RocketsFootball.com: AT A GLANCE: Union County Braves

Tuesday, August 22, 2023

AT A GLANCE: Union County Braves

BY: ANDY HUNT

What do these two lineman have in common?

Find out in this week's post!

(L-R: Steve Hill and Cliff Paddock)

2023 Union County 3A (1-0, District 0-0)

Week 1 – Madisonville North Hopkins (5A) – WON – 21-14

UC has a three-game winning streak against Madisonville North Hopkins

Week 2 – Crittenden County (2A)
Week 3 – Murray (2A)
Week 4 – Caldwell County (2A)
Week 5 – Hopkins County Central (3A)*
Week 6 – McLean County (3A)*
Week 7 – Trigg County (3A)*
Week 8 – Hancock County (3A)*
Week 9 – Webster County (3A)*
Week 10 – Greenwood (5A)

Union County has 33 players on its roster (43 in 2022, 39 in 2021, 38 in 2020).

Union County Key Stats from Week 1

Passing – Jarren Johnson (#1, JR) – 1/3, 10 yds, 0 TDs, 0 INTs
Rushing – Jarren Johnson (#1, JR) – 23 attempts, 208 yards, 3 TDs
Rushing – William McPeaker (#20, SO) – 14 attempts, 71 yards, 0 TDs
Defense – Amare Black (#9, JR) – 13 tackles, TFL
Defense – Kamden Davis (#55, JR) – 12 tackles, TFL
Defense – Rylan George (#3, SR) – 11 tackles, TFL
Defense – Koleby Schroeder (#7, JR) – 2 tackles, 2 INTs
Team Stats – 169 rushing yards allowed, 127 passing yards allowed

Union County Series

Season - Location - Score - CC Result
1964 - HOME - 6-30 – Loss
1965 - AWAY - 0-19 – Loss
1966 - HOME - 0-38 – Loss
1967 - AWAY - 0-28 – Loss
1968 - HOME - 0-40 – Loss
1969 - AWAY - 16-54 – Loss
1970 - HOME - 8-38 – Loss
1971 - AWAY - 0-8 – Loss
1972 - HOME - 6-41 – Loss
1973 - AWAY - 0-41 – Loss
1979 - AWAY - 0-42 – Loss
1980 - HOME - 0-42 – Loss
1981 - AWAY - 8-21 – Loss
1982 - HOME - 6-33 – Loss
1985 - HOME - 12-6 – Win
1986 - AWAY - 0-23 – Loss
2001 - AWAY - 13-22 – Loss
2002 - HOME - 41-12 – Win
2003 - AWAY - 6-12 – Loss
2004 - HOME - 49-52 – Loss
2005 - AWAY - 46-40 – Win
2006 - HOME - 7-54 – Loss
2007 - AWAY - 42-22 – Win
2008 - HOME - 25-16 – Win
2011 - AWAY - 16-41 – Loss
2012 - HOME - 35-6 – Win
2013 - AWAY - 6-43 – Loss
2014 - HOME - 12-42 – Loss
2015 - AWAY - 21-42 – Loss
2016 - HOME - 15-56 – Loss
2017 - AWAY - 6-33 – Loss
2018 - HOME - 38-3 – Win
2019 - AWAY - 0-14 – Loss
2020 - AWAY - 28-12 – Win
2021 - HOME - 22-50 – Loss
2022 - AWAY - 6-25 – Loss

CC is behind in the series 8-28 (22.2% win pct.).
Union County leads the scoring in the series 1101-460.
The 2004 matchup with Union County had the second highest combined amount of points in a single game, 101, in CC football history.
Biggest CC win - 38-3 in 2018
Biggest UC win - 54-7 in 2006

Crittenden County Single Game School Records Versus Union County
(Some Statistical Categories Unavailable)

