Franklin Simpson 28, Glasgow 17

The Wildcats continue their late season success with a road victory over the Glasgow Scotties. They have won five of their last six games to cap off the season and have been flexing some offensive muscles during the hot streak. Darius Wickware led the way for Franklin Simpson with 152 yards rushing and 3 touchdowns. Parker Cash had a fantastic night for Glasgow going 17 for 22 for 212 yards with 2 touchdowns (1 rushing) and 1 interception.

As the Wildcats scored touchdowns in the first half the Scotties countered with drives that ended in a Dustin Thompson 26 yard field goal, a 16 yard touchdown reception from Cash to Hunter Bowles, and a crucial interception in the end zone to conclude the first half. It was a 21-9 lead for the Wildcats at halftime when they put the game away in the fourth quarter with a 15 play, 94 yard drive that ended when Max Bennett hit Jerrell Wickware on a 23 yard touchdown pass, 28-9 Franklin Simpson. Glasgow answered with a drive that ended when Parker Cash scooted in the end zone from 8 yards out and the Scotties made the two point conversion to cut the lead to 28-17.

Glasgow's onside kick rolled out of bounds and the comeback effort by the Scotties was over as Franklin Simpson killed the clock. The regular season is now over, may the Kentucky high school football madness begin.

Franklin-Simpson @ Glasgow Preview

Halloween is upon us and so comes the end of another high school football regular season in the state of Kentucky. The most intriguing matchup of the final weekend in the south central will be the collision between Franklin-Simpson and Glasgow. The Scotties are riding the wave of winning a regular season district title and the Wildcats have jump started their offense for a successful run to close out the season. Will the Scotties get their ninth win on the season or will the Wildcats continue their late season success into the playoffs?

What To Watch For:
- Glasgow's stud running back Tavion Parrish has been sidelined with an ankle injury over the last few games, it will be interesting to see if he plays or continue to be held out until playoff time. Michael Bradley and quarterback Parker Cash have been stepping up their ground game as Parrish sets out.

- Speaking of running backs, the Wildcats will counter punch with Darius Wickware who has rushed for 1,297 yards and 13 touchdowns on the season. Those are noteworthy stats!

- Quarterback play will be key, Franklin-Simpson's Max Bennett has passed for 1,182 yards and 11 touchdowns on the season. He has a tendency to throw interceptions (Brett Favre syndrome), coming into the game with 10 on the year. Glasgow's Parker Cash has been very accurate on the season going 48-78 for 961 yards with 15 touchdowns and only 3 interceptions. Cash has some good wheels as well, with 436 rushing yards on the year, a dual threat quarterback is always a dangerous quarterback.

- Max Bennett's favorite target is Jarrell Wickware, who has accounted for 31 grabs for 585 yards and 4 touchdowns on the season. The Scotties playmaker at receiver is Lajuan Smith who has hauled in 25 passes for 539 yards and 8 touchdowns.

- We got a ton of talent on the offensive side of the ball for both teams in this contest. I have a feeling the defenses will be chasing in this battle, however, it will be Halloween weekend and strange things may happen like a final score of 3-2.

- I'll take the Scotties in a close high scoring contest.

FINALLY! Hilltoppers 54, Ragin' Cajuns 21

- After an epic fourth quarter failure in last week's home loss to Louisiana Monroe, the Hilltoppers respond by bulldozing the Louisiana Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns by a score of 54-21.

- A 1-yard touchdown run by Louisiana Lafayette quarterback Brad McGuire cut the WKU lead to 27-14. The Hilltoppers responded with a 6 play, 70 yard drive that concluded with a Kawaun Jakes 1 yard touchdown run. That was the beginning of 27 unanswered points to put the game out of reach for the Ragin' Cajuns.

- Kawaun Jakes led the way with a career day going 18 for 22 passing for 262 yards and one touchdown through the air. He also added 28 yards on 4 rushes and two touchdowns on the ground.

- The defense recorded two touchdowns, a 70 yard fumble return by Jamarcus Allen and a 62 yard interception return by Derrius Brooks. They even recorded two sacks and held Louisiana Lafayette quarterback Chris Masson to pedestrian numbers, 16 for 33 for 223 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.

- Freshman running back Antonio Andrews had a breakout game with 52 yards on the ground for two touchdowns. Andrews seems to be asserting himself as another backfield weapon the offense can rely on as opposing defenses key in on stopping Bobby Rainey.

