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PHOTO BY MEREDITH EVANS
QB Nick Castiller breaks free from this Todd
defender to get off a pass Friday night at Marion.
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MARION, Ky. – Crittenden County's not-so-new, but certainly refined spread offense turned in some Big O on Friday and created tons of talk in Big Blue Land.
The Rockets piled up 618 total yards en route to season-opening 35-14 victory over 2A Todd Central.
Quarterback Nick Castiller was the dude with the Big Gun. The senior second-year-starter threw for 209 yards and a touchdown and ran for 142 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Rocket coach Al Starnes described his signal caller as a "student of the game" and a "very accurate passer."
Castiller made the anticipated first-game mistakes, but was the key figure in Crittenden's debut victory in 2015.
Running backs Dylan Hollis and Maeson Myers tag-teamed for 2 more rushing touchdowns. Hollis didn't have a carry in the first half and just three in the last two periods, but finished with 91 yards. HIs 78-yard TD run capped the victory in the third period and made it clear that Crittenden had adequately worn the Todd defense to its threads. Myers finished with 77 yards and an 8-yard TD.
Defensively, Crittenden was just as sharp. After a couple of early touchdowns by Todd Central, the Rockets retooled at halftime and held the Rebels to just one first down the last two quarters and no points. Crittenden, meanwhile, moved the chains consistently, marking off 17 first downs for the game and punting just 3 times in 13 possessions.
"We probably could have put them away in the first half," Starnes said, "but we didn't. We made some adjustments at halftime and that made the difference."
Senior defensive end Travis Fitzgerald had a fumble recovery and two crucial tackles for loss.
The receiving corps was solid, dropping only a couple of passes. Hollis caught three balls for 95 yards and Ethan Hunt had 59 yards on 2 catches. Coleman was perfect, catching everything thrown his way. He grabbed 4 passes for 55 yards, plus a conversation passed he pulled off his back hip for 2 points. Coleman also threw for a 48 yards on a double-pass. He caught a screen on the game's first play and hit Alex Cosby for a 48-yard gain.
"Make no mistake, Todd is a good football team. They are big up front and we knew the quarterback was good player," Starnes said. "Our game plan was to wear them down and I think that's what we did."
Todd Central's Ryan Briggs, a senior, who was injured early in the game and taken off the field in an ambulance appears to be okay. He went home Friday night with his family from Crittenden Hospital.
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PHOTO BY MEREDITH EVANS
Rocket junior receiver Ethan Hunt
looks for yards after making a catch.
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SCORE BY QUARTERS
Todd Central 7 7 0 0
Crittenden County 6 15 14 0
SCORING PLAYS
C-Nick Castiller 18 run (pass failed) 7:54, 1st
T-Naytrimus Harris 9 run (Noah Bicksler kick) 1:42, 1st
C-Tyler Coleman 10 pass from Castiller (Coleman pass from Castiller) 11:55, 2nd
T-Harris 1 run (Bicksler kick) 8:39, 2nd
C-Maeson Myers 8 run (Dylan Hicks kick) 4:48, 2nd
C-Castiller 10 run (Dylan Hollis pass from Castiller) 5:36, 3rd
C-Hollis 78 run (kick failed) 2:28, 3rd
TEAM STATISTICS
First Downs: Crittenden 17, Todd 9
Penalties: Crittenden 5-55, Todd 4-30
Rushing: Crittenden 39-361, Todd 40-88
Passing: Crittenden 11-25-2, 257 yds., Todd 12-18-0, 156 yds.
Total Yards: Crittenden 618, Todd 244
Fumbles/Lost: Crittenden 0-0, Todd 2-1
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing
Crittenden: Castiller 15-142, Hollis 3-91, Myers 9-77, Devon Nesbitt 5-26, Hunter Boone 1-1, Alex Cosby 2-13, Charlie Johnson 4-11. Todd: Harris 23-46, Travay Henry 11-47, Trey Dickerson 4-10, Jeremiah Simms 2-(-15).
Passing
Crittenden: Castiller 10-24-2, 209 yds., Coleman 1-1-0, 48 yds. Todd: Harris 12-18-0, 156 yds.
Receiving
Crittenden: Cosby 1-48, Hollis 3-95, Coleman 4-55, Ethan Hunt 2-59. Todd: Simms 3-13, Cody Slade 2-37, Joseph Johnson 2-39, Dickerson 5-67.
Defense
Dylan Hollis 8 solos, 4 assists, sack; Travis McKinney 4 solos, 9 assists; Travis Fitzgerald 4 solos, 7 assists, 2 sacks, fumble recovery; Dylan Smith 2 solos, 11 assists; Ethan Hunt 4 solos, 4 assists, TFL; Mason Myers 3 solos, 6 assists, TFL; Dylan Hicks 5 solos, 2 assists; Adam Beavers 2 solos, 5 assists; Seth Birdwell solo, 4 assists; Branen Lamey 2 solos, 1 assist; Nick Castiller 2 solos, assist; Devin Hopper solo, 3 assists; Gavin Dickerson solo, 2 assists TFL; Shelby Robinson solo, assist; Jacob Russelberg solo, 4 assists; Austin McKinney solo; Devon Nesbitt solo; Jake Ellington assist; Landon Brooks solo; Jake Gibson assist; Ethan Dossett assist.Records
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