Passing Yards: 246, Austin Berry, 2005
Passing Completions: 21 (twice), Nick Castiller, 2015 and Hunter Boone, 2017
Passing Attempts: 38, Nick Castiller, 2015
Passing Touchdowns: 4, Hunter Boone, 2018
Interceptions Thrown: 4 (twice), Hunter Jones, 2019 and Luke Crider, 2021
Rushing Yards: 185, Grant Gardner, 2011
Rushing Touchdowns: 4, Rodney Robertson, 2007
Rushing Attempts: 32, Xander Tabor, 2020
Receiving Yards: N/A, minimum 125
Receptions: 8, Billy Mills, 1981
Receiving Touchdowns: 3, Branen Lamey, 2018
Tackles: 19, Von Summers, 1979 (16 in the second half)
Tackles for Loss: 9, Sean O’Leary, 2018 (School Record)
Interceptions: N/A, minimum 2
Sacks: 4, Sean O’Leary, 2018
Caused Fumbles: N/A, minimum 2
Fumble Recoveries: 2, Lucas Mick, 2001
Longest TD Pass: 54 Yards, Branen Lamey from Hunter Boone, 2018
Longest TD Run: 79 Yards, Hunter Jones, 2016
Longest Interception Return for a TD: 74, Branen Lamey, 2018
Longest Fumble Return for a TD: No Fumbles Returned for a TD against UC by CC ever.
Longest Punt Return for a TD: N/A, minimum 60 yards
Longest Kickoff Return for a TD: 86 Yards, T.K. Guess, 2005
Longest Field Goal: 37 Yards, Parker Johnson, 2018
Most Points Scored: 30, Rodney Robertson, 2007

2023 Class 2A, District 1 Review

Mayfield (1-0) – Beat Graves County, 42-7. Senior quarterback, Zane Cartwright (#9) was 14/17 for 215 yards with two passing TDs. The team rushed for 171 yards and four TDs. The defense forced three interceptions but gave up 294 total yards (167 R, 127 P). Next week they take on Hopkinsville (0-1).
Murray (1-0) – Beat Trigg County, 41-21. Senior quarterback, Collin Wilson (#8) was 14/21 for 212 yards and 2 passing TDs along with 67 rushing yards and two rushing TDs. As a team, the Tigers had a balanced attack for 209 rushing yards and 212 passing yards. Next week they take on Calloway County (0-1).
Caldwell County (0-1) – Lost to Hopkins Central, 20-14. Junior quarterback, Luke Parker (#1) was 10/18 for 98 yards with a TD and an INT. The Tigers had trouble moving the ball on the ground as they had 85 yards rushing on 33 attempts. The defense did force four interceptions, had five TFLs, and 3 sacks. Leading tackler was Sophomore linebacker, Cooper Mobley (#8) with 13 tackles and following close behind was Jack Roach (#9) with 11 & Cole Sherill (#73) with 10. Next week they take on Madisonville-North Hopkins (0-1).

Playoff Preview Class 2A, District 2

This will be the opposing district for the first three rounds of the playoffs.

Owensboro Catholic (1-0) – Beat Apollo, 42-6. Play at Daviess County (6A) next week.
Todd County Central (0-1) – Lost to Monroe County, 34-7. Play at Ohio County (5A) next week.
Edmonson County (0-1) – Lost to Grayson County, 7-14. Play Metcalfe County (2A) next week.
Fort Campbell (1-0) – Beat Clarksville Northwest (TN), 20-17. Play Hopkins County Central next week.

Most Games Played Against A Single Opponent
Opponent - Number of Contests (Minimum 25 Games)

56 - Russellville
55 - Caldwell County
49 - Webster County
46 - Fulton City
43 - Trigg County
42 - Ballard Memorial
39 - Fulton County
36 - Union County
27 - Reidland
25 - Murray

Record Breaker Watch

Micah Newcom

Passing Yards – Career

4. Nick Castiller – 2,814
5. Jamie Curtis - 2,813
6. Micah Newcom – 2,680
7. J.D. Gray – 2,172
8. Turner Martin – 1,840
9. Sean Thompson – 1,757

Newcom’s passing total (282 yards) from last week was the 11^th most passing yards in a single game. It was the third time he has passed for at least 275 yards in a game during the past two seasons.
Micah Newcom has 199 completions in his career which ranks 5^th all-time. Next up are Austin Berry with 227, Nick Castiller with 234, Luke Crider with 283, and Hunter Boone with 489.
Newcom now has six career games with 15 completions or more which is the second most all-time (Hunter Boone, 12).
Micah Newcom has 298 career passing attempts which is the 8th most in the category for a career. Next up are J.D. Gray (2006-2009) with 320 and Turner Martin (1978-1981) with 362.
Passing Touchdowns – Career

