X and Ohs haunt Rebels at Rocket Stadium

Braxton Winders (3) chases down Todd QB Bryce Nolan.

MARION, Ky. – For its going away party Friday night, Crittenden County whooped it up with a whole lot of X and Ohs.

The X-factor was X-man, Xander Tabor, who heaped up 198 all-purpose yards and two rushing touchdowns, and also returned an interception 42 yards for a touchdown in the Rockets’ 49-22 getaway from the 2019 regular season.

Crittenden finishes 8-2 and will ready its troops for next week’s playoff opener at home against Caverna, a team it should handle about like it did 54-0 a few weeks ago.

Todd Central (6-4) lumbered into Rocket Stadium with a hulking line and massive running backs that had rolled up 302 yards per game on the ground as Class 2A’s third best rushing team in the state. Led by 225-pound running back JaTwan Graham, who averaged 110 yards per outing, Todd appeared a formidable adversary, but crumbled under fire.

Senior Justin Phillips makes a tackle.

The Oh came in the form of “Oh no, you don’t.” Not against a Crittenden defense that’s proven itself as the fifth best Class A team in the state at stopping the run. Friday was no different as the Rockets held Graham to 43 yards and the Rebels managed only 118 on the turf. Much of its offense came in the second half after Crittenden had secured the outcome.

With Todd’s heralded running resumé stopped stone cold, the Rebels resorted to the air where they made up some ground late in an otherwise run-away win by the Rockets. Crittenden led 42-6 early in the third period following Braxton Winders’ breakaway touchdown for 41 yards. Todd scored twice in the final minutes under the running clock mercy rule. A far cry from the 33 points per game the Rebels had rolled up in the nine previous.

Winders was just one of the many weapons Crittenden coach Sean Thompson deployed to pile up the points against Todd Central. Caden McCalister rushed for 63 yards and a touchdown. Preston Turley caught a touchdown pass from Luke Crider and Hunter Jones rushed for an 11-yard TD.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Todd Central 0 6 8 8

Crittenden 21 14 7 7

SCORING PLAYS

C-Xander Tabor 21 run (Noah Perkins kick) 9:22, 1st

C-Tabor 29 run (Perkins kick) 5:59, 1st

C-Preston Turley 13  pass from Luke Crider (Perkins kick) 2:42, 1st

T-DJ Johnson 39 pass from Bryce Nolan (conversion failed) 11:43, 3rd

C-Caden McCalister 36 run (Perkins kick) 6:34, 2nd

C-Tabor 42 interception return (Perkins kick) 5:19, 2nd

C-Braxton Winders 41 run (Perkins kick) 7:00, 3rd

T-Preston Moore 12 pass from Nolan (JaTwan Graham run) 2:26, 3rd

C-Hunter Jones 11 run (Perkins kick) 11:00, 4th

T-Graham 14 pas s from Nolan (Nolan run) 1:52, 4th

TEAM TOTALS
First Downs: Crittenden 14, Todd 11
Penalties: Crittenden 2-14, Todd 5-25
Rushing: Crittenden 31-284, Todd 32-118
Passing: Crittenden 11-15-0, 126 yds., Todd 10-23-1, 151 yds.
Total Yards: Crittenden 410, Todd 269
Fumbles/Lost: Crittenden 0-0, Todd 1-1

INDVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing
Crittenden: Tabor 14-129, McCalister 4-63, Jones 4-37, Preston Morgeson 3-11, Winders 3-61, Keifer Marshall 1-0, Crider 2-(-16). Todd: Graham 11-43, Jonathan Foroes 6-28, Riddick 4-7, Moore 2-21, Nolan 9-19.
Passing
Crittenden: Crider 9-12-0, 99 yds., Winders 1-1-0, 27 yds., Jones 0-1-0, Seth Guess 1-1-0, 0 yds. Todd: Nolan 10-23-1, 151 yds.
Receiving
Crittenden: Tabor 4-69, Turley 4-51, Maddox Carlson 1-1, McCalister 1-5, Rowen Perkins 1-0. Todd: Johnson 2-50, Graham 5-71, Riddick 1-14, Todd Ewick 1-4, Moore 1-12.
Defense
T.Guess assist; Hayes solo; Jones 3 solos, 2 assists; Phillips 3 solos, 2 assists; Urbanowski solo, assist; Easley 6 solos, 2 assists; Ellington 4 solos, sack; McCalister 12 solos, 5 assists; McGowan 2 solos; N.Perkins 2 assists; Tabor 2 assists, interception; Turley solo, assist; Winders 4 solos, 6 assists, TFL, sack; Bailey solo, assist; Carlson 3 solos; Derrington solo; Yates solo, assist; Morgeson solo, assist.
Players of the Game 
Defense Caden McCalister. Offense Xander Tabor. Lineman Ian Ellington. Special Teams Noah Perkins.
Records: Crittenden 8-2, Todd Central 6-4.