James Collier
The Ashland Beacon
HAZARD 14 ASHLAND 7
The offenses set the stage when Ashland visited Hazard for the duos first meeting since 1975.
The defenses stole the show.
After both offenses dented the scoreboard with an early score for a 7-7 stalemate, it would be the Bulldogs defense that set up the deciding score that secured a 14-7 Hazard win.
Hazard found paydirt on the second play of the night for a 68-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead. Ashland answered with a scoring drive of its own capped off by a 38-yard touchdown from LaBryant Strader to Terrell Jordan to even the contest at 7-7.
From that point on, it would be a bend but don’t break showcase from both defenses with Hazard picking off Strader with 40 seconds to play in the game that set up the eventual game winning pass one play later.
Ashland quickly moved to the Hazard 17-yard line but Strader’s final heave toward the end zone found a Tomcats receiver only to come up a few yards short. Strader went 15 for 24 for 161 yards with a touchdown and interception. Jordan hauled in eight balls for 88 yards. Braxton Jennings scampered 82 yards on 23 carries.
Ashland welcomes Elizabethtown Saturday night at 5 p.m.
BOYD COUNTY 42 HARRISON COUNTY 21
Boyd County still had the taste of an overtime loss last season to Harrison County in its mouth when the Lions welcomed the Thorobreds Friday night.
The Lions promptly rinsed that bitter taste away with a 42-21 shellacking to open district play.
Boyd County led 21-13 at the half but held Harrison County to only eight points in the second half. The Lions rode the legs of Malachi Wheeler 20 times for 151 yards and a touchdown. Boyd County tallied 243 rushing yards in the win.
Dakota Thompson opened the scoring with a 1-yard plunge and a 7-0 lead just over one minute in the contest. After Harrison County evened the game at 7-7, Rhett Holbrook hooked up with Josh Thornton for a 29-yard TD and a 15-7 edge after one.
Holbrook dashed 18 yards to paydirt with 2:17 to play in the half but the Thorobreds answered with a 38-yard touchdown as the first half clock struck zeros. Holbrook added scoring runs of three and 14 yards while throwing for 56 yards. Thornton hauled in three balls for 49 yards. Thompson led the Lions defensively with 15 tackles, including five tackles for loss.
Boyd County welcomes Lawrence County Friday night for its final non-district contest.
RACELAND 48 GREENUP COUNTY 28
Greenup County seized control of the 2022 Iron Bowl on the second play from scrimmage Friday night after Tyson Sammons stepped in front of Logan Lundy for a 30-yard pick-six 53 seconds into the contest.
But the Rams put a strangle hold on the second half to pull away for a 48-28 and their 12th consecutive win over the Musketeers.
Isaac Browning visited the end zone three times, with scoring runs of 11, 18 and four yards to garner the MVP honors for Raceland. The Rams tallied a season-high 269 yards on the ground led by Noah Wallace’s 105 yards. Wallace burst through the line of scrimmage and raced 36 yards to pay dirt late in the third frame to give the Rams the lead for good.
Sammons ran for 121 yards and a score while throwing for 98 yards to earn the MVP honors for the Musketeers. Ike Henderson tacked on 66 yards with a pair of scores. Henderson’s first score gave Greenup County a 12-7 lead midway through the first and his second capped off an 11-play, 66-yard drive that consumed 5:52 of the second quarter clock while leaving Raceland only 22 ticks in the half.
Raceland forced a three-and-out to start the second half followed by a Conner Hughes 17-yard dash out of the wildcat formation for a 28-20 lead midway through the third. Lundy tossed a pair of touchdowns in the win, both going to Mason Lykins.
Raceland and Greenup County exercise their bye week before opening district play in two weeks.
DUNBAR 21 RUSSELL 14
Russell only had one running back available Friday night when the Devils welcomed Paul Laurence Dunbar.
Colby Rock was the only back in the Devils rushing stable, so they fed him and let him eat.
Rock raced up and down the field at Henry R. Evans Stadium for 253 yards on 38 totes and a pair of touchdowns. Unfortunately for the Devils, Rock’s career performance would not be enough as they fell, 21-14. After a scoreless first, Rock gave Russell a 7-0 lead with 3:40 to play before the half on a 22-yard run. But the Bulldogs evened the affair with 1:09 to play before the break.
Dunbar took their first lead of the night on a 35-yard pass less than one minute into the second half but Rock’s second score of the night, 7-yard score, came with 10:45 to play to even the game at 14-14. Dunbar closed the scoring inside of eight minutes to play on an 85-yard touchdown pass for a 21-14 lead.
Russell moved the ball deep into Dunbar territory in the final seconds of the game only to be stopped short on fourth down at the four after Carson Patrick’s surge for the line to gain fell less than a yard short. Patrick caught six balls for 74 yards. Ethan Pack threw for 106 yards on 10 of 16 passing.
Russell’s 0-6 start is the slowest start since losing its first six in 1990.
Russell exercises its bye week with a visit from Greenup County in two weeks to open district play.
LESLIE COUNTY 52 FAIRVIEW 12
Austin Miller threw for 192 yards and ran for 44 more while throwing and running for a touchdown Friday night in Fairview’s visit to Leslie County.
Miller’s night would not be enough to lift the Eagles to a victory as they fell, 52-12. Miller went 13 for 21 through the air and was picked off once. Caden Thomas hauled in four passes for 84 yards and a touchdown while turning in a team-leading eight tackles. Thomas added 31 yards on nine carries. Xavien Kouns caught five passes for 57 yards.
Fairview exercises its bye week before traveling to Paintsville in two weeks to start district play.