Hart County edges Bethlehem
Much can be said about staying the course and on a night when plenty of things went wrong for the Raiders, Hart County found a way to overcome several bad breaks in the second half and beat a determined Bethlehem football team, 27-20.
was a game which looked like it might be high scoring in the first half with both teams scoring twice and entering the second half with a 14-all tie. Bethlehem looked like they might change that with a conserted offensive drive to start the third quarter which eventually ended with a short field goal to then Hart County countered with in the second half with a long drive that ended with a touchdown run that put the Raiders ahead. Quarterback John Shoulders, who left the fourth quarter shortly after being shaken up returned and eventually scored the game clinching touchdown to make it 27-17.
Shoulders, who completed only six of eight passes for 127-yards ran an aggressive running game which constantly kept the Bethlehem defense on the field and chewed up plenty of yardage. The Raiders as a team pounded out 317-yards and got four touchdowns, two by Shoulders and one each by Julian Barbour and Daveon Wood. Between the two runners, the Raiders ran for 145-yards and kept the game close until the end. Not like there weren’t any close moments late. With the score 21-17, the Raiders were driving late to close out the game, but Shoulders apparent touchdown pass was ruled incomplete and on the next play he was hit from the blind side and fumbled. Bethlehem’s Jacksen Young recovered and was finally chased down deep in Eagle territory.
The Hart County defense stood strong and forced a turnover on downs after an incomplete fourth down pass. The Raiders finally put the game away driving the length of the field and scoring the final touchdown to make it 27-17. The Eagles weren’t finished yet as Ryan Mattingly, who threw 36-times last week against Washington County in a loss, would throw 49-times tonight completing 30 for 273-yards and two touchdowns, but was unable to get his team in the end zone on this night. The Eagles settled for a field goal to make it 27-20 and after the onside kick rolled out of bounds, the game finally ended. Hart County head coach Chad Griffin had to be pleased with his team’s performance under adversity.
The former Central Hardin offensive coordinator said afterwards “I told the guys before the game that if we play like we should we could win, but we can’t make make mistakes. I believe that we would of lost this game last season, so I’m very proud of them. This group of seniors were with me when I first took this job, to see us handle adversity the way we did I’m really proud.” The Raiders currently sit at 2-1 and plenty of tests still waiting with Caverna, LaRue County, Green and Elizabethtown. Meanwhile, Bethlehem is 1-2 and after a blowout win against Shawnee have lost two tight games to both Washington County and Hart County. It will be interesting to see which direction the two teams go in after this game.
