Hearsay

21-0 Bardstown. 1:10 to go 1st half. Tylan Spalding 14 yd. TD run.

14-0 Bardstown 3:02 to go 2nd qrtr. 1 yd. Riley QB sneak TD.

7-0 Bardstown, 8:40 to go 2nd qrtr. Riley to Poynter 8 yd. TD pass.

Two young football teams who were former district foes square off Friday night during the Bourbon Festival in Bardstown. 4A John Hardin (1-1) fell in the opener, surrendering 42 to Hancock County, but rebounded with a 26-12 win over Seneca Friday night. The Bulldogs graduated large numbers and are still trying to find identity and consistency on defense. Their offensive identity is well-known, however, lining up behind Mr. Football candidate Cavalli Pittman, who ran for over 200 yards and 4 TD's on 30 carries in Week 1, and by all accounts had similar numbers Friday. The Dawgs will simply pound it and see if you can stop him. There has been some call for them to let QB Austin Richardson throw more and to develop a second runner, but thus far head coach Doug Preston, who knows what he is doing, has gone with his bell cow. Bardstown (2-0), who moved back down to 3A this season, came from behind to beat Elizabethtown in Week 1 39-36, and then came from behind again last night against 6A Fern Creek, 21-16, though the game was far from "clean." The Tigers were intercepted twice, lost a fumble by senior tailback Sevyn Hamilton that was returned for a TD, dropped several money passes, and went backwards in the running game most of the first half. However, they recovered nicely in the second half, getting a 70 yd. TD run from Hamilton and a long kickoff return for a TD by KJ Stafford, and the young defense generally performed well against Fern Creek's superior size. Junior QB Carson Riley is certainly capable of getting hot in the passing game, and sophomore wideout Chi Poynter is starting to emerge as a viable playmaker. Will the Tigers hang on to the ball, though. This one is not complicated. John Hardin will pound Pittman until Bardstown stops him, and will line up to stop Hamilton until Bardstown completes some passes. It was the same formula they had last year, and Bardstown prevailed 37-29. Things just appear closer this year. Word to the wise for Bulldog faithful: the Kentucky Bourbon Festival will be occurring right around the corner Friday night, AND, this year the parking lot across the street at the old City Pool has now been bulldozed so is not an option. Parking will be at an absolute premium and traffic could potentially be bad. I would plan on leaving 30 minutes earlier than you might otherwise leave to account for that mess. Just FYI.

Old Hearsay would have said that it was a terribly ugly game by Bardstown, complete with two interceptions, being stripped of the ball for a Fern Creek TD, shoddy blocking, numerous dropped passes, and, but for a fumbled snap by Fern Creek as they were driving to win in the waning minutes, we would have lost. The new, kinder and gentler Hearsay would posit that it was a come-from-behind home opener victory against a 6A school that was significantly larger physically and numerically, and that the young Tigers showed great resiliency and also kept their composure when Fern Creek players were being ejected in the second half. Cavalli Pittman and the John Hardin Bulldogs come barking next week.

Final Saturday night from Garnis Martin Field.

He’s a good running back, but HCP, they falsify his stats. By as much as 20%. This was discussed on the site last year.

I can’t remember ever voluntarily voting for E-Town before.? I was a fan of Coach Stockdale when he was here in Nelson County and I don’t know the whole story on the wholesale transfer of a bunch of locals in many sports over to Central Hardin. I do know that what I personally saw last year was ugly. I also know Hardin County Preps, and he is not only a very good writer, but he is good for high school sports and calls it like it is. E-Town appears to be improved. They spread the wealth Friday night. Atherton may well be a whole lot better than folks are anticipating.

Bardstown ran for 329 yards against E-Town, 171 of those and 2 TD’s by Hamilton on 18 carries. Carson Riley was just 8-20 passing, but hit 2 TD’s and showed nice decision-making running for 61 yards and a score himself. My guess is that Fern Creek stacks the box and brings the house and makes Riley complete some passes. Look for Bardstown’s Swiss Army Knife, Tylan Spalding, to potentially have a big night.

