Despite all the things that went wrong-- four interceptions, a fumble near their own goal line, and an onside kick that didn't work to start the game, the Logan County Cougars were impressively competitive Friday in a version of the Mud Bowl at Allen County-Scottsville.
Not until a pass sailed through receiver Corey Jones' outstretched hands along the sidelines with about four minutes remaining in the game was it clear that highly regarded AC-S was going to remain undefeated and wrap up their Class 4A district regular season championship.
The loss was the first in district play for the Cougars and evened their record at 4-4. They are guaranteed a playoff spot, but to have home field advantage on Nov. 6 they must win Friday over visiting Franklin-Simpson, which eliminated Warren East from district contiention Friday in a 62-14 blowout.
At Scottsville, the Cougars played a strong first quarter, finishing the first 12 minutes in a 14-14 tie. They were in good position in the second quarter to go into the intermission trailing only 20-14.
Then a series of disasters struck.
Phillip Stratton, who had a super game on defnese, recovered a Patriot fumble at the Cougars' 37, giving his team good field position to start a potential tying or go-ahead drive. On second down, quarterback John Logan Dockins' pass was intercepted, ending that opportunity quickly. The Cougar defense held again, stopping AC-S back Hunter York inches from a first down at the Logan 23.
Aided by a Patriot penalty, Logan picked up a first down at the 31. On first down, however, Dockins' pitch to Thomas Washington and a blitzing Patriot arrived at the same time. The ball flew loose, and AC-S' Houston Bunton recovered at the Cougar 20 with a minute and a half remaining until halftime.
The Cougar defense almost averted the seemingly inevitable, holding Allen County to a fourth and four. Instead of relying on the run this time, the Patriots passed, with quarterback Corey Cooper finding Jacob Costellow open in the end zone. AC-S also hit an open man, Zach Tabor, for the two-point conversion. Instead of trailing by a mere six points at the break, the Cougars found themselves down 28-14 before the long homecoming ceremony began.
The second half opened the same way as the first had with an onside kick and AC-S in possession of the football. The difference ws that Allen County fielded Logan's kick to start the game, but the Cougars couldn't handle the Patriots' short bouncer to open the third period.
Cougar kickoff receptions were a highlight for most of the night, however. After AC-S scored on three rushing plays following the opening onside kick, Logan's Washington sped to a 95-yard kickoff return to pull his team within 7-6 just a minute and a hlaf into the game.
The Patriots never let Washington near another kickoff, but upbacks Aaron Baldwin and Logan Anderson did a good job of securing short kicks to give their team favorable starting position repeatedly.
Following another Allen County touchdown on a short rushing drive (using a kickoff return to the Logan 45 and four running plays), the Cougars marched 63 yards on seven plays for their second touchdown. Dockins completed all three of his passes on that drive for 56 yards. One was to Washington and the other two to sophomore Twin Lancaster, who scored on a 35-yard strike. Washington refused to go down on a two-point conversion run, tying the score at 14-14 after just eight and a half minutes of action.
Logan's defense was strong the final three quarters with Cameron Collier, Nathan Oberhausen, Jonathan Barbee, Stratton, and Washington leading the way, but the offense never got going again until late in the third quarter.
AC-S had gone up 40-14 when Zach Stinson returned an interception 35 yards for a score. Reuben Rawlings-Watson knocked down Cooper's conversion pass.
Barbee ran for 18 yards on first down of the ensuing posession. The first down was the Cougars' first not aided by a Patriot penalty since the scoring drive a couple of hours earlier. Then Dockins hit Washington with a 16-yarder for his first completion since the touchdown pass on that opening drive. Rawlings-Watson also caught a pass before Dockins threw his second touchdown pass of the night, this one to Washington for 19 yards. With two seconds remaining in the third quarter, the Cougars were now halfway toward a tie at 40-20.
Another big hit by Stratton stopped the Patriots' next possession, and Logan initiaed another drive. A 9-yard run by Barbee and a penalty produced a Logan first down, but on third and 14, Dockins found the ball difficult to grip on the rainy, muddy night and threw another interception.
The Cougars got the ball back in a hurry on a Barbee interception, which he returned to the AC-S 46. On fourth and 15, Dockins' deep pass to Jones went incomplete, and Logan's chance for the upset was out of time.
It was a far more competitive game, however, than last year's 46-0 drubbing the Patriots handed the Couars, and this is a much better AC-S team than last year's.
So are the Logan County Cougars.
LCHS to honor senior athletes
Logan County High School will honor its 2009 Fall Sports senior athletes in a ceremony to be held prior to the start of the Logan County -vs- Franklin-Simpson football game on Friday, Oct. 23.
The ceremony will begin at approximately 6:30 p.m. with the football kickoff set for 7 pm.
This fall the school will recognize and honor 22 senior athletes in the sports of cheerleading, cross country, golf, football and volleyball. The seniors to be recognized are:
Cheerleading: Hannah Collins, Chelsey Jones and Kristina Jordan
Cross Country: Macie Dye, Kelsey Hinton, Dustin Skipworth and Kyle Latham
Golf: Missy Miles, Taylor Johnson, Lindsey Dick and Candice Coles
Football: Thomas Washington, Rueben Rawlings-Watson, Scott Blackford, Nathan Oberhausen, Jonathan Barbee, Phillip Stratton, Cameron Collier and Jeremy Rager
Volleyball: Jessica Britten, Kelly Miller and Chelsea Cartas
Athletic Director Hugh McReyonds says, "The school cordially invites everyone in the community to join the school and athletic department as we recognize this group of student athletes for their accomplishments on the field, course or court and for their representation of Logan County High School and our community while playing sports for the Cougars."
