that surprising. Boone has always used the run to set-up one or two game changing passes per game.

 

Not my experience. It's only been in the last year or so that Coach Thompson's family heard him pronounce the "p"-word. Before that it was always just "...the potatoes, please" or "....me another turkey neck". :jump:

No, I'm not buying it. Boone has rarely passed unless it was the only remaining option. Last night it was the only remaining option and lightning struck. As always, congrats to the Rebs on the thriller. I always like to see Mr. O kept happy.

Henry Clay's defensive weakness for the last upteen years has been against the pass. They have never seen the need to have their fastest players or their best athletes in the secondary. Henry Clay uses their safety as a fill linebacker. They do a poor job against the pass, especially against a balanced run-pass attack (can you say Trinity).

 

It took Boone County 119 minutes (including their regular season meeting three weeks ago) to discover just where Henry Clay is defenseless.........against the pass. The only reason they found it when they did was out of desperation as they got the ball needing to go over 60 yards with less than a minute on the clock.

 

Did anyone at the game notice that Henry Clay did not once go to a "nickel" defense? Even at the end when Boone County had to pass.

 

It was all so predictable.

Sophomore, but plays like an upperclassman

 

The coaches of BCHS should be comended. This is a team that represents the word team, they have come together after some major injuries to key players and have found a way to get the job done. Great leadership from their senior class. I wouldn't count this team out. Great to see players step up when needed. Real gut check by BCHS last night.

This was the most exciting HS football game I have ever witnessed -- because of the stakes, the finality of it all. I was walking toward the exit on the HC side after standing behind the goal post for a bird's eye view of Chalfant's apparent game-winning field goal. So I walked all the way down to the far end of the field to get ready to leave, but I thought I would stop to watch the kickoff from behind the other end zone. Unbelievable, so I thought the game was over again after an amazing return for TD. No way a guy that slow should run a kickoff back, but he did! Furthermore, they made the PAT, something they couldn't do vs. Ryle a week earlier in 4 attempts. Anyway, walked further toward the exit, but decided I should watch another kickoff -- just in case. After the decent return and a pass completion to about the 50, I ran back down to the far end and stood at the edge of the goal line on HC side. A critical roughing the passer 15-yard penalty against HC moved the ball to the 15 with 22 seconds left to play -- game on!

 

A short pass completion to my side of the field to the 11, a deflected incomplete TD pass and another quick sideliner to the 8 with 6 seconds left. A rushed incomplete pass into the end zone left 2.6 sec on the clock. Last play coming up. The same quick sideline pass excuted very quickly -- almost forced into tight coverage but probably their only option. D-back plays it perfectly, has great position - long arm reaching in front of Locsak. I am certain ball is knocked down, and watched Locsak fall to the ground and roll. Too my amazement he was cradling the ball. I couldn't believe my eyes! Neither could the HC faithful surrounding me. The Boone stands erupt in the loudest cheer of the year! Many of the HC kids had already collapsed to the ground face-down in their agony after one the most hard-fought, defensively impressive games.

 

I ran out of there to beat the traffic and noted that the officials were running outta there pretty fast too. Congratulations to Boone for hanging in there and never giving up. My hats off to Henry Clay, who has the best defense this side of KY. They just couldn't keep the O going as the frigid temps took there toll on their passing game, which was quite effective earlier in the game. It should also be noted that HC took a huge risk with a fake punt from their own 18 with only 2-minutes left to play. The pass play worked to perfection except the frozen hands didn't wrap up the ball on the wide open play with a perfect pass. Turning the ball over in short field goal range for a second try after the high snap on the FG attempt a minute earlier was perhaps too big of a risk under those conditions.

 

In final analysis, Boone won the game with better punt return teams. Boone punt returners actually returned the punts and kept favorable field position for their team while HC's punt returners stood by and watched Boone's punts roll for massive field position losses. This ultimately led to HC's decision to try the risky fake punt giving Boone the 3-points needed for the margin of victory.

What a finish, sounds like these two teams were very evenly matched after two very close games. BC winning on a passing play, that's not an every day occurence. Lokesak with a very impressive reception to pull this one out.

 

Exactly the same thing I was thinking. Sounds like an exciting game. Congratulation Rebels! Good Luck to Coach Thompson and the players next week.

:confused: Please. Boone has always used the run for the single-minded purpose of running the ball down the throats of their opponents. And every once in awhile one of their pass plays works. I don't really think their mindset is to "use the running game to set up a big, game-changing pass play."

 

Come on, everyone's defense stuffs the box every year, and from that, Boone has been good enough to find the "Right" time to hit a game changing pass.

 

In no place did I not say that Boone is not a running team!

Henry Clay's defensive weakness for the last upteen years has been against the pass. They have never seen the need to have their fastest players or their best athletes in the secondary. Henry Clay uses their safety as a fill linebacker. They do a poor job against the pass, especially against a balanced run-pass attack (can you say Trinity).

 

It took Boone County 119 minutes (including their regular season meeting three weeks ago) to discover just where Henry Clay is defenseless.........against the pass. The only reason they found it when they did was out of desperation as they got the ball needing to go over 60 yards with less than a minute on the clock.

 

Did anyone at the game notice that Henry Clay did not once go to a "nickel" defense? Even at the end when Boone County had to pass.

 

It was all so predictable.

 

I really enjoy your downplay of a great game played by both teams on Friday night:rolleyes: I don't know what kind of high school football you are used to seeing maybe (can you say Trinity AKA Kentucky juco football). Henry Clay played a great game defensively. Boone threw the ball more than just on the game ending score and HC defended them well. Also note that Boone had more than one pass completion. To put a nickel defense against the Rebels 99% running game style is asking for a train wreck, so maybe that's why. I heard no complaints from anyone last night about two terrible teams, or two teams that didn't do what they were supposed to do. Anyone with football common sense saw two teams use the talent they have to try and make plays. That's what high school football is about. Not every team can be a Trinity! The last minute plus of the game was so good, I almost forgot how cold it was. There was good defensive and offensive plays throughout the game, they both just had trouble punching it in. Let's not downgrade the teams and instead commend them on their efforts and the year they've had.

:confused: Please. Boone has always used the run for the single-minded purpose of running the ball down the throats of their opponents. And every once in awhile one of their pass plays works. I don't really think their mindset is to "use the running game to set up a big, game-changing pass play."

 

Do whatever it takes to get the "W" and play the following week. Single mind seems to work for each single win. Keep pushing Rebels!

What a game! Great jobs both teams!

 

Boone kicks a field goal with 1:03 kickoff HC takes it to the house. HC kicks off to Boone run back to about the Boone 40 with about 40 seconds left.... Boone marches down the field throws a 8 yard td to Lokesak as time expires! Defensive struggle all game.

 

:eek::eek: WOW!!!