Ramming Back to the Final Four
Raceland Shutouts Hazard
James Collier
The Ashland Beacon
Football Playoffs Week 3
RACELAND 35 HAZARD 0
A 7-0 halftime lead was anything but ideal for Raceland Friday night when the Rams welcomed Hazard for the regional championship.
But the Rams defense continued to do what it has done for much of the season with another dominating performance to lift the Rams to a 35-0 win over Hazard.
Raceland has held its opponents to under 100 total yards of offense in all three postseason contests this season with Hazard tallying only 64 yards in the loss. Raceland allowed only 38 rushing yards on 25 totes and gave up only three first downs on the chilly night at Rams Stadium. While the defense continued to set the tone, the offense finally started playing the right tune in the second half with a 28-point second half that started a running clock with three minutes to play in the contest.
Landen Stiltner opened the scoring for the Rams with a 3-yard plunge with 2:24 to play in the first and a 7-0 lead. But neither team could mount a scoring surge until after the half when the Rams patented ‘Keep Pounding’ philosophy took over. Jonah Arnett scored his first of two rushing touchdowns on the night with a 5-yard dash into the endzone followed by a 7-yard run and a 20-0 lead late in the third. Bryson Rowsey walked in from six yards out early in the fourth and Ayden Cooper’s 64-yard dash kept the clock rolling the final three minutes.
Cooper turned in his first 100+-yard rushing attack of the year with 129 yards and only the second time this season a Rams rusher eclipsed the century mark. Arnett tacked on 64 yards while catching four passes for 52 yards. Shannon Marushi added 54 on 15 carries.
Linden Sammons registered another sack on the season to run his total to nine. Austin McKee recovered a muffed punt late in the third that set up a Rams score.
Raceland heads to Kentucky Country Day Friday night in the Class A Semifinals in a rematch from last season won by the Rams, 42-6.
CORBIN 42 ASHLAND 7
Corbin was not wasting time when the Redhounds welcomed Ashland Friday night for the regional championship.
Three drives equaled three touchdowns from Corbin and as the first half clock dwindled away, the Redhounds helped speed things up after halftime by putting the running clock in motion the rest of the way for a 42-7 win over Ashland.
Ashland was held to 215 total yards of offense while giving up 216 on the ground to the Redhounds. Braxton Jennings rushed for 64 yards and had the lone Ashland touchdown in the losing effort. He also hauled in 92 passing yards on five catches. LaBryant Strader closed his storied career for the Tomcats with 141 yards and an interception.
Ashland closes the season at 11-2.
BELFRY 35 RUSSELL 17
Russell drew first but Belfry had the final say Friday night at Pond Creek for the regional championship.
Belfry bookended a touchdown in the third quarter with 14-point second and fourth quarter outputs to roll to a 35-17 win over Russell.
Ben Totten’s 32-yard field goal gave the Devils a 3-0 lead after one. Belfry countered with two scores in the second and a 14-3 lead. Russell responded before the break with a Kaiden Benge 5-yard run to trim the Pirates lead to 14-10 at the break. The teams traded scores in the third with Elijah Hankins hooking up with Cayden Pennington for a 28-yard pass and a 21-17 Belfry lead after three. But the Pirates would allow no more the rest of the way while adding to their final total with a pair of scores in the final 12 minutes.
Hankins closed the season with 165 yards through the air with a touchdown and interception. Jayden Pennington caught three balls for 82 yards. Cayden Pennington had 61 yards on four balls. Benge rushed for 47 yards on 12 totes.
Russell closes the season at 9-4.
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