1. Hunter Boone (2015-2018) – 84
2. Luke Crider (2018-2021) – 49
3. Austin Berry (2002-2005) – 47
4. Micah Newcom (2020-Present) – 30
5. J.D. Gray (2006-2009) – 24

Yards of Offense (Passing and Rushing Yards) – Career

5. Nick Castiller (2012-2015) – 3,894
6. Austin Berry (2002-2005) – 3,849
7. Devon Nesbitt (2015-2018) – 3,572
8. Jamie Curtis (1989-1992) – 3,356
9. Micah Newcom (2020-Present) – 3,123
10. Jimmy Hopper (1960-1963) – 3,028 (stats incomplete)
11. Xander Tabor (2017-2020) – 3,007
12. Sean Thompson (2000-2003) – 2,987
13. Rodney Robertson (2005-2008) – 2,835

Micah Newcom has been responsible for 43 total career TDs in his career. This ranks him tied for 10^th in career TDs responsible for. Next up are Xander Tabor, Rodney Robertson, Dennis Mott with 44 and T.K. Guess with 48.
Micah Newcom has 85 career points. When he reaches 100, he will be the 37th Rocket to overtake the century mark in total career points.

Caden Howard

Consecutive Games with a Reception

11. Bobby Knox – 12 (1 reception - 2011; 11 receptions - 2012)
12. Brysen Baker – 11
13. Caden Howard – 10 (9- '22; 1- '23)
13. Branen Lamey – 10 (3- '16; 7- '17)
15. Branen Lamey – 9
15. Preston Morgeson – 9 (5- '21; 4- '22)

Gatten Travis

With five more rushing yards, Gatten Travis will surpass 1,000 career rushing yards. Only 19 players have rushed for 1,500 or more yards during their time as a Rocket.
Gatten Travis has 80 career points. When he reaches 100, he will be the 37th Rocket to overtake the century mark in total career points.
Senior, Gatten Travis has 1,225 career yards from scrimmage. With 775 more rushing and/or receiving yards, Travis would become only the 17th Rocket to have 2,000 or more yards from scrimmage.

Last Week in Review

The fumble recovery TD by Kaiden Travis was the 15^th fumble to be recovered in the end zone by a Rocket. A fumble has been recovered in the end zone by a Rocket each of the last three seasons which also happened from in the 1977, 1978, and 1979 seasons. There have been 38 fumble recoveries which resulted in TDs in school history.
Sophomore, Brayden Poindexter led the team in tackles with nine. This tackle total was also a career high for him.
The 60 offensive plays CC ran were the most in a season opener since 2014 when 63 plays were ran against Fulton City in a 37-6 win.
31 points is unusual point total in high school as not many field goals are typically kicked. That said, this was only the fourth time exactly 31 points has been scored in a game by CC (1984, 2009, 2015).
The 16 points scored in the first quarter were the most scored by the Rockets in a first quarter in the last 25 games (Webster County, 2021, 25 points).
In the last 31 games, the Rocket defense has only given up more than eight points in the first quarter only once which was the regular season game against Bethlehem last year (14 points). 14 of the 31 games have had shutout first quarters.
In the last 60 games, CC has had more first downs than they did last week only once (Trigg County, 2021, 21). Additionally, the Rockets have more than 19 first downs only three times since week 3 of the 2012 season (128 games).
Last week, CC scored double digits in the 1^st & 4^th quarters, was scoreless in the 2^nd & 3^rd quarters, & won the game. The only other time that has happened in the 728 games of Rocket football was week 1 of 2016 against Todd County. The Rockets scored 14 points in each of the first and fourth quarters and came away with a 28-14 victory.
Caden Howard’s 145 yards receiving last week were:

The most receiving yards in a game for a sophomore.
The 12^th most for anyone in a single game.
The 2^nd most in a season opener (T.K. Guess, 2005, 148 yards)
The most receiving yards by a player versus Webster County (Previous Recordholder: Ethan Dossett, 2017, 119 yards).

TRIVIA QUESTION ANSWER:
They were their team's MVP (Steve Hill, 1978 and Cliff Paddock, 1994).