- The Hilltoppers put together their best game all year by protecting the ball, being efficient on offense, creating turnovers on defense, and scoring off those turnovers. The game plan was so well executed that punter Hendrix Brakefield took the evening off!

South Central High School Football Roundup 10/22

Warren Central 17, Bowling Green 14
You would think with the Purples having a 14 point lead fourth quarter lead you would chalk up a victory for BGHS right? Wrong! A ferocious comeback by the Dragons started late in the third quarter with an 73 yard touchdown drive. A botched snap and a fumble recovery by the Dragons set up an Eric Brown 15 yard touchdown run. The Dragons drive 64 yards on 11 plays to allow freshman kicker Adel Muskic to nail a 33 yard field goal as time expired for the win.

Russellville 22, Butler County 19
The Panthers solidified their dominance of District 2, Class 3A with a late 36 yard touchdown pass. Momentum shifted swiftly in this one with Russellville scoring 15 unanswered points to open the game, then the Bears caught fire and scored 19 in a row before the Panthers put in the dagger. Devonta Bryant lead the way for the Panthers with 113 yards rushing.

Franklin-Simpson 64, Logan County 12
The Wildcats continue to put together wins late in the season and have found some offensive firepower in their last five games. They finish 3-1 in District 2, Class 4A and will cap off the 2010 season with a trip to Glasgow.

Glasgow 50, Metcalfe County 6
The Scotties continue to roll with an easy victory and finish 3-0 in Distict 2, Class 2A. Franklin-Simpson comes to town next week, that should be a good game.

Allen County-Scottsville 50, Russell County 33
The Patriots win the District 2, Class 4A title and will finish their season with a trip to Monroe County, who has lost three straight after starting 6-0. I have a feeling the Patriots will cap off a perfect regular season.

5A, District 2 Champ...Who Wants It More?

The Friday night showdown of the night in the south central is clearly the Bowling Green and Warren Central match up for the District 2 title in class 5A. The Purples are looking for revenge after the Dragons scored an 18-10 upset in the rivalry last season. Braggin' rights are on the line, this is where the playa's play!

- Whoever wins obviously gets a district crown, but should get positioned nicely with some home field games in the playoffs. The loser will probably have to deal with those pesky Colonels of Christian County in the second round.

- I saw Central's Cortez Barber limp off the field last week against Grayson County. Will Barber be active for this game to add some flavor to the Dragons backfield punch? If Barber is not active, look for Eric Brown to step in and step up.

- Central and Bowling Green have similar offenses that focus on I formation running, trying to misdirect the defense, and throw in an occasional pass. The Dragons held down the Grayson County offense allowing just 162 total yards in last weeks 24-6 win. The Purples defense allowed 395 total yards to the Cougars earlier in the year in a 41-27 win. An interesting defensive comparison to make!

- Can the Dragons hold down Hunter Neveras, Scooter Hollis, and Bowling Green offense? Can the Purples stop the dynamic duo of Cortez Barber, Demonte Smith, and the Warren Central running attack?

- I am sensing a grind it out game where a critical mistake will make the difference: Bowling Green 20, Warren Central 14.

Hilltoppers Epic Collapse In The Fourth

As the old saying goes, "winners know how to win." In the case of the Hilltoppers, losers know how to lose, especially when they have a lead. The losing streak now stands at 26 in a row after allowing Louisiana Monroe to score 28 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to lose 35-30.

RECAP

- The first quarter saw the Hilltoppers come out swinging with an Antonio Andrews reverse pass that connected with Marcus Vasquez for 37 yards. That led to a 25 yard field goal by Casey Tinius for 3-0 WKU lead.

- The defense was playing solid in first half and the Tops were winning the field position battle. With 14:56 to go in the second quarter, Kawaun Jakes hooked up with Marcus Vasquez for a 13 yard touchdown reception to extend the lead to 10-0.

- A botched punt by Louisiana Monroe lead to an incomplete pass on fourth down as the punter tried to save face. WKU took over on the Warhawks 25 yard line which lead to a Bobby Rainey 4 yard touchdown run. The Hilltoppers take a 17-0 lead with 6:35 remaining in the second.

- The Warhawks finally put together a solid drive that ended with a Jyruss Edwards 33 yard touchdown run on a fourth and one conversion. It is a 17-7 Hilltopper lead going into halftime.

- Late in the third quarter Louisiana Monroe gets desperate and attempts a fake punt pass on fourth down that falls incomplete. Once again, the Hilltoppers have great field position taking over on the Warhawks 31 yard line. Throw in an unsportsmanlike penalty and a pass interference penalty on Louisiana Monroe and the Tops are setting pretty on the 2 yard line. Bobby Rainey scores from 2 yards out and with 1:21 to go in the third WKU leads 24-7.

