Final

Get ready for Henry Co.

Sounds like NO gave them all they wanted.

Ten lead changes, the final score was the largest margin of the night.

 

Etown tried hard to give this game away with the most amazing display of penalties - BIG penalties - that I've seen in a long while. Holding on a run that brought back a TD. Roughing the punter that gave North new life on a drive that, instead of ending in a punt, ended with a North TD. At least six personal foul penalties.

 

North dominated on the ground...sophomore Zach Evans ran for 138 yards on just 12 carries (11.5 average). Zach Price 78 yards on 13 carries... total, 315 yards on 36 carries, 6.6 team average, 3 rushing TDs.

 

Etown was impressive through the air. Sophomore Kyle Todd has really matured over the course of the year, and he connected on 23 of 27 passes, 398 yards, 3 TDs, and 0 picks. Etown largely played it safe with him; many passes were screen passes that Titus Sublett and others turned into big plays.

 

Both teams played well despite numerous injuries. Elizabethtown was missing two of their top 4 receivers. North had a backup QB starting as starter Austin Peterson was out with a concussion. North had a freshman at center, etc., etc.

 

Late in the first half, with Etown up, 10-7, North punted, but a roughing the punter penalty gave the Mustangs new life, and they promptly drove for the touchdown. Sophomore QB Cameron Renaud hit John Askin over the middle from 21 yards out for the score to give North a 14-10 halftime lead.

 

Both teams scored once in the third; Etown's Barnett picked up a fumble and raced 40 yards for a TD; Zach Price's 10 yard run gave North Oldham a 21-17 lead after three.

 

Starting with Barnett's fumble recovery for a score, the two teams scored on SEVEN straight possessions...

 

3Q 1:22 Etown Barnett, 40 fumble recovery ET 17-14

3Q :24 NO Price, 10 run NO 21-17

4Q 10:46 ET Mitchell Henry, 59, pass from Todd ET 23-21 (Ryan Anderson blocked Etown extra point)

4Q 6:49 NO Nolte, 35, field goal NO 24-23

4Q 4:16 ET Thomas Johnson, 2, run ET 29-24 (pass fails)

4Q 1:21 NO Jarrett Link, 1, run NO 30-29 (pass fails)

4Q :44.2 ET Sublett, 55, pass from Todd Etown, 37-30 (Todd pass to Henry for 2 pt)

 

(Sublett finished with 183 yards receiving on just 6 catches, with 2 TDs)

 

North got a great KOR by Kevin Yurt to start their final drive at their own 42. On first down, Zach Price carried for 14 to the Etown 44. On 1st and 10, Renaud hit Link for a 20 yard gain to the Etown 24 with 15 seconds left. On 1st and 10 from the 24, Renaud's final pass was picked off by Sublett to seal the game for Etown.

 

This was a WILDLY ENTERTAINING game and both teams had a lot to be proud of. The coaches kept coming up with plays and the kids kept making them.

 

For North...Sophomore QB Cameron Renaud - in his first start for North - finished 8-14-1 with 1 TD, 104 yards.

 

For Etown...wide receiver Mitchell Henry - all 6'5" of him - was a huge thorn in North's side. The Mustangs simply didn't have a DB with the physical stature to deny him the ball. Henry finished with 6 catches for 110 yards and a TD.

 

Congrats to both teams on a tremendous effort!!! Elizabethtown advances to face Henry County at New Castle next week; North finishes the season at 5-6.

Kudos to ZACH PRICE of North Oldham who set the new school record for single-season rushing yards last night against Elizabethtown.

 

Price, a senior, rushed (unofficially) for 73 yards on 13 carries and a touchdown vs. the Panthers. He finishes he senior season with 824 yards on 138 carries (5.97 yards per carry average), with 7 touchdowns.

 

This eclipses the previous record of 797 yards gained by Andrew Tuller last season.

 

While the 824 yards may not seem like a lot to some folks, keep the following in mind:

 

1) North Oldham has only been playing football since 2003. This is just the school's 7th season.

2) North's first four teams were largely unsuccessful and had very little to speak of in the running game.

3) North - which entered last night's game with 2553 yards rushing in ten regular season games and rushed for 315 yards last night - uses a Wing-T offense which distributes the ball to a lot of different backs. Besides Price, the Mustangs used Jarrett Link (629 yards), Jakob Manor (423 yards), Austin Peterson (280 yards), and Zach Evans (unknown season yards, but had 138 last night) extensively, and several other backs to lesser extents. In this offense, 800+ yards is pretty impressive.

 

Again, congrats to Zach Price on his accomplishment and best of luck in the future! :thumb:

Zach has come a long way in two seasons he really worked hard in the weight room and deserves everything he has earned.