District games start with a bang
Published 9:10 am Thursday, October 6, 2016
Garrard County (4-2) at Boyle County (3-3)
7:30 p.m. Friday, at Rebel Stadium
Last week: Garrard Co., bye week; Boyle Co., bye wekk
State rankings: Garrard Co., Class 3A No. 9; Boyle Co., Class 3A No. 5
Last meeting: Boyle Co., 48-0 (Oct. 9, 2015)
WHEN GARRARD COUNTY HAS THE BALL
Offense: Prior to the bye week, the Golden Lions had won two straight games (East Jessamine, Lloyd Memorial). … RB Jared Foley has rushed for 355 yards and five scores, averaging 6.57 yards per carry, in those two wins. … In last season’s loss, Foley managed 39 yards on 13 carries as Garrard totaled 79 rushing yards.
Defense: The Rebels are giving up an average of 126.3 rushing yards over their last three games. … Evan Tarter is tied for the area lead with four interceptions. … Kaden Gervacio averages nearly 10 tackles per game.
WHEN BOYLE COUNTY HAS THE BALL
Offense: The Rebels had won three straight games entering their bye week. … RBs Tanner Crawford (42 rushes, 310 yards, 6 TDs) and Gunner Ashburn (34-240-4) each have averaged over 7 yards per carry in that stretch. … QB Sam Tiller has been intercepted once in the last three games, throwing for seven scores and 509 yards while completing 68.8 percent of his passes.
Defense: Anthony Justus leads the team with three interceptions. … Jacob Foley has 25 tackles and two interceptions. … Sammy Smith has 40 tackles.
4th And Goal: This is the final home game of the regular season for the Rebels. They close with games at Lexington Catholic, Western Hills and Dunbar. … Garrard has scored nearly as many points (147) as it’s given up (148).
Quick take: Two great coaches, two great programs — this game should be the best of the weekend.
Somerset (4-2) at Danville (5-1)
7:30 p.m. Friday, at Admiral Stadium
Last week: Danville def. Campbellsville, 42-6; Somerset def. Caverna, 46-8
State rankings: Somerset, Class 2A No. 9; Danville, Class 2A No. 4
Last meeting: Danville, 24-7 (Oct. 9, 2015)
WHEN SOMERSET HAS THE BALL
Offense: Danville coach Clay Clevenger said Jumpers RB Jordan Doan will probably be the best running back they face this year. … Doan, a 5-foot-6, 155 pound senior has rushed for 746 yards and eight scores this year entering last week’s win over Caverna. … QB Mason Reese has thrown for 530 yards and six scores, but he’s been picked off seven times. … Doan didn’t rush the ball once in last year’s game, and Reese didn’t attempt a pass.
Defense: The Ads allowed 21 rushing yards in last year’s game. … Danville gives up less than 260 yards per game. … Dmauriae VanCleave is tied for the area lead with four interceptions.
WHEN DANVILLE HAS THE BALL
Offense: QB Zach Dampier is 184 yards away from throwing for 7,000 yards in his career. … The senior has 75 touchdowns. … RB Donlevy Harris is averaging 8.4 yards per rush this year, scoring nine touchdowns to lead the ground game. … Dampier threw for 218 yards and one score in last year’s meeting.
Defense: The Jumpers average two takeaways per game. … Senior LB Patrick Ousler averages over six tackles per game. … The Jumpers allow 279 yards per game.
4th And Goal: Clevenger hasn’t lost to Somerset since taking over at Danville, going 3-0. … This is the last of three straight road games for the Jumpers. … The Jumpers are averaging nearly seven wins per season over the last five years.
Quick take: Few rivalries have been around longer or been as heated as this one. Get ready for what should be another classic.
West Jessamine (3-4) at Mercer County (3-4)
7:30 p.m. Friday, at Alvis Johnson Field
Last week: West Jessamine def. Marion Co., 57-21; Mercer Co. lost to East Jessamine, 30-27
Last meeting: Mercer Co., 44-11 (Oct. 9, 2015)
WHEN WEST JESSAMINE HAS THE BALL
Offense: The Colts average only 181 yards per game. … RB Allen Horne averages 35 rushing yards per game, and he’s scored three times. … QB Marcus Jones averages 101 passing yards, with Greer Stone and Jamesy Swentzel targeted the most.
Defense: Trevon Faulker had two interceptions last week. He now leads the team with three picks for 112 return yards… LB Grayson Blevins has 92 tackles (13.14 per game).
WHEN MERCER COUNTY HAS THE BALL
Offense: The Titans will be without senior RB D Smith, who is out with a high ankle sprain. … QB Gunnar Gillis has thrown for 1,033 yards and eight TDs. … WR Tanner Robins has caught 20 passes for 315 yards with two scores. … RB Grayson Blevins led the team with 61 rushing yards and a score last week.
Defense: Junior LB Josh Jasper averages nearly eight tackles per game. … Sophomore lineman Andrew Dabbain has two fumble recoveries.
4th And Goal: The Titans have won five straight over the Colts, winning by an average of 20 points per game. … The Colts have gone 9-30 since Yancey Marcum took over in 2013.
Quick take: The Titans need a win here to keep hopes of a repeat district title alive, but they’ll have to do it without one of their best players.
Lincoln County (1-5) at Pulaski County (5-1)
7:30 p.m. Friday, at Pulaski County High School
Last week: Lincoln Co., bye week; Pulaski Co. def. Henry Clay, 40-21
State rankings: Pulaski Co., Class 5A No. 5
Last meeting: Pulaski Co., 63-0 (Nov. 13, 2015)
WHEN LINCOLN CO. HAS THE BALL
Offense: In the three games before the bye week, RB Tra Carey had ripped through some big yardage, rushing for 449 yards on 77 carries with six TDs. He averaged 5.8 yards per carry. … QB Tanner McAninch has 768 yards of offense with 10 total TDs. … The Patriots average 196.5 yards per game.
Defense: FS Jake Johnson has four interceptions and two fumble recoveries. He returned one pick for a score. … Rickey Maxey (63 tackles) and Jackson Mobley (60) lead the team from their inside linebacker spots.
WHEN PULASKI CO. HAS THE BALL
Offense: The Maroons have passed for 812 yards and rushed for 820 this year. … RB Jaylon Conwell has 407 rushing yards and two scores. … QB Matt Hendricks has thrown for 738 yards and seven TDs, completing over 65 percent of his passes. … Conwell rushed for 109 yards and a score in last year’s playoff win.
Defense: The Pats have seven fumble recoveries, with senior DE/OLB Emmanuel Beasley (6-foot-1, 170 pounds) recovering three fumbles. … They have allowed more than 40 points nine times over the last three seasons.
4th And Goal: Pulaski has won the last seven meetings by an average score of 49.4-15.1. … Carey has rushed for 1,169 yards and 11 TDs over the last two years.
Quick take: It’s gonna take everything Lincoln has to pull off the upset … but then again, as the old saying goes, that’s why they play the games on the field and not paper.
Follow Jeremy Schneider on Twitter @jschneideramn