THE 4TH QUARTER MELTDOWN

- Unfortunately for the WKU defense they forgot that there are four quarters in football because their defense got soft and allowed Louisiana Monroe quarterback Kolton Browning to channel his inner Joe Montana. When Browning wasn't hitting receivers in the middle of the field, he was taking off and picking up first downs with his legs.

- Kolton Browning connects with Luther Ambrose on a 22 yard touchdown reception with 14:20 left in the fourth quarter. WKU 24, ULM 14.

- After a stalled drive by the Hilltoppers, the Warhawks convert two fourth down plays that lead to a Frank Gooden 2 yard touchdown run. WKU 24, ULM 21.

- Three and out by the WKU offense and ULM takes the ball and drives right down the field and score on a Jyruss Edwards six yard touchdown run. ULM 28, WKU 24 with 3:35 left in the fourth quarter.

- The Hilltopper offense responded with no sense of urgency as they huddled after every play on the drive allowing precious seconds to tick away. In the end the clock did not matter as Kawaun Jakes dropped back and threw a pick to ULM's Robert Nelson who took it to the house for a 65 yard touchdown return.

- As Nelson crossed the goal line the boo birds rained down on L.T. Smith Stadium as fans were frustrated with the offensive effort. ULM 35, WKU 24.

- WKU finally puts together a drive as Jakes hooked up with Willie McNeal for a 13 yard touchdown pass. The two point conversion fails and it’s a 35-30 Louisiana Monroe lead.

- The Warhawks recover the onside kick and this epic collapse is over!

NOTES

- I have feeling that the coaching staff will practice on hurry up offensive drills throughout the next week. With 3:35 left in the game and needing a touchdown to win, the offense huddled up after every play that allowed 15-20 seconds to tick off the clock.

- Will we see Matt Pelesasa under center next weekend? Kawaun Jakes finished 13-21 for 131 yards with two touchdowns. That crucial interception late in the game will not help boost the coaching staff's confidence in his play during pressure situations.

- Bobby Rainey continues to be the bright spot for this offense, rushing for 174 yards on 32 carries and scoring two touchdowns.

- The defensive unit put in a great effort, for three quarters. It seems like they installed the prevent defense for the entire fourth quarter and allowed a red shirt freshman quarterback to pick them apart.

- The security staff lined up by the stands late in the third quarter anticipating the Hilltopper fans storming the field after breaking the streak. If you are looking for excuses as to why we lost you could point to the security staff for early crowd control alignment, they obviously failed to scout this game and realize who was playing.

Warren Central 24, Grayson Co. 6 Highlights

The Dragons defense was in shut down mode on Friday night holding a Grayson County offense that was averaging 400 yards a game to just 188 yards on the night. Warren Central keyed in defensively on Cougars quarterback Hunter Gary, holding him to just 20 yards on the ground, 91 yards passing, and forcing him to throw three interceptions. Definitely a night to forget for the Cougar senior.

RECAP

- After the Cougars took a 6-3 halftime lead, they took the opening kickoff of the second half and drove the ball 68 yards to the Warren Central 27. Grayson County went for it on fourth down and failed after Hunter Gary was sacked. The momentum shifted from this point on and it was bad news for the Cougars.

- Warren Central took the ball and twelve plays later Eric Brown scored on a sweep from 10 yards out to give the Dragons a 10-6 lead.

- The Cougars went three and out on their next possession as the Dragons took over on their own 48 yard line. Cortez Barber broke a 43 yard run that set Warren Central up at the 2 yard line. Which lead to Demonte Smith crashing into the end zone. Dragons 17, Cougars 6.

- On Grayson County's next possession a Hunter Gary swing pass became a botched lateral and the Dragons' Marvin Miles recovered on the Cougars 22 yard line.

- Seven plays later Demonte Smith powered his way up the middle for a 4 yard touchdown run. Dragons 24, Cougars 6.

- With the win, the Dragons are guaranteed a home playoff game and will be playing for a district title as they collide with the Purples next Friday.

- Demonte Smith finished the game with 85 yards rushing and two touchdowns. The credit to this win has to go to the defense of the Dragons for holding the Cougar offense to just 6 points. If the Warren Central defense plays like this next week, Bowling Green better watch out.