D felony (1-5 years) in Kentucky plus payment of all costs associated with response.

Great googley moogley. 14.

I love this orchestrated rivalry. As most people know, I’m a heavy admirer of the entire Central school, and think it’s a cool thing for the City kids to come to the mountains (do they bring that fantastic band and dance team?), and vice versa for the mountain kids to come to the ‘Ville. Imma take Central. Manual is that good.

I was wrong. The Fern Creek QB Friday night was returning senior Landon Breedlove. The Tigers got 124 yards rushing and a TD from senior James White. The Fern Creek defense held Seneca to -57 yards rushing, recorded 8 sacks and forced 3 Seneca fumbles, led by senior Cage Fannin who had 10 tackles and the scoop-and-score TD.

Two teams with the Tiger mascot that earned hard-fought victories over rivals in Week 1 square off Saturday at 7 p.m. in Bardstown’s home opener. Bardstown, sorting through the puzzle pieces after graduating 17 seniors, came from behind Friday night on the road to beat Elizabethtown 39-36. Behind a 150+ yard rushing effort from senior tailback Sevyn Hamilton, the Tigers, down 28-20 at halftime, scored two TD’s in 11 seconds in the 3rd, including a 26 yd. TD pass from junior QB Carson Riley to sophomore wideout Chi Poynter, followed by a strip-and-score TD on the ensuing kickoff by Xavier Thompson. Thompson is part of a much-heralded freshmen class that will be called upon to fill roles this year for a reloading Bardstown team in Class 3A. The Class 6A Tigers, perhaps looking for some puzzle pieces themselves, prevailed in a defensive struggle 15-0 over Seneca, getting a defensive TD on a short fumble return. Fern Creek, who threw for over 2500 yards last year, graduated one QB and lost another in a transfer to rival Male, and start their own transfer, Javis Wallace from Moore, as the signal caller. Coach Josh Abell boasts an 85-man roster, however, which will be needed while the Tigers go on the road for the first half of the season while their home field is remodeled. Who wins in this battle of the Tigers at Garnis Martin Field next Saturday?

I am prosecuting several of these cases from the Nelson County area.

Hemingway Short Stories. Pretty much have reverted to celebrations only, but they are a waterside necessity at Memorial Day, Labor Day, and visiting my sons in the Navy.

Anyone have details from this game?

The turning point in this game was in the 3rd quarter, Elizabethtown had the ball up 28-20 and chewed up 6 minutes of 3rd quarter clock, but failed to convert on a 4th down play deep in Tiger territory. Bardstown then drove the length of the field and scored on a 26 yard Riley to an outstretched Chi Poynter TD pass. 11 seconds later, freshmen Xavier Thompson literally stole the ball from the Panthers kickoff return man and scored, flipping the score to 32-28 Tigers just before the 4th.

Resilient game from the youthful Tigers bouncing back from a 28-12 second quarter deficit, behind a huge game from senior tailback Sevyn Hamilton and good leadership from junior QB Carson Riley. Game marred by cramping and a 25 minute 3rd quarter lights blackout. Panthers got 3 first-half TD’s from Darrien Bryant and a solid performance from sophomore QB Shelton.

Final.

All comes down to rapidity of line development. Graduated all 5 OL and several DL. Return QB, skill players have experience, pretty good LB corps.

No, no. ? Nothing bad. He inherited his opinion from Joey Downs, who inherited it from Garnis Martin, etc. The key takeaway I should have been more clear on is he won’t be beholden to anyone.

I'll be pulling for them every day except October 17.

I used to call games at Bethlehem in 8-man football and KSD would come play them. Honestly, one of the most impressive things I've ever witnessed in the game. Best of luck to Coach Lefors.

If LexCath has one he will work with the Booster Club. He can certainly do that so long as booster club volunteers are not using their position as an underpinning of expectation about anything.