Nesbitt scores 7 times in win over Ballard

Devon Nesbitt set a couple of school records with
his performance at Ballard Memorial.

MARION, Ky. – Devon Nesbitt has had his share of big games. A three-year starter, the senior Rocket running back has piled up 2,666 yards in his career – sixth most in school history – and was the district’s player of the year as a sophomore.

He’s no stranger to the spotlight.

But Friday at Ballard Memorial, Nesbitt’s star was shining like a hypergiant. He scored seven times – including three straight in the fourth period – after the Bombers had closed the gap and were within 10 points of tying a game Crittenden County had thought it controlled early on.

Nesbitt returned a kickoff for a touchdown, rushed for five and caught a 43-yard scoring pass from quarterback Hunter Boone to rewrite the team record book and lead the Rockets to a 58-28 victory.

Nesbitt’s 344 all-purpose yards for the non-district game is no doubt way up there on the list of such personal performances in Rocket history, but those statistics haven’t been archived. What’s certain is this was an extra-terrestrial effort for a guy who’s well grounded and focused on the mission.

“Coach Thompson kept telling us we had to finish,” Nesbitt said. “I was so I tired. I just wanted to go home. I just did what I had to do.” See more comments on video below.

Nesbitt said he’d drawn a particular bead on this game because a penalty he was flagged for on a Branen Lamey kickoff return in last year’s 74-70 loss to Ballard. 

“It was kind of my fault so I wanted to come into this one and do what I needed to do,” he said.

Crittenden jumped out a 25-6 lead early and was ahead 31-12 at the break.

“We did a great job after that let down in the second half,” Rocket coach Sean Thompson said. See more comments on video below.

Ballard (2-4) scored twice in the second half and tacked on both conversions to close the gap to 10 early in the fourth period. That’s when Nesbitt went berserk on offense, scoring three straight rushing touchdowns and the defense held Ballard on three straight fourth-down attempts deep in Rocket territory. 

Boone threw for 282 yards in the first half as the Rockets mounted their early lead. That was a school record by two yards. His counterpart, Ballard’s Eric Marinelli attempted 47 passes in the game and completed half of them for 372 yards. Boone finished with 361 and Ethan Dossett had six catches for 148 yards. Ballard’s Trenton Howard had a big game, too, catching 13 passes for 209 yards.

Several Rockets suffered injuries during the game, the extent of which is unknown at this time. Sophomore linebacker Tyler Boone didn’t play the second half because of a weeklong hip injury. Senior lineman Devin Porter and sophomore lineman Lathen Easley were carried to the sideline in the second half with leg injuries. Easley had 2.5 sacks in the game at Ballard.

Crittenden, now 6-1 overall and 1-0 in the Class A First District, will turns its attention back to divisional play next week when Fulton County comes to Marion.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Crittenden Co. 19 12 7 20

Ballard Memorial 6 6 8 8

SCORING PLAYS

C-Ethan Dossett 64 pass from Hunter Boone (Parker Johnson kick) 11:09, 1st

C-Devon Nesbitt 5 run (run failed) 6:33, 1st

B-Hunter Bray 1 run (kick failed) 2:25, 1st

C-Nesbitt 84 kickoff return (pass failed) 2:07, 1st

C-Dossett 21 pass from Boone (pass failed) 7:52, 2nd

B-Drew Cox 18 pass from Eric Marinelli (kick fails) 3:49, 2nd

C-Nesbitt 3 run (pass failed) 2:44, 2nd

C-Nesbitt 43 pass from Boone (Johnson kick) 9:24, 3rd

B-Trenton Howard 14 pass from Marinelli (Cox pass from Marinelli) 1:05, 3rd

B-Howard 19 pass from Marinelli (Cox pass from Marinelli) 10:55, 4th

C-Nesbitt 44 run (Johnson kick) 8:40, 4th

C-Nesbitt 34 run (kick failed) 5:22, 4th

C-Nesbitt 13 run (Johnson kick) 3:14, 4th

TEAM TOTALS

First Downs: Crittenden 14, Ballard 19

Penalties: Crittenden 5-60, Ballard 5-40

Rushing: Crittenden 22-227, Ballard 37-69

Passing: Crittenden 15-30-2, 361 yds., Ballard 23-47-0, 372 yds.

Total Yards: Crittenden 588 Ballard 441

Fumbles/Lost: Crittenden 0-0, Ballard 5-0

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing

Crittenden: Nesbitt 19-190, H.Boone 3-37. Ballard: Hunter Bray 24-101, Marinelli 10-(-32), Howard 2-0, Trevor Howard 1-0.

Passing

Crittenden: H.Boone 15-30-2, 361 yds. Ballard: Marinelli 23-47-0, 372 yds.

Receiving

Crittenden: Ethan Dossett 6-148, Nesbitt 3-70, Branen Lamey 2-56, Tyler Boone 1-57, Payton Riley 3-30. Ballard: Trenton Howard 13-209, Cox 8-148, Parker Rathman 2-15.
Defense
Dickerson 8 solos, 8 assists; Johnson solo; Joyce solo, assist; Lamey 2 solos; Nesbitt 2 solos; O’Leary 4 solos, 5 assists, 2 sacks; Riley 4 solos, 2 assists; caused fumble; Guess 3 solos, assist; Jones 7 solos; T.Boone 7 solos; Easley 9 solos, 2 assists, TFL, 3 sacks, caused fumble; Tabor 6 solos, assist; Winders 9 solos, 2 assists; Yates assist.
Players of the Game
Defense Lathen Easley and Gavin Dickerson, Offense Devon Nesbitt, Special Teams Devon Nesbitt, Lineman Devin Porter.

Records: Crittenden 6-1, Ballard 2-5