MOREHEAD —
When Rowan County wins a football game on Friday, Tasha Singleton, the wife of head coach Kyle Singleton, makes pancakes and bacon with orange juice and milk the following Wednesday, while a loss means doughnuts.
Break out the butter and syrup.
The Vikings scored the final 13 points to take a 55-49 win over Fleming County at Coach Paul Ousley Stadium.
Rowan County (2-2) sophomore quarterback Justin Graham and senior running back Chris Baker should get the biggest stacks of flapjacks: Graham's 25-yard run with 2:05 to go in the game and Baker's 8-yard run around left end with 22.6 seconds left gave the Vikings their fifth straight win over the Panthers.
“It was amazing,” Baker said. “I saw open field and green grass; I just lowered my shoulder and got in for the touchdown.”
Graham credited everybody but the concession stand workers for the win.
“The support we had was amazing,” Graham said. “Our fans tripled their fans.”
Friday was also a contest between Rowan County's running game and Fleming County senior quarterback Desmond McAdams' passing. Graham ran for 105 yards and five touchdowns (he also threw for 120 yards and two scores), while Baker ran for 157 yards and a TD.
And McAdams? He was 16 of 22 for 363 yards and three touchdowns passing, and he ran for two more touchdowns.
You could summarize the night in three words — not much defense. Fleming County gained 462 yards of total offense, while Rowan County had 467.
“I figured it would be a good ballgame, tight ballgame,” Fleming County coach Bill Spencer said. “I didn't think they'd score 55 points, I didn't think we'd score 49 points.
Singleton said before the game the main thing his defense had to do was contain McAdams.
The Vikings didn't at first. Start with the first drive — McAdams (10 of 15 for 195 yards for the half) and senior Eric Slagle connected twice for 53 yards, including Slagle's 24-yard touchdown catch.
Rowan County's biggest defensive stand halted a drive at the Viking 1 late in the first quarter, and it would not have been a good time to grab a cold drink or an order of nachos because of what Rowan County did next.
On the third play of the drive, Baker ripped off a 36-yard run. Three snaps after that, Graham found freshman Blake Chapman for a 49-yard score.
There was more Fleming County passing the rest of the first quarter. McAdams and Austin Hunt connected for 63 yards and Maverick Burnett for the final three and the touchdown.
The second quarter was the most prolific in terms of touchdowns: Graham's 1-yard plunge set up by his 21-yard run on a fake punt and a facemask penalty on the Panthers; McAdams-to-Chaise Gulley for one yard; Graham's 6- and 17-yard runs in less than a minute; and McAdams-to-Burnett from a yard away.
Whatever the defensive coordinators told their teams at halftime didn't work. McAdams scored twice on his 3-yard run and 37-yard pass to Gulley, and Graham countered with a 15-yard run and 42-yard bomb to Zack Taylor.
McAdams' 12-yard TD run with 8:22 left in the game turned out to be Fleming County's (2-2) last score.
Rowan County secured the win on what may have been the best defensive play of the night. With a second to go and the ball on the Panther 22, McAdams rolled right but was hurried by Tre Estill, and his last-chance pass was incomplete.
Local Sports
Rowan tastes sweet victory, 55-49
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Locals struggle to make impact
Some days you are the windshield and some days you are the bug.
It is a saying that proved to be all too true for Rowan County on Friday night at the KHSAA Class 2A State Track and Field Championships at the University of Louisville’s Owsley Frazier Cardinal Park. -
Rough Ending
Fairview senior Kennedy Womack wasn’t her consistent self in Saturday morning’s state tennis semifinals at the University of Kentucky’s Hilary Boone Tennis Complex.
As a result, the top seed fell to Lexington Sayre sophomore Madeline Rolph 6-1, 6-0.
Womack was obviously disappointed with her finish, especially after losing in last year’s state finals, but she was happy for her good friend Rolph. -
FLYING HIGH
If Fairview could have fielded a combined track and field team at Saturday’s Class A State Track and Field Championships, the Eagles and Lady Eagles would have had a record day. Instead, the Fairview girls had to “settle” for fifth, while the boys’ claimed 10th.
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Womack eliminated in semifinals
Top-seeded Kennedy Womack was eliminated in the semifinals of the State Tournament on Saturday at the University of Kentucky tennis courts.
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Big-inning Dawgs
It looked for a while that a questionable call may have determined the outcome of the game, but in the end, it was just an afterthought.
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Boyd County finds senior spark
Losers of four straight, Boyd County was searching for something positive Friday night before beginning postseason play Monday night.
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Doubles teams head to semis at state tourney
With rain staying away, the KHSAA State Tennis Tournament got into full swing on Friday afternoon.
Semifinals and finals will be held today at the University of Kentucky Boone/Downing Tennis Complex for boys and girls singles competitions. -
McKnight hurdling to Georgetown
Fairview’s Paige McKnight is known for jumping hurdles. She cleared a pretty big one on Thursday.
In front of friends and family at Fairview Elementary School, McKnight signed a letter of intent to run track for Georgetown College. -
Several area schools will be represented at State Track and Field championships
Local track and field athletes are ready to try to carry region competition success onto the state stage.
Several area schools will be represented at this weekend’s State Track and Field championships at the University of Louisville. The Class 2A meet is set for today at 3:15 p.m. and Class A competition is scheduled to begin on Saturday at 8:15 a.m. -
EAST KENTUCKY BASKETBALL HISTORY: Reflections on 'The Shot'
Paintsville High School legend J.R. VanHoose is also an eastern Kentucky basketball sports historian. This is one in an ongoing series of stories.
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