No Denying Woods, Baker: Duo Led the LadyCats’ to the 63rd District Title 

Sasha Bush

The Ashland Beacon

 

Kenleigh Woods and Milei Baker combined for ten goals in two games as Ashland cruised to the 63rd District Title last week. Woods was credited with four goals in the LadyCats opening round 5-0 win over Boyd County. Baker found the net four times against Russell in Ashland’s 7-1 63rd District Championship game win Thursday and Woods contributed two goals and added two assists. LadyCats’ goalie Gracie Madden, allowed only 1 goal and made 12 saves for the tournament.

Russell’s lone goal against Ashland was by Eva Blanke.

Boyd County closes out the season with a record of 10-5-2. Ashland and Russell advance to the 16th Region Tournament this week that is being played in Greenup County.

Greenup County fell short in the opening round of the 62nd District Tournament with a score of 0-10 against the East Carter Lady Raiders to finish the season at 3-14-1.

 

Lions Remain Superior in 63rd District

 

The Boyd County Lions took home the 63rd District Tournament title for the fifth consecutive year with their 3-2 shootout win over Ashland Thursday. The Lions jumped out to a 2-0 lead on goals by Rolan Sanderson and Alec Whitely. Tomcats’ Gavin Maynard cut the lead in half and Nick Parker’s backward kick into the goal with 1:54 left in regulation tied the game at two.

The Lions and Tomcats went scoreless in two five-minute overtime periods and headed to a shootout. Cole Thompson, Alec Lawson, Maverick Boyd and Aiden McCoy each found the back of the net during the PK for Boyd County and Lions’ goalie Carter Gibson blocked two Ashland goal attempts to give Boyd County the 63rd District Championship.

The game was Ashland’s second straight overtime of the week after a 1-0 win over Russell in the opening round of the tournament. With the shootout tied at five, Ashland goalie Sawyer Frazier scored on a PK and then also blocked the Devils final attempt to give the Tomcats the win.

Ashland faced Rowan County last night in the 16th Region Tournament being held at Greenup County. Boyd County drew a bye.

Greenup County came up short during the opening round of the 62nd District Tournament after a 3-2 loss to West Carter. Nate Crum scored the Musketeers only goals of the game. Greenup County finished the season at 4-11-2.

 

 

 

 

James Collier

The Ashland Beacon

ASHLAND 35 EAST CARTER 21

Ashland had some unfinished business with East Carter when the Tomcats welcomed the defending Class 3A, District 7 Champions to Putnam Stadium.

East Carter looked poised to roll to its second straight win over Ashland after marching down the field for a 7-0 lead on an Isaac Boggs 3-yard run. But the Tomcats answered the bell with a special team’s score and three consecutive scores for a 35-21 win over the Raiders.

Tay Thomas blocked a punt and Colin Howard recovered the ball in the endzone for the first Tomcats’ points of the game followed by LaBryant Strader’s first of three TDs on the night. Strader connected with Brandon Houston for a 53-yard score for a 14-7 lead at the half. Terell Jordan hauled in a 6-yard pass from Strader to open the second half and Houston’s second score of the night traveled 41 yards for a 28-14 lead eight seconds into the fourth quarter.

Strader threw for 153 yards in the win. Braxton Jennings capped off his second 100-plus rushing game with 137 yards on 16 carries including a 1-yard score with 2:46 to play to push the game out of reach for the Raiders. Houston hauled in five balls for 112 yards.

Ashland moves to 4-4 on the season and 1-0 in district play with a visit from Russell Friday night at 7:30 p.m.

 

BOYD COUNTY 43 HOLMES 8

Boyd County was not messing around Friday night when the Lions welcomed Holmes for senior night. Rolling off 14 points in the first quarter and 26 in the half, the Lions cruised to a 43-8 beatdown of Holmes for a commanding lead in Class 4A, District 6.

