Rocket shutout guarantees playoff berth

 

ELKTON, Ky. – After a sometimes difficult first half that included a couple of lopsided losses and one hard-fought district win, it was about time for the Rockets to get a walk in the park.

Crittenden County (2-4 overall) is now 2-1 in Class A First District action heading into a bye week after dispatching winless Todd County Central 36-0 in something akin to an abbreviated game.

Kaden Harrington rushing

The Rockets whitewashed the Rebels in the first half, imposing the mercy-rule running clock with just under six minutes to go before halftime. Todd’s hapless offense struggled to simply get a snap off in the shotgun formation, fumbled often and failed to cover two CCHS kickoffs. The Rebels had minus-21 yards of offense in the first half and finished with no rushing yards. Of their 73 passing yards, 43 came on one play late in the second half against the Crittenden reserves.

For the second half, the game was shortened from 12- to eight-minute quarters.

Junior starting quarterback Conner Poindexter, who missed last week’s game because of a knee injury, came back and completed all four of his attempts and threw one touchdown. 

Hayden Hughes, who had played superbly last week as backup QB, played every other offensive series in the first half, completing both of his passes, including a touchdown to Davis Perryman. Hughes also covered a kickoff in the first half, and Draven Farmer and Joel Bumpus each recovered Todd Central fumbles.

Noah Byford, who caught the game’s first scoring pass from Poindexter, also had two fumble recoveries, including one that gave the Rockets a short field on its second possession. From there CCHS scored its first of three rushing touchdowns. Eli Lovell rushed for two scores and Logan Nolan another. CCHS scored on all five first-half possessions and kicker Mitchell Brown remained perfect on the season, making all four of his PATs.

Crittenden has secured a spot in the postseason with two district wins and can improve its playoff seeding with a victory in two weeks at Rocket Stadium for homecoming against Fort Campbell.

SCORE BY QUARTERS 

Crittenden County 22 14 0 0

Todd Co. Central 0 0 0 0

SCORING PLAYS

C-Noah Byford 8 pass from Conner Poindexter (Eli Lovell run) 6:04, 1st

C-Lovell, 3 run (Mitchell Brown kick), 4:01, 1st

C-Lovell 11 pass from Poindexter (Brown kick), 2:29, 1st

C-Davis Perryman 11 pass from Hayden Hughes (Brown kick), 9:47, 2nd

C-Logan Nolan, 3 run (Brown kick), 5:09, 2nd

TEAM TOTALS

First Downs: CCHS 11, TCC 3

Penalties: CCHS 10-80, TCC 8-90

Rushing: 27-155, TCC 15-0

Passing: CCHS 8-8-0, 62; TCC 7-12-0, 73

Total Yards: CCHS 206, TCC 73

Fumbles/Lost: CCHS 5-2, TCC 7-4

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS 

Rushing

CCHS: Nolan 9-54, Joel Bumpus 5-39, Troy Daniel 5-22, Lovell 1-3, Hayden Hughes 1-22, Caden Blazina 3-16, Poindexter 3-(-1).

Passing

CCHS: Poindexter 5-5-0, 51; Hughes 2-2-0, 17; Daniel 1-1-0, (-6).

Receiving

CCHS: Hayden Hughes 2-36, Byford 1-8, Lovell 2-6, Perryman 1-11. Kaden Herrington 1-7, Dalton Murray 1-(-6).

Defense: Byford 3 solos, 2 TFL, 2 fumble recoveries; Murray 3 solos, assist, caused fumble, TFL; Perryman assist, roach; J.Rich roach; Hewitt assist; Lovell 2 solos; Nash solo, assist, TFL; A.Rich 3 solos, assist, TFL; Bumpus solo; Counts solo, assist; Croft 3 solos, 2 TFL; Herrington 2 solos, assist, TFL, sack; Hughes solo, assist, fumble recovery; Daniel fumble recovery; Walters solo, assist, 2 roaches; Farmer roach.

Records: CCHS 3-4 (2-1), TCC 0-7, 0-3