James Collier
The Ashland Beacon
ASHLAND 35 EAST CARTER 21
Ashland had some unfinished business with East Carter when the Tomcats welcomed the defending Class 3A, District 7 Champions to Putnam Stadium.
East Carter looked poised to roll to its second straight win over Ashland after marching down the field for a 7-0 lead on an Isaac Boggs 3-yard run. But the Tomcats answered the bell with a special team’s score and three consecutive scores for a 35-21 win over the Raiders.
Tay Thomas blocked a punt and Colin Howard recovered the ball in the endzone for the first Tomcats’ points of the game followed by LaBryant Strader’s first of three TDs on the night. Strader connected with Brandon Houston for a 53-yard score for a 14-7 lead at the half. Terell Jordan hauled in a 6-yard pass from Strader to open the second half and Houston’s second score of the night traveled 41 yards for a 28-14 lead eight seconds into the fourth quarter.
Strader threw for 153 yards in the win. Braxton Jennings capped off his second 100-plus rushing game with 137 yards on 16 carries including a 1-yard score with 2:46 to play to push the game out of reach for the Raiders. Houston hauled in five balls for 112 yards.
Ashland moves to 4-4 on the season and 1-0 in district play with a visit from Russell Friday night at 7:30 p.m.
BOYD COUNTY 43 HOLMES 8
Boyd County was not messing around Friday night when the Lions welcomed Holmes for senior night. Rolling off 14 points in the first quarter and 26 in the half, the Lions cruised to a 43-8 beatdown of Holmes for a commanding lead in Class 4A, District 6.
Cameron Collins rambled 59 yards to open a 7-0 lead for the Lions and Malachi Wheeler’s 5-yard plunge made it 14-0 after one. Two more Lions scores, a 36-yard Cole Thompson field goal followed by a Collins 33-yard TD from Rhett Holbrook and a Holmes penalty in the end zone that resulted in a safety gave Boyd County a 26-0 lead before the Bulldogs got off a punch. That blow came on the ensuing kickoff as Curtez Hill returned the kick 93 yards to trim the Lions edge to 26-8 at the half.
Thompson nailed his second field goal of the night from 44 yards to open the second half scoring and Wheeler’s second score of the night gave Boyd County a 36-8 lead after three. Wheeler’s third end zone visit of the night closed the scoring in the contest with 5:55 to play. Wheeler ran for 147 yards on 15 totes. Collins added 78 yards on six carries.
Thompson set a new record for career PATs with his 54th on the Lions second score of the night.
Boyd County moves to 5-3 on the year, 2-0 in district play and heads to Scott Friday at 7:30 p.m.
RACELAND 57 BETSY LAYNE 6
Raceland’s defense entered the contest at Betsy Layne Friday night allowing only 83 rushing yards a game. Betsy Layne featured the top rusher in Class A in Reese Music who averaged 201.5 a contest.
By the time the clock struck zeros, Raceland not only stopped the music, but they also nearly silenced it altogether as the Rams cruised to a 57-6 win to open Class A, District 6 play. The Rams held the Bobcats to 11 yards at the half and only 78 for the game while limiting Music to 3 yards on eight carries. His previous low had been 65 yards.
Raceland offensively was nearly perfect on the night with eight touchdowns on nine possessions. The only non-scoring drive was a missed field goal at the end of the first half. Logan Lundy tossed four passes—three for touchdowns—for 187 yards and ran for another in the blowout win. Lundy found Parker Fannin for an 87-yard score and a 28-0 lead to open the second quarter. The pass and catch was a career high for both.
Conner Hughes, Mason Lykins, Bryson Rowsey and Colt Wheatley all caught touchdown passes. Parker Ison tossed two passes in relief of Lundy, both going for six. Jules Farrow opened the scoring with a 3-yard score. Noah Wallace scampered in from 38 yards, untouched for a 35-0 Rams lead with 9:55 to play in the half.
Raceland tallied 513 total yards of offense in the walloping of Betsy Layne. It was the second time the Rams have gone over 500 yards in total offense with 551 against Russell topping the charts.
Raceland takes it's 6-1 mark to Fairview Friday night at 7:30 p.m.
GREENUP COUNTY 28 RUSSELL 27
Greenup County turned a halftime deficit into a fourth quarter lead only to have to need one final play for a shot at a win to open Class 3A, District 7 play at Russell in the Backyard Brawl.
Colby Rock plunged into the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown with 1:19 to play in regulation, pulling Russell to within one with an ensuing extra point that would have tied the affair at 28-28. But the Devils elected to go for two and the win only to have the pass toward Carson Patrick fall short to allow Greenup County to escape with a 28-27 win.
Tyson Sammons and Ike Henderson eclipsed the century mark on the ground to lead the Musketeers to their first win over the Devils since a 41-21 defeat in 2018. Sammons ran for 167 yards on 17 carries with giving the Musketeers a 7-0 lead on a 9-yard score midway through the first. Sammons added a passing touchdown late in the third on a 15-yard hook up with Jayce Griffith for a 21-14 edge.
Henderson added 108 yards on the ground on 18 totes including a pair of second half scores, both from nine yards out. Henderson’s first score evened the game at 14-14 with 8:01 to play in the third. His second came with 4:36 to go in the game that put the Musketeers in front for good.
Colby Rock provided his first of two rushing touchdowns with a 3-yard score late in the second. Andre Richardson-Crews dashed in from five yards out before the half to send Russell to the locker room leading, 14-7. D’Marques Kershner caught a 47-yard touchdown from Patrick to open the fourth quarter that evened the game at 21-21. Patrick caught six passes for 83 yards. Kershner added 60 yards on three grabs.
Greenup County moves to 5-2 on the year and will visit East Carter Friday night. Russell falls to 0-7 for the first time since 1961 and travels to Ashland.
PAINTSVILLE 44 FAIRVIEW 0
Austin Miller threw for 139 yards, but the Eagles could not find the end zone as they fell 44-0 to open Class A, District 6 play at Paintsville Friday night. Miller went 16 of 25 through the air but was picked off once in the loss. Jeremy Harper hauled in five passes for 77 yards. Steven Day and Xavien Kouns each caught four passes.
Caden Thomas and Cameron Harper led the Eagles with eight tackles each.
Fairview welcomes Raceland Friday night at 7:30 p.m.