Cameron Collins rambled 59 yards to open a 7-0 lead for the Lions and Malachi Wheeler’s 5-yard plunge made it 14-0 after one. Two more Lions scores, a 36-yard Cole Thompson field goal followed by a Collins 33-yard TD from Rhett Holbrook and a Holmes penalty in the end zone that resulted in a safety gave Boyd County a 26-0 lead before the Bulldogs got off a punch. That blow came on the ensuing kickoff as Curtez Hill returned the kick 93 yards to trim the Lions edge to 26-8 at the half.

Thompson nailed his second field goal of the night from 44 yards to open the second half scoring and Wheeler’s second score of the night gave Boyd County a 36-8 lead after three. Wheeler’s third end zone visit of the night closed the scoring in the contest with 5:55 to play. Wheeler ran for 147 yards on 15 totes. Collins added 78 yards on six carries.

Thompson set a new record for career PATs with his 54th on the Lions second score of the night.

Boyd County moves to 5-3 on the year, 2-0 in district play and heads to Scott Friday at 7:30 p.m.

 

RACELAND 57 BETSY LAYNE 6

Raceland’s defense entered the contest at Betsy Layne Friday night allowing only 83 rushing yards a game. Betsy Layne featured the top rusher in Class A in Reese Music who averaged 201.5 a contest.

By the time the clock struck zeros, Raceland not only stopped the music, but they also nearly silenced it altogether as the Rams cruised to a 57-6 win to open Class A, District 6 play. The Rams held the Bobcats to 11 yards at the half and only 78 for the game while limiting Music to 3 yards on eight carries. His previous low had been 65 yards.

Raceland offensively was nearly perfect on the night with eight touchdowns on nine possessions. The only non-scoring drive was a missed field goal at the end of the first half. Logan Lundy tossed four passes—three for touchdowns—for 187 yards and ran for another in the blowout win. Lundy found Parker Fannin for an 87-yard score and a 28-0 lead to open the second quarter. The pass and catch was a career high for both.

Conner Hughes, Mason Lykins, Bryson Rowsey and Colt Wheatley all caught touchdown passes. Parker Ison tossed two passes in relief of Lundy, both going for six. Jules Farrow opened the scoring with a 3-yard score. Noah Wallace scampered in from 38 yards, untouched for a 35-0 Rams lead with 9:55 to play in the half.

Raceland tallied 513 total yards of offense in the walloping of Betsy Layne. It was the second time the Rams have gone over 500 yards in total offense with 551 against Russell topping the charts.

Raceland takes it's 6-1 mark to Fairview Friday night at 7:30 p.m.

 

GREENUP COUNTY 28 RUSSELL 27

Greenup County turned a halftime deficit into a fourth quarter lead only to have to need one final play for a shot at a win to open Class 3A, District 7 play at Russell in the Backyard Brawl.

Colby Rock plunged into the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown with 1:19 to play in regulation, pulling Russell to within one with an ensuing extra point that would have tied the affair at 28-28. But the Devils elected to go for two and the win only to have the pass toward Carson Patrick fall short to allow Greenup County to escape with a 28-27 win.

Tyson Sammons and Ike Henderson eclipsed the century mark on the ground to lead the Musketeers to their first win over the Devils since a 41-21 defeat in 2018. Sammons ran for 167 yards on 17 carries with giving the Musketeers a 7-0 lead on a 9-yard score midway through the first. Sammons added a passing touchdown late in the third on a 15-yard hook up with Jayce Griffith for a 21-14 edge.

Henderson added 108 yards on the ground on 18 totes including a pair of second half scores, both from nine yards out. Henderson’s first score evened the game at 14-14 with 8:01 to play in the third. His second came with 4:36 to go in the game that put the Musketeers in front for good.

Colby Rock provided his first of two rushing touchdowns with a 3-yard score late in the second. Andre Richardson-Crews dashed in from five yards out before the half to send Russell to the locker room leading, 14-7. D’Marques Kershner caught a 47-yard touchdown from Patrick to open the fourth quarter that evened the game at 21-21. Patrick caught six passes for 83 yards. Kershner added 60 yards on three grabs.

Greenup County moves to 5-2 on the year and will visit East Carter Friday night. Russell falls to 0-7 for the first time since 1961 and travels to Ashland.