High School Football Preview for 8/15

Monroe County at Glasgow
This 2A District 3 matchup will feature the areas best running back in the Scotties Tavion Parrish rushing for 815 and 17 touchdowns on the season. The Glasgow ground game will be countered by the Falcons running attack lead by Corey Shirley and Tanner Kendall who have both rushed for over 400 yards a piece so far this season.

What is impressive about the Monroe County's stats is that there are 5 players who have rushed for over 200 yards. The Falcons are looking to bounce back after a 49-35 loss to Franklin-Simpson and have had a week off to prepare for Glasgow. The Scotties are riding high on a four game winning streak coming off a 63-0 blowout of Webster County. It is senior night at Glasgow and the District title is on the line, a perfect combination for a great night of football.

Prediction: Monroe Co. 28, Glasgow 27

Grayson County at Warren Central
A huge 5A District 1 collision as the Cougars come into town lead by their leading rusher and passer in Hunter Gary. He has accounted for 725 yards in the air and 691 yards on the ground, those are some impressive stats. Their defense has only allowed 44 points on the season but their schedule this year is full of weak teams. Of those 44 allowed points, 41 came against Bowling Green where the Cougars eventually fell 41-27 but not without putting up a fight against the Purples.

Warren Central has seemed to have found their offensive stride in the last three games after struggling at the beginning of the season. Their offense runs through Demonte Smith and Cortez Barber who have combined for 1,195 yards and 15 touchdowns on the season. The Dragon defense has been solid all year as well against tougher opponents in Christian County and Nelson County. Demonte Smith and Jonathan Thompson lead the Warren Central defense and as they will have a tough task in trying to stop the Cougar offense.

Prediction: Warren Central 17, Grayson Co. 14

WKU vs. ULM Preview

The Warhawks (2-3, 1-1) are in town this Saturday coming off a big Sun Belt Conference win against Florida Atlantic. The Hilltoppers (0-5, 0-1) are looking to rebound from a tough road loss to Florida International after coming back from a 21-0 deficit early in the game. Will the nation's longest losing streak finally come to an end?

WHAT TO WATCH FOR:

- The Warhawks are lead offensively by redshirt freshman quarterback Kolton Browning, who is coming off a 25-41 for 282 yards and one touchdown performance against FAU. Will the WKU defensive front rise up and apply pressure on Browning and force the freshman into making mistakes?

- Speaking of quarterbacks, it will be interesting to see how Kawaun Jakes will play after coach Taggart pointed out missed opportunities on his behalf in the first half against Florida International. Beware of a Matt Pelesasa appearance if Jakes plays poorly.

- The Warhawks have struggled with their running attack so far this season and the Hilltopper defense has been horrible against the run. Something has to give. If WKU allows over 200 yards rushing against ULM then there will be plenty of reason to worry for Big Red Nation.

- Special teams will be a factor in the battle for field position as WKU Punter Hendrix Brakefield has averaged over 43 yards per punt in the last two games. The Hilltoppers will have to clamp down on Warhawks all purpose threat Luther Ambrose and Jyruss Edwards.

- After the nightmare first quarter last weekend the Hilltoppers main focus will be getting off to a better start. If WKU can build an early lead, that will build a confidence boost for these players who are frustrated and simply tired of losing, especially to Sun Belt teams. I am sensing a breakthrough this weekend.

- My prediction: WKU 24, Louisiana Monroe 17

WKU Comes Up Short Against Panthers

The losing streak stands at 25 in a row now after a comeback surge by the Hilltoppers comes up short, as Kawaun Jakes' pass to Willie McNeal was broken up in the end zone by FIU's Dez Johnson on fourth down.

RECAP

- The Hilltoppers continue their struggles on defense giving up 240 rushing yards on the day. The FIU offense was able to put together touchdown drives of 73, 97, and 60 yards in the first 22 minutes.

- The offense responded well after being down 21-0, relying on Kawaun Jakes to get them back in the game through the air. Jakes finished 14 of 31 passing for 193 yards and 2 touchdowns. He struggled with his completion percentage and Coach Taggart noted that he missed some easy completions during post game.

- The Panthers defense locked in on the Hilltoppers running game, allowing only 2.6 yards per rush attempt. They also held Bobby Rainey to 94 yards on 28 carries with his longest run being only 12 yards.

- WKU missed a scoring opportunity with three seconds to go in the first half as coach Taggart elected to go for a touchdown instead of a chip shot field goal inside the FIU 5 yard line. Jakes pass sailed over Jack Doyle's head and they go into halftime down 21-7.

