The Boys of Fall
James Collier
Ashland Beacon
ASHLAND 47 RUSSELL 10
Ashland was missing its starting quarterback LaBryant Strader Friday night when the Tomcats visited Russell.
A quick look at the final score and one will understand how explosive the Tomcats truly are.
Ashland tallied 479 rushing yards on 30 totes to trample Russell, 47-10. Braxton Jennings ran for 137 yards on eight carries and Tay Thomas added 110 on seven carries. Each recorded a score.
Brandon Houston opened the scoring on a 1-yard run in the first quarter for a 6-0 lead. Russell closed the deficit on a 33-yard Ben Totten field goal early in the second but a pair of Ashland rushing touchdowns bookended the only Russell touchdown of the night for a 21-10 lead at the half. Maverick Ashby scampered 30 yards to paydirt late in the frame and Jennings countered with a 34-yard score with 42 seconds to play in the half.
Andre Richardson-Crews matched Ashby with a 43-yard run of his own with 1:54 to go in the half but was lost to injury in the game and did not return after TJ Maynard believed Richardson-Crews tore his ACL. The senior tailback led the Devils with 71 yards on 13 carries.
Cam Davis, Rieday Rucker and Thomas all had rushing scores in the second half. Brandon Houston threw a 1-yard TD to Asher Adkins to open the third.
Ashland opens district play with visit from Greenup. Russell heads to Fleming County.
HIGHLANDS 40 RACELAND 0
Raceland ran into a buzzsaw from the top team in Class 5A Friday night when Highlands hammered the Rams, 40-0. It was the first shutout for the Rams since a 26-0 loss to Ashland in 2019.
Raceland trailed 26-0 at the half and Highlands put the running clock in motion with their final score at the 6:38 mark of the fourth. Raceland was held to 104 total yards of offense while giving up 428 to the visiting Bluebirds.
Jaxon Heighton led the Rams offensively with 52 rushing yards on seven carries. Parker Ison had four catches for 41 yards.
Raceland entertains Newport Central Catholic Friday night.
GREENUP COUNTY 44 MONTGOMERY COUNTY 29
Greenup County scored 14 points in the first and added another 23 in the fourth as the Musketeers defeated Montgomery County, 44-29.
Tyson Sammons accounted for five touchdowns—four rushing and a 13-yard toss to Aiden Gue to open the scoring—while racking up 334 total yards of offense. Sammons ran for 181 yards on 26 totes and threw for 153 more.
Drew Boggs added to the explosive production of the Musketeers with a 91-yard kickoff return in the third. Brody Stevens led the Musketeers with 98 yards on six grabs.
Greenup visits Ashland Friday night to open district play.
FAIRVIEW 36 GREEN, OH 12
It had been over one calendar year since Fairview had celebrated a win.
That ended Friday night with the Eagles defeating Green, 36-12.
Jace Manning went 20 of 26 through the air for 272 yards and four touchdowns for the Eagles. Kevonte Spates-Olds caught 10 passes for 181 yards and three scores. Xavien Kouns had five catches for 61 yards and a TD.
Jace Murray ran for 67 yards. Manning visited the endzone for the lone Fairview rushing TD while adding an interception on the defensive side of the ball.
Fairview visits Powell County Friday night.