Union City blanks Rockets in lopsided affair

UNION CITY, Tenn. — A disappointed Coach Gaige Courtney placed the blame everywhere – including on himself – after Crittenden County suffered a 37-0 road loss Friday at Union City.

“Super disappointed. We just work too hard for this to lay an egg like we did. We have to do better. There is no excuse for what happened,” the sixth-year Rocket coach said. “The coaches have to do better. Players have to do better. We just have to be better.”

Crittenden (1-3) will have little time to regroup. The Rockets open Class 2A First District play at home next week against perennial power Mayfield, a team favored to win the district title. 

“From the start we dug ourselves a hole. You could tell we were not ready to play. We had missed assignments, misalignments and were undisciplined from the very first drive,” Courtney said.

Union City needed only one offensive snap to take control. Kinydee Taylor raced 71 yards for a touchdown just 39 seconds into the game, beginning a first-half avalanche.

The Golden Tornadoes scored four times and added a safety in the opening quarter, building a 23-0 advantage. Two more touchdowns in the second period pushed the margin to 37-0 and put Tennessee’s mercy rule into effect at halftime.

The running clock made quick work of a scoreless second half.

Crittenden had an opportunity to break up the shutout after senior Dalton Murray recovered a Union City fumble in Golden Tornado territory late in the game. The Rockets drove to the doorstep of the end zone, but an incomplete pass as time expired ended their bid to get on the scoreboard.

Bright spots were few. Hayden Hughes intercepted a pass, and senior Noah Byford caught four passes for 90 yards.

Crittenden finished with minus-10 yards rushing and 101 through the air. Much of the passing yardage came on two gadget plays. Eli Lovell completed a 28-yard pass on a fake punt, and Hughes connected for 31 yards on another trick play that moved Crittenden into Union City territory.

Quarterback Conner Poindexter completed 5-of-19 passes for 42 yards but was intercepted twice. Both picks came with the Rockets threatening to score. Poindexter had thrown only one interception through the season’s first three games.

Union City amassed 439 yards, including 323 on just 23 rushing attempts – an average of 14 yards per carry. Taylor scored on a 71-yard run and later caught an 84-yard touchdown pass.

“They are a good, physical football team. Give them credit,” Courtney said. “But this was ridiculous. We have to come out and play better. There is a lot of season left and I still believe we are a good football team, but we have got to play better than we did tonight.”

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Crittenden Co.  0  0 0 0

Union City 23 14 0 0

SCORING PLAYS

UC-Kinydee Taylor 71 run (Alex Landeros kick) 11:21, 1st

UC-Jack Theobald 33 run (kick good) 7:51, 1st

UC-Safety, 6;03, 1st

UC-Grant Sinclair 1 run (kick good) 3:21, 1st

UC-Sinclair 2 run (kick good) 7:33, 2nd

UC-Taylor 84 pass from Theobald (kick good) 2:50, 2nd

TEAM TOTALS

First Downs: CCHS 6, UCHS 13

Penalties: CCHS 4-20, UCHS 4-30

Rushing: CCHS 15-(-10), UCHS 23-323

Passing: CCHS 7-21-2, 101, 4-6-1, 116

Total Yards: CCHS 91, UCHS 439

Fumbles/Lost: 1-0, 1-1

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing

CCHS: Joel Bumpus 1-5, Eli Lovell 1-6, Conner Poindexter 11-(-21).

Passing

CCHS: Poindexter 5-19-2, 42; Lovell 1-1-0, 28; Hughes 1-1-0, 31.

Receiving

CCHS: Noah Byford 4-90, Hughes 3-11.

Defense

Check back later.

Records: CCHS 1-3, Union City 1-3

Week 4 takes Rockets to West Tennessee

 

Rocket Football Coach’s Show is brought to you by local partners and The Crittenden Press. Join Coach Gaige Courtney and host Chris Evans – plus other special guests – as they discuss the upcoming game and provide insights into the football program. For more, including stats, photos, articles, history and team records see RocketsFootball.com.

WHITETAIL PROPERTIES

Mark Williams Land Team

--------

Curnel Ag

Farmers Bank and Trust Co

First United Bank

USA Mortgage, Darrick Myers

Johnson’s Furniture and Appliance

Full Body Fitness Studio Serena Dickerson trainer 

YTG Insurance, Tanner Tabor agent

Hodge’s Sports and Apparel

C-Plant Federal Credit Union 

Livingston Hospital | Deaconess

H&H Home and Hardware

Par 4 Plastics

Beavers Heating and Air

Gilbert Funeral Home

Barrett Sherer Taxidermy and Barn Reclamation

Dr. Johnny Newcom, chiropractor

Grant Gardner Seal Coating

Megan Roberts Chiropractic

Crittenden captures first win with shutout

DIXON, Ky. — A little offensive improvisation and a whole lot of Webster County generosity opened the gate for Crittenden County’s first victory of the season Friday night.

The Rockets capitalized on turnovers and outstanding field position to blank the Trojans 49-0, snapping a two-game skid and triggering a running clock in the third quarter.

