Final.

Nelson Co. rolled up 527 yards of total offense.

 

Alex Downs scored a pair of first-quarter TDs, and the Cardinals were able to keep Bardstown at arm's length after that.

 

For NC, Downs had 101 yards on the ground and three scores. Quentin Brooks ended up with 240 yards of total offense and 3 TDs. Tyler Martinez passed for three scores and 276 yards.

 

For Bardstown, Ricky Harper had another huge game, rushing for two TDs, catching a pass for another, and had a 98 yards KO return for a score. He had 278 all-purpose yards. JP Willett caught six passes for 167 yards and two scores.

This game must have been a shootout.

While there is no spinning or sugarcoating the defensive performances (of both schools), I was very impressed with how the Tigers battled, and the athleticism of some of the Tiger players. Ricky Harper, if he can stay grounded, could be unstoppable. Keaton Hall threw some very nice balls, he needs to learn to be O.K. throwing it away when his primary target is not there. The line was outweighed nearly 80 pounds per man, and I thought they did O.K. Deangelo Poynter is a real nice change-of-pace back, and J.P. Willett - wow.

 

Defensively, Bardstown just has to find some soul. Nelson County's Martinez is a good quarterback, but the Tiger secondary just does not look comfortable out there, and the linebacking has just got to get some character, both in drop and run-stopping. I saw some good defensive line plays, and then an awful lot of plays being "taken off."

 

Nelson County is a pretty good football team. In any year in which the Cardinals have a really good athlete, they have done well, and this year Quentin Brooks is that athlete. He is awesome carrying it, and he is a great receiver. The difference in the game was probably Alex Downs, he is a quick hitter, and gets lost among the huge lineman to squirt for 7-8 yards every play. Martinez was poised. In the second half, they found who they wanted to pick on and he was money. Josh Pride is a good player. With some effort he could be a great player.

 

Overall, I think the crowd left feeling like they were surprised Bardstown was able to stay as close as they did, like County might have something this year, and that for early in the season, there is an awful lot to build upon for both schools.

 

Great, great football game to watch and be a part of (unless you're really into defense).

Congrats. to Nelson County in a shootout.

While there is no spinning or sugarcoating the defensive performances (of both schools), I was very impressed with how the Tigers battled, and the athleticism of some of the Tiger players. Ricky Harper, if he can stay grounded, could be unstoppable. Keaton Hall threw some very nice balls, he needs to learn to be O.K. throwing it away when his primary target is not there. The line was outweighed nearly 80 pounds per man, and I thought they did O.K. Deangelo Poynter is a real nice change-of-pace back, and J.P. Willett - wow.

 

Defensively, Bardstown just has to find some soul. Nelson County's Martinez is a good quarterback, but the Tiger secondary just does not look comfortable out there, and the linebacking has just got to get some character, both in drop and run-stopping. I saw some good defensive line plays, and then an awful lot of plays being "taken off."

 

Nelson County is a pretty good football team. In any year in which the Cardinals have a really good athlete, they have done well, and this year Quentin Brooks is that athlete. He is awesome carrying it, and he is a great receiver. The difference in the game was probably Alex Downs, he is a quick hitter, and gets lost among the huge lineman to squirt for 7-8 yards every play. Martinez was poised. In the second half, they found who they wanted to pick on and he was money. Josh Pride is a good player. With some effort he could be a great player.

 

Overall, I think the crowd left feeling like they were surprised Bardstown was able to stay as close as they did, like County might have something this year, and that for early in the season, there is an awful lot to build upon for both schools.

 

Great, great football game to watch and be a part of (unless you're really into defense).

 

Something that struck me in watching them scrimmage and then last night was that Brooks seems to be doing a lot better job protecting the ball. He had fumble issues last year and seems to have cleaned that up. That was really the only chink in his armor coming into this season.

Story and photos here:

 

Cards get final say in shootout