UNBEATEN NO MORE!!!
If ever there was an example of Elizabethtown head coach Mark Brown’s philosophy that might have been last Friday Night when his team was outgained in total yardage and ran NO offensive plays from scrimmage in the first quarter and eventually still ended up beating the unbeaten LaRue County Hawks by a score of 35-13. The Hawks took the opening kickoff and drove right downfield eventually scoring on a 4-yard run by Anthony Adkins to make it 7-0 after eating up nearly seven minutes. Elizabethtown responded immediately by returning the ensuing kickoff 80-yards for a touchdown. Unfortunately, the point after was no good and the Panthers still trailed 7-6. LaRue County then ate up the remaining four and half minutes of the first quarter moving the ball on offense.
The Hawks didn’t score on that possession and Elizabethtown used their explosive offense behind Jay Becherer and scored on a 51-yard run to go ahead 14-7 after quarterback Tyler Durbin converted the two point conversion. After that it was pretty much ALL Elizabethtown as the game eventually turned in the third quarter on two plays. After LaRue County’s defense forced a punt, Quarterback Dane Milby threw an interception that set up the Panthers for a 2-yard Becherer scoring run. Trailing 21-7, the Hawks faced a fourth-and-short at about the Hawks 29-yard line and when Elizabethtown’s Defense stopped the play short, Elizabethtown made them pay with a 29-yard scoring pass from Tyler Durbin to Jay Gregory. The 28-7 lead appeared insurmountable, but LaRue County finally struck back with a 51-yard run by Bryson Cobb that made it 28-13. Elizabethtown finally finished up the game up an 11-yard run by Becherer to make the final score 35-13.
The Panthers were outgained 249 to 183 in total yardage, were outrushed 187-144 and still won by 20 points because of a marvelous defense. Brown’s defense was able to fill the gaps and slow the Hawk attack down in the end after being overrun in the first half at times.
The Hawks on the other hand faced their first REAL challenge and walked away losers, but have to feel a little better knowing what to expect if the two are to meet later on.
