CADIZ, Ky. – Standing just 5-foot-5 and weighing 120 pounds, Trae Taylor doesn’t tower over many opponents, but on Friday night he loomed largest of all. The Crittenden County senior turned a desperate fourth-down catch into a 20-yard touchdown, weaving through tacklers to all but clinch a 33-24 district victory at Trigg County.
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| Noah Byford after a catch at Trigg. |
On fourth-and-10 midway through the fourth quarter, quarterback Quinn Summers was flushed from the pocket and dumped a desperation pass toward the sideline. Taylor hauled it in, cut back to the middle and twisted through tacklers on a determined 20-yard scoring strike. The touchdown pushed the Rockets ahead by nine with 5:50 left and effectively sealed the 33-24 road victory Friday night in Cadiz.
“It was a desperate play,” Taylor said. “Quinn threw it out real late and I just knew I had to make a play on 4th and 10. We needed this win, coach had been talking about it all week... a big district game.”
The Rockets (3-3, 1-1) had squandered earlier chances to build a big lead with a pair of interceptions and a botched kickoff coverage. Trigg’s workhorse Davaree Gude, pressed into quarterback duty with the starter sidelined, punished Crittenden with 190 rushing yards and four touchdowns to keep the Wildcats (1-5, 0-2) within striking distance.
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| Kaden Herrington makes a tackle |
Summers carried 15 times for 153 yards and a score while throwing for 195 yards and two touchdowns, including strikes to Davis Perryman and Caden Howard. Taylor added 70 rushing yards and 58 receiving, finishing with two trips to the end zone.
The Rocket running game was key to the win as Crittenden gained 257 yards on the ground. The Rockets had managed just 350 rushing yards in the previous five games.
Coach Gaige Courtney praised his team’s resilience two key starters out before the opening snap and another, Hunter Curnel, was hurt early in the game and had to be taken to the hospital with an ankle injury.
“It was a great game back and forth,” Courtney said. “At the end, Quinn gets it to Trae, he breaks two or three tackles and takes it to the house. Outstanding play and individual effort.”
Crittenden will celebrate Homecoming Thursday when Todd County Central visits Rocket Stadium next week for another district matchup.
Crittenden 13 7 6 7
Trigg Co. 6 6 6 6
SCORING PLAYS
C-Quinn Summers 3 run (conversion failed) 10:52, 1st
T-Davaree Gude 6 run (kick blocked) 7:18, 1st
C-Davis Perryman 2 pass from Summers (Mitchell Brown kick) 3:38, 1st
C-Caden Howard 21 pass from Summers (Brown kick) :34, 2nd
T-Gude 8 run (kick failed) :10, 2nd
T-Gude 28 run (run failed) 10:48, 3rd
C-Trae Taylor 6 run (Brown kick failed) 2;35, 3rd
T-Gude 6 run (run failed) 10:54, 4th
C-Taylor 20 pass from Summers (Brown kick) 5:50, 4th
TEAM. TOTALS
First Downs: CCHS 21, TCHS 15
Rushing: CCHS 26-227, TCHS 41-252
Passing: CCHS 17-35-2, 195; TCHS 1-5-0, 3
Total Yards: CCHS 422, TCHS 255
Penalties; CCHS 9-80, TCHS 13-100
Fumbles/Lost: CCHS 1-0, TCHS 0-0
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing
CCHS: Summeres 15-153, Taylor 10-70. TCHS: Gude 29-190, Peyton Williams 2-27, Ahman Alexander 7-18, Deantee Edison 3-17.
Passing
CCHS: Summers 17-35-2, 195. TCHS: Gude 1-5-0, 3.
Receiving
CCHS: Taylor 5-58, Howard 4-56, Noah Byford 2-18, Perryman 3-14, Brayden Poindexter 2-21, Eli Lovell 1-27. TCHS: Wiliams 1-2.
Records: CCHS 3-3 (1-1), Trigg 1-5 (0-2)
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| Quinn Summers (12) holding for kicker Mitchell Brown |