- I understand the play call, you score a touchdown and have a ton of momentum so I have no problem with coach Taggart making that decision. However, I would have kicked the field goal and got three points.

- The Tops could not take advantage of FIU's mental mistakes, the Panthers accounted for 16 penalties totaling 135 yards.

- The important factor coming out of this game is that the Hilltoppers did not quit when they were down 21-0 early in this game. Jakes accuracy is not great but he played well, made some good throws, and showed poise in the comeback attempt.

- When the Hilltoppers put together a complete game on both sides of the ball the nation's longest losing streak will come to an end. Louisiana Monroe comes to town next Saturday, let's see if we can put it all together and get a win.

High School Football Pic Of The Week

Photo by: Alex Slitz of The Bowling Green Daily News


This picture sums up the night of frustration for Warren East head coach Ben Bruni in mid hat toss, one of many on the night. And no, those are not leather pants!

Russell County 52, Warren East 20

Down only 7-6 early in the second quarter, Warren East attempted an onside kick which Russell County recovered. On the next play, the Lakers Nick Britt broke a 58 yard touchdown run to make the score 14-6 in favor of Russell County. From that point on it turned out to be doomsday for the Warren East Raiders.

The Rest of the Second Quarter Scoring
- Russell County quarterback Martin Cross scores on a 7 yard touchdown run, 21-6 Lakers.
- Taylor Hutchinson with a 23 yard touchdown reception, 28-6 Russell County.
- Jeron Hammond scores on a 35 yard run, 35-6 Lakers.
- Warren East answers with a long drive that ended with a Nick Campbell 19 yard touchdown reception, 35-12.
- A good return on the kickoff sets up a Taylor Hutchinson 36 yard touchdown reception as time expired in the first half, 42-12 Lakers.

The second quarter domination by the Lakers was the story of the game and they were able to take advantage of six Warren East turnovers. The Laker defense focused on run defense, holding Adarius Barnett to just 20 yards rushing on the night.

Russell County's Jeron Hammond had a huge night with 3 interceptions and contributed 115 yards rushing with two touchdowns. Nick Britt added 161 yards on the ground for the Lakers for two touchdowns as well.

On a positive note for Warren East, head coach Ben Bruni exhibited great hat tossing skills in frustration with his team's play and some officiating calls.

Kentucky's Corey Robinson Shines On National Television

If you happened to catch the Sun Belt Conference showdown between the Troy Trojans and the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders on ESPN2, you saw Troy's quarterback Corey Robinson go 26-of-37 for 259 yards and 3 touchdowns.

That is impressive for a red shirt freshman, it is even more impressive when he does it on the one year anniversary of his mother's death. Dawn Boyd passed on October 5th, 2009 due to multiple sclerosis.

Robinson was Kentucky's Mr. Football in 2007 after throwing for 5,872 yards and setting a national record with 91 touchdown passes with only 4 interceptions. Pretty amazing stats from a kid that showed poise in a hostile environment, on a national stage, and with a heavy heart.

Les Miles...Genius or Misunderstood?

LSU video: Les Miles press conference, 10-04-10

Warren East vs. Russell County Preview

This Friday night will take me to Warren East where the Raiders will take on District 2, Class 4A foe, the Russell County Lakers. The Lakers come in with a record of 3-3 (1-1, district) and coming off a district victory in beating Logan Co. last week by a score of 50-21. Warren East enters the contest with a record of 2-5 (1-1, district) after getting handled by Allen County-Scottsville 56-13.

The Breakdown:

- Russell County has a very balanced offensive attack with Running Back #28 Nick Britt leading the way on the ground with 627 yards and 8 touchdowns.

- The passing attack is lead by Quarterback #8 Martin Cross who has passed for 599 yards including 5 touchdowns. Cross has thrown 6 interceptions on the season so I will look for the Raiders defense to focus on stopping the Lakers running game to force more passes and create turnovers.

- Defensively look for Russell County's OLB #23 Jeron Hammond and the rest of the Lakers to put pressure on the Raiders running back duo of #21 Adarius Barnett and #38 Steven Golden.

- As I mentioned the Warren East offense will be focused on the legs of Running Backs Adarius Barnett and Steven Golden. With a nonexistent passing game, it will be interesting to see if the Raiders running game can break through.

- My prediction is Russell County 27, Warren East 14.