 

PAINTSVILLE 44 FAIRVIEW 0

Austin Miller threw for 139 yards, but the Eagles could not find the end zone as they fell 44-0 to open Class A, District 6 play at Paintsville Friday night. Miller went 16 of 25 through the air but was picked off once in the loss. Jeremy Harper hauled in five passes for 77 yards. Steven Day and Xavien Kouns each caught four passes.

Caden Thomas and Cameron Harper led the Eagles with eight tackles each.

Fairview welcomes Raceland Friday night at 7:30 p.m.

Jonathan Joy 

The Ashland Beacon 

 

   Those Randolph High School students love their football.  Randolph is a little, sleepy town that kisses the muddy banks of the Ohio River on its southern side but, wow, does it wake up and come to life every Friday night in the fall.   

   There’s nothing like the roar of the crowd through crisp autumn night air as some Randolph running back jets into the endzone for a touchdown.  Young ones in attendance cheer on the home team, while older folks in the stands think back to their time on and around the field years ago, the good ole days indeed.   

   It’s a picture perfect, small town American portrait of autumn.  Feel the anticipation before a big play.  Hear the marching band play.  Smell the hot dog vendor or Mrs. Simpkins’s pumpkin spice coffee wafting in your direction.   

   I don’t go out for football much, but on the rare occasion I do see a game, I enjoy it.  The best nachos are always at football games for some reason and the popcorn and pizza and candy…I guess most of my football memories are food related.   

   It was with this sense of nostalgia and a rumbling in my tummy that I set out for an hour-long drive to Randolph to watch the Randolph High School Radioactive Rabbits battle the Washington High Walrus Mob in, what I hear, is always an annual classic matchup.  

   Classic, yes, indeed, this year’s match will not soon be forgotten, as this was the year…now you are going to think I’m making this up, but I witnessed it with my own eyes…this was the year the football came to life.   

   It did.  The brown oval, piece of air stuffed leather, had enough of being tossed, spike, kicked and dropped about.  It came to life.  And it was angry.   

   Those white laces became sharp teeth that bit viciously at the quarterback, an unfortunate junior who had never been trained for this.  He dropped the ball and ran, while a stunned crowd grew quite silent.     

   The football bounced about agitated, uneven.  Anybody who got close to it got snapped at by those white leather teeth that eventually opened wider and wider to reveal a cartoonishly big mouth.   

   It seemed to be searching for something.   

   That football propelled itself high into the air above the heads of a now terrified crowd.  It hovered above momentarily before dropping down, stealing a quick sip of Mrs. Simpkins’s pumpkin spiced coffee, a bit of some dude’s corn dog, and some of my popcorn.  The thing had eyes now and winked at me as it did this.   

   Panic followed.  Somebody screamed.  Then many people screamed.  Then the football screamed.  People dashed for the exits, running over one another.  A few tried to take videos or pictures before evacuating, but that football smashed right into every phone or camera.  That’s probably why you haven’t seen any viral videos of this spectacular sight.   

   I stayed and watched.  I was frozen.  Fascinated.  Most ran.  But I stayed.   

   I stayed, so I could marvel at what I could do.  What I had accomplished.  It worked!  My spell.  Kroll told me it would.  It is not just he able to conjure such things.  I had done it, too!   

   I had seen enough.  It was over.  The ball, animate no more, fell hard to the ground.   

   A savvy player from the Washington High team was still lingering around and he realized something.  The clock had never stopped running on the fourth quarter.  The game was technically still going on.  That player whipped up the ball…very cautiously…and ran it into the endzone for a touchdown, as the game’s final seconds ticked down to zero.   

   Washington had won!   

   Players who had scurried off came back on to the field, realized what happened, and began to celebrate or pout depending on, you know, which team. 

   I think it’s safe to say neither team, nor anyone in attendance, will ever forget this Friday night lights night that turned to Friday night frights.     

   I just smiled, feeling quite accomplished at my success, finished off the last few bites of concession stand food, gathered my belongings, and headed calmy to the exit. 