Not until a pass sailed through receiver Corey Jones' outstretched hands along the sidelines with about four minutes remaining in the game was it clear that highly regarded AC-S was going to remain undefeated and wrap up their Class 4A district regular season championship.
The loss was the first in district play for the Cougars and evened their record at 4-4. They are guaranteed a playoff spot, but to have home field advantage on Nov. 6 they must win Friday over visiting Franklin-Simpson, which eliminated Warren East from district contiention Friday in a 62-14 blowout.
At Scottsville, the Cougars played a strong first quarter, finishing the first 12 minutes in a 14-14 tie. They were in good position in the second quarter to go into the intermission trailing only 20-14.
Then a series of disasters struck.
Phillip Stratton, who had a super game on defnese, recovered a Patriot fumble at the Cougars' 37, giving his team good field position to start a potential tying or go-ahead drive. On second down, quarterback John Logan Dockins' pass was intercepted, ending that opportunity quickly. The Cougar defense held again, stopping AC-S back Hunter York inches from a first down at the Logan 23.
Aided by a Patriot penalty, Logan picked up a first down at the 31. On first down, however, Dockins' pitch to Thomas Washington and a blitzing Patriot arrived at the same time. The ball flew loose, and AC-S' Houston Bunton recovered at the Cougar 20 with a minute and a half remaining until halftime.
The Cougar defense almost averted the seemingly inevitable, holding Allen County to a fourth and four. Instead of relying on the run this time, the Patriots passed, with quarterback Corey Cooper finding Jacob Costellow open in the end zone. AC-S also hit an open man, Zach Tabor, for the two-point conversion. Instead of trailing by a mere six points at the break, the Cougars found themselves down 28-14 before the long homecoming ceremony began.
The second half opened the same way as the first had with an onside kick and AC-S in possession of the football. The difference ws that Allen County fielded Logan's kick to start the game, but the Cougars couldn't handle the Patriots' short bouncer to open the third period.
Cougar kickoff receptions were a highlight for most of the night, however. After AC-S scored on three rushing plays following the opening onside kick, Logan's Washington sped to a 95-yard kickoff return to pull his team within 7-6 just a minute and a hlaf into the game.
The Patriots never let Washington near another kickoff, but upbacks Aaron Baldwin and Logan Anderson did a good job of securing short kicks to give their team favorable starting position repeatedly.
Following another Allen County touchdown on a short rushing drive (using a kickoff return to the Logan 45 and four running plays), the Cougars marched 63 yards on seven plays for their second touchdown. Dockins completed all three of his passes on that drive for 56 yards. One was to Washington and the other two to sophomore Twin Lancaster, who scored on a 35-yard strike. Washington refused to go down on a two-point conversion run, tying the score at 14-14 after just eight and a half minutes of action.
Logan's defense was strong the final three quarters with Cameron Collier, Nathan Oberhausen, Jonathan Barbee, Stratton, and Washington leading the way, but the offense never got going again until late in the third quarter.
AC-S had gone up 40-14 when Zach Stinson returned an interception 35 yards for a score. Reuben Rawlings-Watson knocked down Cooper's conversion pass.
Barbee ran for 18 yards on first down of the ensuing posession. The first down was the Cougars' first not aided by a Patriot penalty since the scoring drive a couple of hours earlier. Then Dockins hit Washington with a 16-yarder for his first completion since the touchdown pass on that opening drive. Rawlings-Watson also caught a pass before Dockins threw his second touchdown pass of the night, this one to Washington for 19 yards. With two seconds remaining in the third quarter, the Cougars were now halfway toward a tie at 40-20.
Another big hit by Stratton stopped the Patriots' next possession, and Logan initiaed another drive. A 9-yard run by Barbee and a penalty produced a Logan first down, but on third and 14, Dockins found the ball difficult to grip on the rainy, muddy night and threw another interception.
The Cougars got the ball back in a hurry on a Barbee interception, which he returned to the AC-S 46. On fourth and 15, Dockins' deep pass to Jones went incomplete, and Logan's chance for the upset was out of time.
It was a far more competitive game, however, than last year's 46-0 drubbing the Patriots handed the Couars, and this is a much better AC-S team than last year's.
So are the Logan County Cougars.
LCHS to honor senior athletes
Logan County High School will honor its 2009 Fall Sports senior athletes in a ceremony to be held prior to the start of the Logan County -vs- Franklin-Simpson football game on Friday, Oct. 23.
The ceremony will begin at approximately 6:30 p.m. with the football kickoff set for 7 pm.
This fall the school will recognize and honor 22 senior athletes in the sports of cheerleading, cross country, golf, football and volleyball. The seniors to be recognized are:
Cheerleading: Hannah Collins, Chelsey Jones and Kristina Jordan
Cross Country: Macie Dye, Kelsey Hinton, Dustin Skipworth and Kyle Latham
Golf: Missy Miles, Taylor Johnson, Lindsey Dick and Candice Coles
Football: Thomas Washington, Rueben Rawlings-Watson, Scott Blackford, Nathan Oberhausen, Jonathan Barbee, Phillip Stratton, Cameron Collier and Jeremy Rager
Volleyball: Jessica Britten, Kelly Miller and Chelsea Cartas
Athletic Director Hugh McReyonds says, "The school cordially invites everyone in the community to join the school and athletic department as we recognize this group of student athletes for their accomplishments on the field, course or court and for their representation of Logan County High School and our community while playing sports for the Cougars."
Please give us your thoughts on the article
Cougars competitive but can't stop Patriots' march toward undefeated season
By: Jim Turner
By: Jim Turner
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
