Their Off and Running!
Everyone welcomed the opening night of high school football in the state of Kentucky in the month of August and there was plenty of evidence that things could be different or could stay the same as well.
Case in point Elizabethtown KY, where the Panthers lost nearly 90% of their starters on both sides of the ball, but didn’t look it after a 21-7 opening night win over North Bullitt. Head coach Ross Brown’s team got started slow going into the half trailing 7-0 after missing an opportunity to score just as the second quarter came to an end, but the second half was a different story as quarterback Ryder Gregory ran for 52 and 16-yard scoring runs to reverse the trend and then fullback Greg Hall continued the trend with a 54-yard scoring run late in the fourth quarter to make the final 21-7. An interesting trend was the fact that both team’s started female kickers in the game. Lacie Badgett for the Eagles as coach Adam Billings used her during the 2020 season as well and first time kicker for the Panthers Mary Bell. Both are soccer players as well. The Panthers will next travel to Meade County to face the Green Wave, who are looking past a 30-0 loss to Daviess County.
On the other hand, the sign things might be different happened in Bowling Green as North Hardin took on South Warren in Houchens –Allen Stadium on Saturday night and after replacing almost everyone on both sides of the ball from last season’s undefeated regular season team, the Spartans were really a bad matchup for the Trojans at the time. Starting a different lineup against a team which was returning a large chunk of it’s team and with no scrimmages as well, head coach Brent Thompson’s team didn’t fare so well and fell behind 30-0 after three quarters against a talented South Warren team. The Spartans Defense took no prisoners as they overran the Trojans offense as they were able to prevent a shutout by scoring late in the game. It was the first loss during a regular season game for North Hardin in two seasons. Both North Hardin and their next opponent DeSales will look to prevent going 0-2 to start the season.
John Hardin showed evidence that they are back with a big 48-6 win over LaRue County in their opening game at the Don Frnaklin Scottie Bowl in Glasgow. After allowing a first play touchdown by Hawk quarterback Cutter Boley to Kellen Bowen, the Bulldogs really got down to buisness and outscored LaRue County 48-0, behind a power running game which totaled 425-yards rushing. Keyandre Strand totaled 231-yards and Devon Rogers who ran for 105-yards and threw for 96-yards and totaled five touchdwons all together in the win. Coach Doug Preston has this team looking like some of his Franklin-Simpson teams and he did it quickly. With Bardstown coming up next, the Bulldogs will have to continue the momentum.
As for Bardstown, David Clark’s team looked a lot like last year’s team after beating Franklin-Simpson in the Gator Bowl at Greenwood. Despite being dominated in the first quarter, the Tigers seized the initiative and blitzed the Wildcats in the second and third quarter by scoring all of their points in a 35-21 win. T J Greenwell got the first of three touchdowns in the second quarter after recovering a Wildcat fumble, then Brady Clark’s touchdown pass to John Montgomery gave them the lead for good at 14-7. With a hot John Hardin team coming into town this Friday, the Tigers can’t afford a slow start if they plan to stay in contention.
Hart County ended the 2020 season with a win and now have started the 2021 season with one after beating North Oldham (a late schedule when Caverna had to opt out) 24-3. Head coach Chad Griffin wasn’t too happy after trailing 3-0 at the half, but his mood changed quickly after scoring the last 24-points thanks to two turnovers by the defense and three touchdown passes from Keaton Walters and 175-yards passing. The Raiders totaled nearly 200-yards on the ground as well. The Raiders will look to make it 2-0 against McCreary County next week.
