The 11th-ranked Aces scored all their points in the first half and Crittenden finally punched in a touchdown late in the game to avoid the shutout. Catholic beat the Rockets 58-0 last year in the 2A post-season opener.
Crittenden started the season 3-1, but lost its final six games by a cumulative score of 237-17. The Rockets finish the year at 3-7 and winless in 2A First Region play. Crittenden played just nine regular season games.
The season was clouded by several injuries to an already young and inexperienced team. Senior quarterback Travis Gilbert was hurt at the midway point of the season and never returned. Several other key injuries played a part in Crittenden's disappointing season, and the team was also hit hard by the diagnosis of its longtime coach, Al Starnes, with colon cancer and his wife, Angela, with breast cancer a few weeks later.
Hartz, who has put up numbers very similar to those of Caldwell County quarterback Elijah Sindelar, has received much less attention. College recruiters have hardly noticed his 3,248 yards passing this season. Hartz completed nearly every pass he threw as his receivers were open in the Rocket secondary throughout the first half. Hartz did not play in the second half. As a junior last year, he threw for 200 yards against Crittenden in the playoffs.
Rocket seniors Micah Hollamon, Brenden Phillips, Daniel Wagoner, Zach Tinsley and Cody Caraway all played their final games in a Rocket uniform. All were key components in this year's team, as was Gilbert before his injury.
Junior running back Lane Wallace, who rushed for 761 yards this season – including 28 against the Aces – was named to the All-Western Kentucky Conference Team.
Sophomore Nick Castiller led Crittenden in rushing at Owensboro. He entered the game in the second half when Wallace was injured and left the game. Castiller rushed for 52 yards.
The Rockets will play in Class 2A for at least one more season before reclassification, at which time it is anticipated that enrollment will put Crittenden back in Class A.
Sophomore Nick Castiller led Crittenden in rushing at Owensboro. He entered the game in the second half when Wallace was injured and left the game. Castiller rushed for 52 yards.
The Rockets will play in Class 2A for at least one more season before reclassification, at which time it is anticipated that enrollment will put Crittenden back in Class A.
Rockets Brenden Phillips (20) and Nick Greenwell (34) try to get a bead on Aces running back Jonathan Garner. |
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Crittenden County 0 0 0 7
Owensboro Catholic 21 29 0 0
SCORING PLAYS
OC-Matthew Norcia 8 pass from Houston Hartz (Andrew McIntosh kick) 9:46, 1st
OC-Jonathan Garner 1 pass from Hartz (McIntosh kick) 7:10, 1st
OC-Jason Toth 8 pass from Hartz (McIntosh kick) 4:47, 1st
OC-Joseph Mills 20 pass from Hartz (McIntosh kick) 10:08, 2nd
OC-Ryan Clark 26 pass from Hartz (McIntosh kick) 9:36, 2nd
OC-Jantzen Riney 33 pass from Hartz (McIntosh kick) 7:41, 2nd
OC-Clark 50 pass from Hartz (Toth pass from Riney) :16, 2nd
CC-Noah Dickerson 1 run (Micah Hollamon kick) 5:01, 4th
TEAM TOTALS
First Downs: Crittenden 8, O'Cath 13
Penalties: Crittenden 3-25, O'Cath 5-40
Rushing: 37-138, O'Cath 15-83
Passing: Crittenden 4-9-2, 31 yds., O'Cath 19-25-1, 380 yds.
Total Yards: Crittenden 169, O'Cath 463
Fumles/Lost: Crittenden 0-0, O'Cath 0-0
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing
Crittenden: Nick Castiller 7-52, Brenden Phillips 13-40, Lane Wallace 14-28, Dickerson 3-18. O'Cath: Garner 10-51, Christopher McKay 3-21, Hartz 1-7, Maddex Richardson 1-4.
Passing
Crittenden: Dickerson 4-9-2, 31 yds. O'Cath: Hartz 17-20-0, 375; Richardson 2-5-1, 5 yds.
Receiving
Crittenden: Wallace 2-13, Phillips 1-13, Alex Cosby 1-5. O'Cath: Norcia 5-114, Joseph Mills 3-47, Riney 4-95, Toth 3-43, Garner 1-1, Clark 2-76, McKay 1-1, Weston Jacob 1-4.
Defense
Caraway solo; Phillips 3 solos, 3 assists, TFL; Tinsley 4 solos, 5 assists; Wagoner solo, 2 assists; Dickerson 5 solos, 3 assists, interception; Wallace 4 solos, assist; Belt solo, assist; Castiller 4 solos, assist; Cosby 2 solos; Fitzgerald solo, 2 assists; Hollis 3 solos, assist; T.McKinney solo, 4 assists.
Defense
Caraway solo; Phillips 3 solos, 3 assists, TFL; Tinsley 4 solos, 5 assists; Wagoner solo, 2 assists; Dickerson 5 solos, 3 assists, interception; Wallace 4 solos, assist; Belt solo, assist; Castiller 4 solos, assist; Cosby 2 solos; Fitzgerald solo, 2 assists; Hollis 3 solos, assist; T.McKinney solo, 4 assists.
Records: Crittenden 3-7, O'Cath 9-2