James Collier
Ashland Beacon
RACELAND 32 LAWRENCE COUNTY 7
Raceland feels like it's in Groundhog Day. Each week a new team meets the Rams while touting a stellar rushing attack only to watch the Rams suffocating defense hold the opposition to season lows in the running game.
Friday night in Louisa was no different when the Rams visited Lawrence County to close the regular season against the fifth best rushing attack in the state. The problem for the Bulldogs, the Rams defense never gave an inch in a 32-7 thrashing.
Raceland held Lawrence County to only 109 rushing yards and 157 total yards of offense—66 of which came on the Bulldogs final drive of the game. Of the nine Bulldogs possessions in the game, the Rams forced six punts, an interception and a turnover on downs before surrendering the lone score in the final four minutes of play.
Noah Wallace opened the scoring with his first of two, first half rushing scores for a 7-0 lead after one. Peyton Ison connected on a 38-yard field goal midway through the second and Wallace followed with his second score of the night, a 16-yard scamper for a 17-0 lead. Logan Lundy hit Mason Lykins on a deep post route for a 31-yard score and a 24-0 lead at the break. Lundy provided the lone Rams score in the second half on a 6-yard run with seven seconds to play in the third that capped off a 15-play, 59-yard drive that consumed 7:48 off the third quarter clock.
Lundy went 8 of 13 for 121 yards. Lykins hauled in four catches for 90 yards. Wallace led the Rams rushing attack with 81 yards on 16 totes. Lundy added 47 on the ground.
Raceland closes the regular season 9-1 for the second consecutive season while clinching the second best RPI rating in the state which will allow the Rams to play in the friendly confines of Ram Stadium until the State Championship game at Kroger Field. Raceland will entertain Nicholas County Friday night to open the Class A postseason.
RUSSELL 38 WEST CARTER 7
Russell managed only one win in its first nine games but enters the postseason with something that could loom huge for the Devils postseason chances.
A winning streak.
Russell backed up its win over East Carter last week with a 38-7 dispatching of West Carter Friday night to close the season with back-to-back wins. Russell rushed for 219 yards led by Andre Richardson-Crews 77 yards. Colby Rock added 71. Ethan Oborne tallied only one carry on the night—a 54-yard house call on the second play from scrimmage.
Rock visited the endzone twice. His first came on a 2-yard plunge late in the second quarter with his second going 43 yards to paydirt midway through the third that started the running clock in motion and a 38-0 lead.
Ethan Pack threw for 116 yards and a touchdown. Carson Patrick hauled in three balls for 37 yards and a score.
Russell travels to Belfry to open the Class 3A playoffs. It will be the first meeting with the Pirates since 2016 while losing five straight in the series.
MASON COUNTY 34 GREENUP COUNTY 29
Greenup County needed about 50 more seconds Friday night.
Trailing 34-14 entering the fourth quarter, Greenup County pulled to within a score with just over one minute left to play in regulation. Down 34-29, the Musketeers attempted an onside kick, but was unsuccessful in the recovery. After forcing a Mason County punt, Greenup County had one final shot at the comeback from its 16 and 11 seconds remaining, but a Tyson Sammons heave was picked off to secure a 34-29 win and undefeated regular season for Mason County.
Greenup County fell behind 14-0 in the first until an Ike Henderson 3-yard scamper with 1:59 to play in the frame got the Musketeers on the board. Carson Wireman intercepted a pass and returned it 65 yards to paydirt to even the affair at 14-14 with 1:59 to play in the half but the Royals were not about to let the visitors steal away the momentum going to the locker room. With 38 ticks left on the clock before the half, the Royals broke the goal line for a 21-14 lead at the half, a score that ultimately decided the outcome.
Greenup was held scoreless after intermission until 5:43 to play in the game when Sammons produced his first of two rushing touchdowns in the final stanza. His first came from four yards out and a five-yarder put the Musketeers within striking distance at the end.
Mason County held Greenup County to well below its rushing average thanks to the sizable second half lead that forced the Musketeers into more a passing attack. Greenup County tallied 111 rushing yards led by Henderson’s 59. Sammons added 46 while throwing for 173 yards.
Greenup County welcomes Pike County Central Friday night to open the Class 3A playoffs.
LEWIS COUNTY 46 FAIRVIEW 26
Fairview was looking for a track meet Friday night when it headed to Lewis County to close out the regular season in Vanceburg.
The Lions willingly accepted the challenge.
Austin Howard scampered 201 yards on 20 totes to lead the Lions to a 46-26 win. Lewis County outgained Fairview 329-248 on the ground with quarterback Ayden Cooper adding 107 yards on six carries while throwing for 142 more.
The Eagles, however, did not go away quietly in the contest and found themselves only down 13 at the break. Xavien Kouns ran for 143 yards and a touchdown while adding 69 yards and a TD in the receiving game. Austin Miller threw for 153 yards and a touchdown while running for another. Fairview had a costly turnover to start the second half and Lewis County capitalized on the mistake with a 17-yard touchdown by Howard for a 34-14 lead.
Fairview travels to Bishop Brossart Friday night to open the Class A playoffs.