Crittenden scored on all seven of its eight varsity possessions that began in Webster territory. Four first-half scoring drives started on the Trojans’ side of midfield, including two inside the red zone, as the Rockets built a 28-0 halftime lead.

Hayden Hughes and Camden Nash recovered first-half fumbles, and Webster’s most promising drive ended with another turnover at the Crittenden 8-yard line. Nash gathered in another fumble in the second half and Caden Blazina got one, too.

Quarterback Conner Poindexter directed an offense that traded its familiar spread formations for a

 

Hunter Curnel and the Rocket defense swarm a ballcarrier

more ground-oriented, power approach in the first half. The junior completed 8-of-9 passes for 60 yards and two touchdowns while rushing eight times for 107 yards and two more scores.

Poindexter broke loose for touchdown runs of 26 and 35 yards and threw scoring passes of five yards to Hughes and 10 yards to Noah Byford.

Eli Lovell scored twice on short runs and caught three passes for a team-high 30 yards. Blazina capped the scoring with a 10-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

Kicker Mitchell Brown was perfect on seven extra-point attempts.

Hayden Hughes on the rush

Crittenden rushed for 179 yards and finished with 239 yards of offense despite running only 39 plays. The Rocket defense limited Webster’s ground-oriented Wing-T and single-wing attack to 60 yards and five first downs. The Trojans did not attempt a pass.

“It feels good to get on the winning side of things. That was kind of the story from tonight,” sixth-year head coach Gaige Courtney said.

“We took care of business. There were some times early that I thought we had come out slow, but the second half we came out and played, especially the younger guys.”

The victory was just what Crittenden needed after coming within one play of winning each of its first two games. The Rockets improved to 1-2 while Webster fell to 0-3 after previously losing 56-14 to Calloway County and 63-0 to Muhlenberg County.

Crittenden makes a long road trip next week to face Union City, Tenn.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Crittenden County 14 14 14 7

Webster County    0 0 0 0

SCORING PLAYS

C-Eli Lovell 2 run (Mitchell Brown kick) 7:16, 1st

C-Conner Poindexter 26 run ((Brown kick) 3:16, 1st

C-Hayden Hughes 5 pass from Poindexter (Brown kick) 4:00, 2nd

C-Lovell 1 run (Brown kick) 3:23, 2nd

C-Noah Byford 10 pass from Poindexter (Brown kick) 10:27, 3rd

C-Poindexter 35 run (Brown kick) 5:18, 3rd

C-Caden Blazina 10 run (Brown kick) 4:19, 4th

TEAM TOTALS

First Downs: CCHS 7, WCHS 5

Penalties: CCHS 8-65, WCHS 6-65

Rushing: CCHS 30-179, WCHS 32-60

Passing: CCHS 8-9-0, 60; WCHS none

Total Yards: WCHS 239, WCHS 60

Fumbles/Lost: CCHS 2-0, WCHS 4-0

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing

CCHS: Poindexter 8-107, Joel Bumpus 6-24, Byford 1-1, Lovell 5-26, Blazina 4-11, Troy Daniel 3-12, Hayden Hughes 1-(-1), Alex Hewitt 1-(-1). WCHS: Christopher Newman 8-32, Wes Alexander 2-14, Aydin Claybrooke 5-12.

Passing

CCHS: Poindexter 8-9-0, 60. WCHS none.

Receiving

CCHS: Lovell 3-30, Byford 2-15, Davis Perryman 2-10, Hughes 1-5.

Defense

Byford 4 solos, assist; Murray solo, TFL, caused fumble; Nolan solo; Perryman 2 solos, roach; J.Rich 2 assists; Blazina solo, assist, caused fumble, fumble recovery; Curnel 3 solos, 2 assists, TFL, roach; Lovell 3 solos. TFL; Nash 3 solos, 2 assists, 3 TFLs, 2 fumble recoveries; A.Rich 2 solos, 4 assists, TFL, roach; Bumpus 5 solos, assist, TFL; Burns solo, roach; Hughes 3 solos, 3 assists, TFL; Farmer solo.

Players of the Game: Offense Conner Poindexter; Defense Camden Nash; Special Teams Mitchell Brown; Lineman Jake Rich.

Records: CCHS 1-2, WCHS 0-3.

Rockets head to WC hungry for first win

 

Rocket Football Coach’s Show is brought to you by local partners and The Crittenden Press. Join Coach Gaige Courtney and host Chris Evans – plus other special guests – as they discuss the upcoming game and provide insights into the football program. For more, including stats, photos, articles, history and team records see RocketsFootball.com.