Sasha Bush 

The Ashland Beacon  

 

   A show of strength is sometimes not noticeable to those around you. Sometimes strength isn't for the benefit of others, but the benefit of your inner peace. No one exhibits strength more than a breast cancer survivor. Breast cancer survivors are some of the strongest individuals you will ever meet. The strength of a breast cancer survivor is like no other. It is a strength that is both profound and inspiring. It is a particular type of strength that one does not come by easily and once earned, is not easily forgotten. It is a strength that can only be brought into focus by those with indomitable wills.  It is a type of strength that should not only be celebrated but respected, and that's precisely what various schools across the area have been doing this past week.  

   The students and staff of the Ashland Independent Schools system have been hard at work these last few weeks gathering supplies for their "Comfy Chemo Comfort Bags," donated to chemotherapy patients within the community. Kourtney Hieneman, a Blazer High School teacher, helps organize and lead the program. The program started in 2010 and has just continued to grow and thrive. The formation of this group holds a special place in Heineman’s heart, "My Mom, Lea Anne Hall, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009, and at the time, my Principal Derek Runyon had a sister-in-law (Gina Runyon) that had also battled cancer, and she and a group of her friends had started to put together these bags. While receiving chemotherapy, Gina met many people who spent hours on end at treatment alone. Seeing others without support gave Gina the idea to put together Chemo Comfort Bags for patients in need of comfort. These bags provide patients with many items that help ease the discomfort of receiving chemotherapy often alone. To honor Gina and my mom, Lea Anne, we decided to do our own Comfort Chemo Bags at Paul Blazer High School." 

   To this day, the Ashland Independent School District has donated over 1200 bags to local patients within the community. "Students and staff provide the items for the bags, and many students come together to pack the bags and deliver them to our hospitals. Donations come from classes, clubs, sports teams, teachers, and students from the elementary, middle, and high school who make donations for the items to put in the Chemo Comfort Bags." Noted Hieneman. These bags would not have been possible if not for all the generous donations given to this cause throughout October. Since October, several sports teams have opted to waive the cost of admission into their games and ask that you bring a donation item for the bags. This past week, Ashland Middle School and Russell Middle School girls’ basketball teams joined forces during one of their scheduled games and donned pink to honor those who have been or are going through breast cancer. Spectators also showed in pink for middle school's "Pink Out Games. “Between the seventh and eighth-grade games, both teams handed out white carnations to all breast cancer survivors in the gymnasium.  

   The comfy chemo comfort bags consist of a reusable bag, blanket, fuzzy socks, lotion, hand sanitizer, mints or gum, tissues, chapstick, magazines, or other activity books. "This year, the Comfort Chemo Bags were donated in honor of my mom, Lea Anne Hall, who lost her battle with cancer in June of this year, and in honor of Gina Runyon, who lost her battle with cancer in September of 2015. Our very first Chemo Comfort Bag of 2022 has already been delivered to Lori Beth Mays. Lori Beth is currently a member of our Central Office Staff and a former Middle School Vice Principal. She is currently undergoing chemotherapy for her recent breast cancer diagnosis. Lori Beth is married to Jason Mays, a high school staff member, and our boys’ basketball head coach. They have two children, Jayse and Reagan, who are students in the Ashland Independent School System," stated Hieneman.  

   On Friday night, fans gathered at Putnam stadium to watch an all-out brawl between Ashland and East Carter and take part in a fight far superior to any football game. Looking around the stands of Putnum stadium, all you could see was a sea of pink on both sides. Both teams not only showed up to fight on the fields with one another but also to join in on the fight against breast cancer. "Our Pink Out game this past Friday at Putnam Stadium was dedicated to all of our faculty and staff currently battling breast cancer or a survivor." noted Hieneman. At this time, anyone battling breast cancer or who had already kicked breast cancers butt was honored during this PINK OUT homecoming game. Several Chemo Comfort bags were handed out at this time, and there wasn't a dry eye in the stadium. Hieneman added, "There are so many of our faculty, staff, and students who have been affected by cancer, whether it's a grandparent, a parent, a spouse, or a family friend. Their fight is our fight, and the Tomcats are standing together and standing up against cancer."