*Notes: Stats according to KHSAA for Russell County does not include last week's Logan Co. game. Warren East has not reported any stats so far this year.*

Bourbon County Player Airlifted After Concussion

Bourbon County football player Jarrod Hilander airlifted to UK Medical Center after on field collision. He was moving his extremities before being airlifted and thoughts and prayers are with him and his family. Just an example of how physical a game football can be and the toll it will take on your body. Below is a link on the incident:

http://www.trischoolsports.com/10Football/helicopter.html

The South Central Top Ten

Yes, we are in the last month of the regular season for high school football but much like the BCS (Bull Crap System) I have a good idea of the top ten teams in the area covering Warren, Simpson, Logan, Allen, and Barren counties. Here is The South Central Top Ten Rankings:

1. Bowling Green (6-1) coming off a close victory against Grayson Co. 41-27.
2. Allen County Scottsville (6-0) easy victory over Warren East, 56-13.
3. Warren Central (5-2) much improved as the season goes on, close losses to Christian Co. and Nelson Co.
4. Glasgow (5-1) squeaker win over E-town 48-47, only loss is to ACS.
5. Greenwood (5-2) coming off a tough loss to Nelson Co. in a game they should have won.
6. Russellville (4-3) win over Edmonson Co. 30-22. Have won three straight games.
7. Franklin-Simpson (3-3) coming off a huge win over previously unbeaten Monroe Co. 49-35. Also holds a victory over Russellville.
8. Edmonson Co. (5-2) loss to Russellville 30-22. Wins over bad teams like Muhlenberg Co., Butler Co., Adair, and Breckinridge.
9. Warren East (2-5) loss to ACS 56-13. Holds a victory over Russellville and are rebuilding this year.
10. Barren Co. (1-5) coming off loss to Warren Central 39-6. Take your pick at this spot, you also have Logan Co. with only one win.

Cardinals Late Surge Defeats Gators 28-24

photo by Joe Imel/Daily News

The Greenwood Gators established a 17-6 halftime lead as the offense showed their ability to move the ball. Greenwood also took advantage of a mistake, recovering a Nelson County fumble on a kickoff return where the Gators recovered inside the 10 yard line. The Gator offense took advantage of the good field position as Joe Combs scored from 2 yards out.

With over ten minutes to go in the third quarter Greenwood QB Jeff Witthuhn connected with Tanner Spangler on a 41 yard TD pass to give the Gators a commanding 24-6 lead.

One would think all the momentum is on Greenwood's side to this point, right? Well, this is football where momentum can shift swiftly in the blink of an eye. As my eyes blinked, Nelson County's John Harrison picked up a fumble on the ensuing kickoff for a 70 yard touchdown return. Greenwood 24, Nelson Co. 13.

On Nelson County's next possession, running back Quentin Brooks took a handoff and found the sideline where he outran Greenwood's secondary for a 64 yard touchdown run. The two point attempt failed. Greenwood 24, Nelson County 19.

Nelson County quarterback/punter/kicker Daniel Mudd added a field goal with ten minutes to play in the fourth quarter to cut Greenwood's lead to 24-22.

On the Gators ensuing possession they were forced to punt but that kick never came as Travis Casebeer mishandled the punt and fell to the ground giving the Cardinals offense great field position.

Nelson County gives the ball to their leathal weapon Quentin Brooks and he scores on a 17 yard touchdown run. Two point conversion failed. Nelson County 28, Greenwood 24.

Greenwood answers in desperation as Witthuhn connects with Tanner Spangler on a 36 yard pass down the middle of the field and the Gators are on Nelson County's 2 yard line. Going in for the score, Tanner Thompson takes the handoff and fumbles at the goal line and Nelson County recovers in the end zone for a touch back.

There was a lot of questions surrounding the fumble, was Thompson down before the ball came out? Or was it an actual fumble? From my view point I thought he was down by contact but you can't fault the referee's call in that situation, especially without instant replay options.

Nelson County's Daniel Mudd sealed the deal with 19 yard run and the clock expired on this comeback thriller. If these two teams played ten times they would probably win five games a piece, they were that closely matched in talent.

Gameday Knowledge

Nelson County's whole offensive scheme ran through quarterback Daniel Mudd rolling out looking for a pass then tucking the ball and running down field. The Cardinals were able to pick up huge chunks of yards with this type of play calling.

Running back Quentin Brooks ran wild over the Gator defense the whole night accounting for 226 yards and 3 touchdowns. He is an effortless runner that makes his cuts, fakes, and spins look as easy as if he were strutting down the street.

Nelson County has 19 seniors on their roster and they showed no panic when they were down 24-6 early in the third quarter. Experienced teams have been there and done that, they simply know how to win.

I have a feeling that these two teams will meet again come playoff time.