CANNONSBURG —
When it comes to the Johnson Central offense, everyone knows exactly what to expect. Smash mouth football.
So when Golden Eagles coach Jim Matney called for three passes in the span of four plays in the second quarter of Friday night’s game against Boyd County, it was quite a shock.
Not the least bit surprising was the fact that after all three attempts fell incomplete, Matney went right back to his bread and butter. Central’s signature rushing attack did not let him down as the Golden Eagles racked up 416 yards on the ground in their 37-6 victory over the Lions at Tom Scott Field.
“Sometimes you just have to change gears and do a few things different,” Matney said. “We were working on our game tonight. But we will definitely take the win, and go back to the house and try to get better.”
Daymion Belcher led the Johnson Central rushing attack with 148 yards on 17 carries, including three scores. The sophomore had two fumbles on the night, losing one, but he more than made amends for the miscues.
After his first fumble bounced right back to him, Belcher made sure to hold onto the ball five plays later when he barrelled into the end zone from eight yards out.
On the opening drive of the second half, the 5-foot-10, 199-pounder busted a 17-yard run deep inside Boyd County territory before putting it on the ground for a second time.
The Lions (2-3) took advantage of the turnover, converting it into points in a matter of just four plays, when Jacob Barnwell took what looked to be a mediocre gain and turned it into much more.
The sophomore seemed to be bottled up on the far sideline, but after breaking several tackles near the line of scrimmage he found a hole and scampered 68 yards for the score.
It was Barnwell’s only carry of the night, but it made coach Ray Brooks excited about the future.
“It is a good problem to have but we have three really good running backs in Reid Dearfield, Jacob and Dylan Harris,” he said. “There is something there for us to build on.”
With the Johnson Central (4-1) lead trimmed to 22-6, it was once again time for Belcher to atone for his mistake, and 10 plays later he did just that, when he bowled over several Lion defenders on his way to a 5-yard touchdown run.
While it was Belcher that found the end zone the majority of the time, he was not alone in helping the Golden Eagles move it on the ground. Josh Dillon also had a spectacular night, rushing for 133 yards and a touchdown. Jordan Young also chipped in a score on one of his seven rushes for 72 yards.
It was a different story for Boyd County, which, outside of the Barnwell run, could not get much going on the ground. The mammoth Johnson Central defensive line made it very tough on the Lion ballcarriers.
“Our interior played really well,” Matney said. “I think we have a very physically strong team.”
“Since they are just such good athletes, they were able to shut down a big part of our offense,” said Brooks. “And when they do that it limits what you can call and what you can’t call.”
With the inside runs virtually shut down, the Lions tried to go outside, where they found it equally tough. Other than the 68 yard run by Barnwell, Boyd County had just 43 yards on the ground.
Local Sports
Belcher rushes for 148, 3 TDs in Central's win over Boyd
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Two bunts and a swinging bunt helped the Lady Musketeers scratch across three runs in the fifth inning of a 6-2 victory over Raceland in the 63rd District Tournament opening round on Monday night at Russell High School. Top-seeded Russell defeated Lewis County, also 6-2, earlier in the evening. -
Boyd pounds out 11 hits to go along with Grimm’s shutout, 14-0
Robbie Shivel might be a little sore after Monday night, but it was Fairview that left the game battered and bruised.
Boyd County belted out 11 hits to go along with Dylan Grimm's complete-game gem as the Lions roared past Fairview, 14-0, in the opening round of the 64th District Tournament at Ashland's Alumni Field. The game lasted five innings. -
Different look, same results for Lady Lions
A longtime fixture in the 64th District softball championship game, Boyd County looked different this return trip.
The Lady Lions defeated Fairview 10-5 in Monday’s district semifinal, which doubled as an Autism Awareness Night. Boyd County players wore light blue shirts and colorful, jigsaw puzzle socks for the event, which had to be rescheduled more than once due to weather problems. -
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Through the first four innings of its 63rd District Tournament opener, Greenup County found itself hitless. The Musketeers made up for it over the next two innings.
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The will to win
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Locals struggle to make impact
Some days you are the windshield and some days you are the bug.
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Womack eliminated in state semis; Rose Hill, Russell doubles also ousted
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.
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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
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