James Collier
The Ashland Beacon
ASHLAND 49
MAGOFFIN COUNTY 6
Playing the entire season without a bye until the week before the playoffs might have been just what the doctor ordered for Ashland.
Since starting the season 2-5, the Tomcats have yet to lose as they have rolled off five straight including a 49-6 beat down of Magoffin County Friday night at Putnam Stadium in the opening round of the Class 3A Playoffs. Ashland raced out to a 28-0 lead after one quarter of play and had the running clock in motion before halftime.
Asher Adkins opened the scoring frenzy by the Tomcats with a 16-yard pass from LaBryant Strader and a 7-0 lead only one minute into the contest. Adkins second score of the game, a 21 yarder from Strader was bookended by an Austin Nichols 16-yard scamper and a Braxton Jennings 2-yard plunge with 21 seconds to play in the first.
Brandon Houston joined the scoring ranks 23 seconds into the second stanza after hooking up with Strader for a 64-yard pitch and catch. Tay Thomas streaked 45 yards to the house for the final Tomcats’ score of the half to start the clock in motion the rest of the game.
Strader only threw five passes while connecting on four, three that went for scores. Thomas led the Tomcats with 75 yards on three carries. Jennings added 46 yards on five totes.
Ashland welcomes Belfry Friday night for the second round of the playoffs at Putnam Stadium.
BOYD COUNTY 41
ANDERSON COUNTY 14
Hosting a playoff game was big for Boyd County.
Fitting they used several big plays to hammer Anderson County 41-14 Friday night in the opening round of the Class 4A Playoffs at Boyd County High School.
Boyd County scored six touchdowns in the game with the first five traveling 48 yards or more. Rhett Holbrook dashed 66 yards late in the first quarter for a 6-0 Lions lead after one but the best for the Lions was still to come. Malachi Wheeler darted 61 yards to paydirt with 4:59 to play in the half. Cameron Collins followed suit with a 79 yarder as the clock struck zeros to end the half.
Rhett Holbrook added the air attack to the mix to start the second half with touchdown passes of 48 yards and 56 yards to Trey Holbrook and Josh Thornton, respectively early in the third. Blake Waulk broke the plane for a 1-yard score for the final Lions TD of the night and a 41-0 lead.
Rhett Holbrook threw for 159 yards and a pair of TDs. Wheeler rushed for 95 yards on five carries. Collins added 93 on a pair of attempts.
Boyd County welcomes Boyle County Friday night for the second round of the playoffs.
RACELAND 48
LAWRENCE COUNTY 6
Raceland’s defense had to stand tall Friday night when the Rams welcomed Nicholas County to open the Class A Playoffs at Ram Stadium. The Blue Jackets took the opening kickoff deep into Rams territory only to fail to cash in on a fourth down attempt. Logan Lundy’s first pass of the night sailed into a Nicholas County defender’s hand to give the ball back to the visitors in nearly the same spot. Yet again, the defense surrendered nothing.
But the Rams offense never slowed the rest of the way with five consecutive touchdowns to close the half en route to a 48-6 win. Conner Hughes provided Raceland with its first points of the night after a bubble screen from Lundy and a pair of shifty moves by Hughes sprung him 68 yards for the score. Isaac Browning pinballed his way to paydirt on the next Rams possession from 47 yards out for a 14-0 lead after one.
Lundy hit Mason Lykins on a 46 yarder for his first of two touchdowns on the night in the opening minute of the second quarter. Jules Farrow gashed through the Blue Jackets defense for a 55-yard TD for his longest run of the season and Lundy tossed his third TD in the game to Noah Wallace before the break and a 35-0 halftime lead.
Lundy and Lykins started the running clock after a 37-yard strike midway through the third. Parker Ison closed the scoring with a 4-yard plunge 20 seconds into the fourth.
Lundy threw for 276 yards and four TDs. Lykins hauled in five balls for 114 yards. Hughes added 89 yards on four catches. Browning led the Rams with 105 yards on eight carries for his first 100-plus rushing game this season.
Raceland welcomes Paris Friday night for the second round of the playoffs.
GREENUP COUNTY 47
PIKE COUNTY
CENTRAL 0
It had been over a decade since Greenup County had played host to a playoff game. Fitting the Musketeers wanted to make the experience one they would never forget when they welcomed Pike County Central to the ‘Farm’ Friday night to open the Class 3A Playoffs.
Greenup County racked up 417 yards of offense while allowing only 92 as the Musketeers cruised to a 47-0 win over the Hawks for their first home postseason win since 2007.
Ike Henderson dented the scoreboard for the Musketeers with a 1-yard score with 6:43 to play in the opening frame and a 6-0 lead. Brady Howard returned from a mid-season injury to haul in one of his five catches on the night and an 11-yard TD from Tyson Sammons.
Henderson’s second endzone visit came 13 seconds into the second quarter and a 20-0 lead. Sammons tossed a pair of TDs to end the half, a 76 yarder on a screen pass to Hunter Clevenger who found a crease and a lane to paydirt. Cade Hunt hauled in a 25-yard score with seven seconds to play in the half.
Jayce Griffith’s 17-yard score midway through the third put the clock in motion the rest of the way for the Musketeers. Austin Walker added a 1-yard run late in the fourth.
Sammons threw for 235 yards with Clevenger’s 76 yards leading the way. Howard had 66 yards. Hunt added 46. Sammons added 68 yards in the rushing attack. Henderson had 63.
Greenup County travels to Lawrence County Friday night for the second round of the playoffs and a rematch of a Week 3 win by the Musketeers over the Bulldogs, 17-14 in Louisa.
BELFRY 56 RUSSELL 14
A 14-14 tie in the second quarter quickly turned into a 56-14 blowout win for Belfry over Russell Friday night in the opening round of the Class 3A Playoffs.
Ethan Pack threw for 123 yards and a touchdown in the losing effort. He was also picked off twice. Carson Patrick hauled in the lone receiving touchdown while catching five passes for 70 yards. Ethan Oborne led the Devils with 47 rushing yards. Ben Totten added 46. Colby Rock provided the other Russell score.
Russell closes its season at 2-9.
BISHOP BROSSART 36
FAIRVIEW 14
Fairview battled the top seed of District 5 but ultimately could not find enough to topple the Mustangs as the Eagles fell, 36-14 in the opening round of the Class A Playoffs.
Austin Miller threw for 167 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for a score. Caden Thomas rushed for 69 yards on 14 carries. Jeremy Harper led the way with seven receptions for 82 yards. Cameron Harper added 48 yards and a touchdown on two catches.
Fairview closed the season at 1-10.