James Collier
The Ashland Beacon
ASHLAND 48 BELFRY 7
Two things have been consistent in the last two meetings between Ashland and Belfry.
Sloppy playing conditions and Ashland winning.
Both were in effect Friday night after Ashland marched up and down the rain-soaked Putnam Stadium en route to a 48-7 thrashing over Belfry in the second round of the Class 3A Playoffs. LaBryant Strader accounted for four touchdowns and Braxton Jennings added three in the Tomcats largest margin of victory ever over the Pirates.
Jennings first score of the night came only 29 seconds into the contest on a 1-yard plunge. Jennings second came with 41 seconds to play in the frame on a 37-yard pass from Strader and a 13-0 lead after one.
Brandon Houston scampered 44 yards late in the second stanza for a 21-0 lead. Strader pushed the Ashland lead to 28 just over one minute later. Belfry’s lone score came as the clock showed zeros to end the half. Jennings third score of the night came with 34 seconds to play in the third. Strader’s final TD of the night came on another 1-yard plunge into the endzone. Tay Thomas closed the scoring with a 3-yard run late in the quarter.
Strader threw for 142 yards while rushing for another 54. Jennings led the Tomcats with 65 yards on 11 carries. Terrell Jordan hauled in one pass for 71 yards. Houston had 65 yards on three grabs. Ashland’s defense created six turnovers in the game, five fumbles all of which were recovered by the Tomcats and an interception.
Ashland travels to Bell County Friday night in the regional championship round of the playoffs.
RACELAND 43 PARIS 6
The only thing that slowed Raceland down Friday night was themselves.
The Rams scored on their first offensive snap—a 47-yard run by Noah Wallace—only to have the play negated due to a holding penalty. The infraction, however, only delayed the inevitable, another Rams blowout win as they put the running clock in motion only four seconds into the second quarter for a 43-6 victory over Paris in the second round of the Class A Playoffs.
Raceland’s four first quarter touchdowns all started in Paris territory as the Rams defense limited the Greyhounds to negative three yards in the first half. Logan Lundy threw his first of four TDs to open the scoring for the Rams, finding Mason Lykins for a 22-yard score. Landyn Newman slipped into the endzone from 10 yards out and a 14-0 lead. Jules Farrow navigated his way 16 yards to paydirt three minutes later for 22 unanswered by the Rams.
After the Rams defense forced another three-and-out by Paris, Elias Jackson blocked his first of two punts on the night, both of which were recovered by the Rams. The first blocked kick handed the Rams the ball on the Greyhounds six and they needed only one play to add to the lead after Noah Wallace darted through the line for the score.
Lundy’s third TD of the night found Parker Fannin from 12 yards out to start the running clock. Lundy and Lykins hooked up with 5:35 to play in the half and a 43-0 edge at the break.
Lundy threw for 83 yards while surpassing 2,000 yards on the year. Lundy is the first Rams quarterback to throw for over 2,000 yards since Nathaniel Davidson tossed for 3,013 in 2016. Lykins caught a pair of passes for 42 yards. Wallace ran for 48 yards.
Raceland welcomes Hazard Friday night in the regional championship round of the playoffs and the first meeting between the programs since 1990.
GREENUP CO 28 LAWRENCE CO 7
It was tabbed the rematch when Greenup County visited Lawrence County Friday night in the second round of the Class A Playoffs.
Greenup County knocked off Lawrence County in week three with a goal line stand for the victory. Friday night was anything but as the Musketeers dominated the Bulldogs for a 28-7 win on a sloppy field in Louisa. Ike Henderson and Tyson Sammons rushed for a pair of touchdowns each to lead the Musketeers to their first 8-win season since 1998.
Henderson’s first score of the night came midway through the first quarter for a 7-0 lead after one. Sammons scampered seven yards to the house with 6:13 to play in the half for a 14-0 lead. Lawrence County pulled to within seven after a TD before the half, but the Musketeers were too strong down the stretch.
After a scoreless third, Greenup County cashed in with a pair of Sammons and Henderson scoring runs in the matter of 14 seconds. After the Musketeers orchestrated a 16-play drive that consumed nearly the entirety of the fourth quarter clock, they forced the second Bulldogs fumble of the night on the ensuing kickoff that led to the final points in the affair.
Sammons led the Musketeers with 117 yards on 21 totes. Henderson added 73 rushing yards. Sammons completed all seven of his passes. Henderson hauled in one pass for 36 yards. Carson Wireman had three grabs for 28.
Greenup County travels to Mason County Friday night in the regional championship round of the playoffs.
BOYLE COUNTY 43 BOYD COUNTY 21
Boyle County literally hit the ground running in the Rebels visit to Boyd County Friday night in the second round of the Class 4A Playoffs.
Montavin Quisenberry marched 151 yards on only eight carries to lead the visitors to a 43-21 win over the Lions. Quinsenberry visited the endzone four times in the affair, three rushing touchdowns and a 98-yard kickoff return midway through the second. Boyle County secured a 14-0 lead after one which increased to 43-7 at the half after four scores in the second stanza. Quisenberry scored thrice in the frame with runs of 11 and 14 yards bookending his kickoff return.
Boyd County’s lone score of the half came on a Blake Waulk fumble recovery scoop and score with 7:16 to play in the half. Cayden Bulter hauled in a Rhett Holbrook pass in the third quarter and Josh Thornton caught a 19-yard TD from Holbrook in the fourth. Holbrook threw for 172 yards in the losing effort. Malachi Wheeler led the Lions with 66 yards on 13 totes.
Boyd County closes the season 8-4 and its first winning season since posting a 7-5 mark in 2008.