The Boys' of Fall
James Collier
Ashland Beacon
ASHLAND 63 GREENUP COUNTY 7
Ashland gave Greenup a warm welcome back to Class 4A Friday night with a 63-7 thumping at Putnam Stadium.
Ashland needed only four minutes to take a 7-0 lead which swelled to 34-7 by halftime. A pair of Brandon Houston touchdown runs of 37 and 24 yards staked the Tomcats the two-score lead and were the first of seven total rushing TDs behind a rushing attack that accounted for 396 yards. Houston ran for 100 yards on four totes. Cam Davis had 99 on six carries. Braxton Jennings ran for 87 on 10 carries and Tay Thomas kicked in 74 on four balls.
Houston was equally as stellar in the passing game while filling in for the injured LaBryant Strader by throwing for 110 yards while going 7 of 8 with a 19-yard touchdown pass to Asher Adkins 34 seconds before the half. Adkins finished with 55 yards on three catches.
Greenup struggled to move the ball against the potent Ashland defense as the Musketeers were held to only 58 rushing yards and 224 total yards of offense. Tyson Sammons threw for 166 yards but was picked off twice by Ashland’s Maverick Ashby. Sammons hit Brody Stevens for a 22-yard touchdown that accounted for the only Greenup score. Aiden Gue caught four passes for 122 yards to lead the Musketeers receivers.
The win marked the 25th consecutive by Ashland over Greenup dating back to 2000.
Ashland welcomes Rowan County Friday night. Greenup County visits Boyd.
RACELAND 40 NEWPORT CENTRAL CATHOLIC 13
Raceland needed a get-well game after getting smacked around by Highlands in the home opener last week.
Newport Central Catholic happened to be the team that got the horns following that loss.
Raceland marched to paydirt on the opening drive of the game while cruising to a 40-14 stomping of NCC at Rams Stadium.
Noah Wallace capped off the opening drive with a 2-yard plunge into the endzone midway through the first and a 7-0 lead. Jaxon Heighton joined the rushing party with a 20-yard score early in the second. Logan Lundy tossed his first of two TDs in the game with 14 seconds left in the half after connecting with Parker Ison on a 10-yard bubble screen and a 20-0 lead at the break.
NCC dented the scoreboard to start the third after a strip-fumble was returned for a score. But the Rams answered with another Wallace score, an 8-yard bullish run and a 28-7 lead through three. Brody Austin hauled in a catch and danced 33 yards to paydirt only 36 seconds into the fourth. Heighton’s second score of the night made it 40-14 with 1:14 to play.
Wallace ran for 92 yards on 13 carries. Heighton added 64. Lundy threw for 184 yards, going 15 of 21. Ison had six catches for 61 yards. Parker Fannin had 54 on three catches.
Raceland visits Hazard Friday night.
RUSSELL 27 FLEMING COUNTY 12
Russell needed someone to fill the void created by the injury of Andre Richardson-Crews.
Quarterback Ethan Pack made a statement Friday night to open district play at Fleming County by accounting for 252 yards of offense as Russell knocked off Fleming, 27-12.
Pack carried the ball 34 times for 134 yards and a pair of scores while throwing for 118 yards and a TD. Ben Totten hauled in three catches for 76 yards and a score. Parker Mitchell had 33 yards on four catches.
Elijah Hankins and Mitchell each collected two interceptions.
Russell visits West Carter Friday night.
JOHNSON CENTRAL 53 BOYD COUNTY 14
Boyd County fell 53-14 to Johnson Central to start district play.
Rhett Holbrook went 10 of 17 for 184 yards with two touchdowns and a pick. Garrett Crum hauled in six balls for 100 yards and a TD. Cole Hicks added 39 yards with a touchdown grab.
Boyd County was stymied in the rushing game, accounting for only 12 yards on 19 carries.
John Jackson had 12 tackles. Camaron Collins and Dakota Thompson each had 11.
Boyd County welcomes Greenup County Friday night.
POWELL COUNTY 59 FAIRVIEW 16
Fairview fell 59-16 to Powell County Friday night. Jace Manning threw for 107 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Jace Murray ran for 45 yards. Rusty Fitchpatrick hauled in a 55-yard touchdown. Xavien Kouns caught four passes for 28 yards and a score. Wyatt Bowen paced the Eagles defense with nine tackles.
Fairview welcomes Nicholas County Friday night.