WHITETAIL PROPERTIES

Mark Williams Land Team

--------

Curnel Ag

Farmers Bank and Trust Co

First United Bank

USA Mortgage, Darrick Myers

Johnson’s Furniture and Appliance

Full Body Fitness Studio Serena Dickerson trainer 

YTG Insurance, Tanner Tabor agent

Hodge’s Sports and Apparel

C-Plant Federal Credit Union 

Livingston Hospital | Deaconess

H&H Home and Hardware

Par 4 Plastics

Beavers Heating and Air

Gilbert Funeral Home

Barrett Sherer Taxidermy and Barn Reclamation

Dr. Johnny Newcom, chiropractor

Grant Gardner Seal Coating

Megan Roberts Chiropractic

Rockets looking for a little more magic

MORGANFIELD, Ky. — For the second straight week, Crittenden County reached into its hat for some last-second magic. Once again, the Rockets nearly produced a rabbit, but couldn’t quite finish the trick.

Crittenden scored on the game’s final play but failed on a 2-point conversion, allowing Union County to escape with a 21-20 victory Friday in the Braves’ home opener.

QB Conner Poindexter

“I hate it for our guys. They just work so hard,” sixth-year Rocket coach Gaige Courtney said. “They’re hurting, and I’m hurting. Everybody puts so much into it, and to come up short hurts. But just like last week, I am proud of them. I just want them to be rewarded with wins.”

CCHS lost 22-15 on the final play of its home opener a week earlier to Marshall County.

In this one, trailing 21-14, Crittenden took possession with less than a minute remaining. From Union’s 33-yard line, quarterback Conner Poindexter heaved a final pass into a crowd in the left corner of the end zone.

Union intercepted the pass and was flagged for interference, but senior Davis Perryman punched the ball loose. Sophomore Hayden Hughes recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown, pulling the Rockets within 21-20.

Crittenden declined the penalty and, without hesitation, went for the win. The Rockets called a time-tested rollout pass that has delivered plenty of magic through the years, giving the quarterback multiple options. This time, however, the pass fell incomplete.

RB Joel Bumpus
On defense Bumpus had 17 solo tackles

The game had an old-fashioned flavor until the final minutes. Crittenden led 7-6 at halftime on Poindexter’s 27-yard touchdown pass to Eli Lovell. Union then turned to a straight-ahead, smash-mouth rushing attack and carried a 14-7 lead into the fourth quarter.

Poindexter and Lovell connected again for a 38-yard touchdown to tie the game with 5:24 remaining. Lovell caught four passes for 105 yards.

Union answered with a long drive, highlighted by Chris Grissom’s 37-yard run to the two. Landon French scored from there on QB sneak with 42 seconds left. Grissom finished with 198 yards on 28 carries as Union rushed for 264 yards. 

The Braves fumbled four times and Crittenden didn't have a turnover in the contest. So, despite trailing significantly in total yards, CCHS managed to keep it close.

“We will hurt together and continue to grow,” Courtney said. “This team is going to win some football games. They are growing and getting better.”

Crittenden fell to 0-2, while Union improved to 1-1.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Crittenden Co. 7 0 0 13

Union County 0 6 8 7 

SCORING PLAYS

CC-Eli Lovell 27 pass from Conner Poindexter (Mitchell Brown kick) 7:03, 1st

UC-Landon French 3 run (run failed) 4:56, 2nd

UC-Carsyn Arnett 7 run (pass good) 2:19, 3rd

CC-Lovell 38 pass from Poindexter (Brown kick) 5:24, 4th

UC-French 2 run (kick good) :42, 4th

CC-Hayden Hughes fumble recovery in end zone (pass failed) :00, 4th

TEAM TOTALS

First Downs: CCHS 6, UCHS 15

Penalties: 7-51, UCHS 8-60

Rushing: CCHS 24-65, UCHS 42-264

Passing: CCHS 7-17-0, 117, UCHS 7-13-0, 48

Total Yards: CCHS 182, UCHS 312

Fumbles/Lost: CCHS 0-0, UCHS 5-4

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing

CCHS-Lovell 3-19, Joel Bumpus 5-17, Azariah Rich 13, Logan Nolan 1(-2), Poindexter 13-29. UCHS-Chris Grissom 28-198, Carsyn Arnett 6-49.

Passing

CCHS-Poindexter 7-17-0, 117. UCHS-French 7-13-0, 48.

Receiving

CCHS-Lovell 4-105, Davis Perryman 1-15, Noah Byford 2-(-3). UCHS-Gavyn Black 2-27, Cole Edwards 3-7.

Defense

Byford 3 solos, assist; Logan 3 solos, 2 assists; Perryman, 3 solos, assist, caused fumble, roach; Blazina solo, 2 assists, fumble recovery; Curnel 4 solos, 2 assists, 2 roaches; Lovell 6 solos, assist; Nash 2 solos, 2 assists, sack, fumble recovery; Phillips 3 assists; A.Rich 5 solos, 3 assists, caused fumble; Bumpus 17 solos, assist, 3 TFLs, caused fumble; Counts 4 solos, assists; Herrington solo, assist; Hughes 4 solos, fumble recovery; Sherer 3 assists, caused fumble, fumble recovery. 

Players of the Game: Defense Joel Bumpus, Offense Eli Lovell, Lineman Hunter Curnel, Special Teams Mitchell Brown.

Records: CCHS 0-2, UCHS 1-1