Crestwood – The final game of the regular season is reserved for special excitement in Oldham County, as the Oldham County Colonels and their rivals from Crestwood, the South Oldham Dragons, tangle in the traditional year-end battle for county supremacy. Separated by just five miles along highway 146, the two schools play for the Trent Diguiro trophy, in honor of the late South Oldham star who worked his way up from walk-on status at the University of Kentucky to ultimately a starting role on the Wildcats’ team.

This year’s game had an extra-special buzz surrounding it, as the two teams entered the game not just fighting for bragging rights, but also for the right to go on to next week’s playoffs. The winner would finish fourth in Region 3, District 5 and play the Sixth District’s champion; the loser would close out their season.

Both teams entered the game with 4-5 records, strong defenses, and erratic offenses. Most observers expected a close game, unless Oldham could exploit its advantage in speed.

Speed kills.

Scoring touchdowns the first four times they touched the ball, and on six of eight first half possessions, the Colonels blew the game open in less than a quarter. Instead of a tightly-contested ballgame, Oldham led, 28-9 after one period, matching last year’s margin after one quarter (the Colonels led, 19-0, after one period in last year’s game).

Oldham got started fast. After Miles Brewer returned the opening kickoff to the Oldham 38 yard line, it took just one play for the Colonels to put the ball in the end zone. Sophomore running back Kevin Bramblett took a handoff, ran to the right, and lofted a halfback pass to a wide-open Miles Brewer, who raced 62 yards to put Oldham on top, 6-0. Nick Hoover made it 7-0 with point after.

The Dragons struck back quickly. Brian Kennedy fielded the ensuing kickoff at his own 19 yard line and ran, nearly untouched, straight up the middle of the field, 81 yards for the touchdown. Senior Justin Willis booted through the tying extra point to make it a 7-7 game just 37 seconds into the contest.

But the first minute of the game would see yet another score. On the first play of the Colonels’ second possession, Kevin Bramblett burst through the line and easily won a footrace to the end zone from 65 yards out. Nick Hoover’s kick was tipped and veered off to the right, but the Colonels had the lead for good at 13-7.

One year after Donta Smith single-handedly took apart the Dragons, scoring on offense, defense, and special teams, Bramblett would turn out to be a one-man wrecking crew. He would finish the day – unofficially - with 151 yards on 17 carries, with five rushing touchdowns. He also completed his first attempted pass of the season, for 62 yards and a TD.

It was Bramblett again hitting the end zone after the Dragons snapped the ball over Derek Bowman’s head on a punt. Bowman fell on the ball at the Dragon 30, but from there it took Oldham County just five Bramblett runs to get the score. Bramblett ran it in from the seven with 6:57 remaining in the period, and then ran in the two point conversion to push the lead to 21-7.

Moments later, it was déjà vu for the Dragons as another snap was sent over Bowman’s head. This time, the junior punter did not have the luxury of falling on the ball as it rested on the goal line. With Colonels closing on for the apparent safety, Bowman alertly found Matt Kusnir open for a pass that momentarily kept the Colonels from another score. But Oldham dropped Kusnir at the South Oldham 13 yard line. From there, the Colonels needed just three Bramblett runs – coupled with personal foul penalty against South – to punch in their fourth score of the night, a two yard touchdown run by Bramblett with 2:56 still remaining in the first quarter.

Leading 28-7, the Colonels had run just nine plays from scrimmage, with Bramblett running the ball eight times and passing once. Four of the nine plays had scored touchdowns.

Amazingly, the scoring wasn’t over in the wild first period. After starting in superb field position, the Dragons were unable to move the ball, but Derek Bowman got off a superb punt that pinned the Colonels at their own 2 yard line. After an incomplete pass that slipped through the hands of Miles Brewer at the Oldham 30, quarterback Derek Miller bought the Colonels some breathing room with a three yard quarterback keeper. But on third down, the Dragon defense tackled Miller in the end zone for a safety with 1:12 to go in the first, pulling South to within 28-9.

The two teams had combined for 37 points in the first quarter of a game many thought would not see 37 points scored in the entire contest.

After receiving the free kick from Oldham, South began to put together their first drive of the night. Starting at the Oldham 41, Josh Moll passed to Kennedy for eight yards, then Lance Smither rambled for 16 yards, giving South a first down at the Oldham 17. But back to back runs by Smither netted just two yards, and on third down, Moll was sacked for a six yard loss. Justin Willis lined up for what should have been an easy 24 yard field goal attempt, but the protection broke down, and the kick was blocked.

Oldham took over at their own 20 with 9:13 remaining in the half and Miller engineered time-consuming 13 play drive that covered 80 yards in just under 7 minutes. In retrospect, the resulting touchdown – or perhaps the way it happened – may have been the psychological backbreaker for the Dragons.

Keyed by a 31 yard completion from Miller to Brewer, the Colonels set up shop at the South ten yard line. But three runs later, Oldham County was facing fourth and goal from the four, and Coach Mike Jackson sent in Nick Hoover for the short field goal attempt. After a wild and wacky first period, nobody should have been surprised at what happened next.

Brian Kennedy sprinted in from the outside to make a clean block of Hoover’s kick, but no Dragons moved to recover the ball and kill the play. The resulting live ball was recovered by Oldham at the one yard line, and on the next play, Bramblett ran around the left side for the touchdown with 2:32 remaining in the half. Hoover’s kick made it 35-9, Oldham County, in front of a stunned South Oldham crowd.

With the running game grounded – the Dragons rushed unofficially for just two yards in the first half – Moll went to the air on the ensuing series. As Moll was trying to hit Ryan Schumm on an out pattern, linebacker Jeremy Edgar stepped in front of the pass and raced, untouched, 30 yards for the touchdown. Hoover’s kick made it 42-9.

The Dragons salvaged some momentum before intermission. When Oldham County appeared to be simply killing the final seconds off the clock with a kneel-down play, the Colonels faked a second kneel down, and Miller fired a pass over the middle. The Dragon defense was ready, however, and the resulting interception gave South the ball at the Oldham twenty. After Moll was sacked with seven seconds remaining, Justin Willis kicked a 37 yard field goal as time expired, making the halftime score 42-12.

South carried over the momentum of the final seconds of the first half into the second half. Matt Kusnir took the opening kickoff 70 yards to the Oldham 15, and on fourth and goal from the five, Moll found tight end Ryan Schumm for the score. Moll then passed to a diving Ryan Donohue for the two point conversion, and the Dragons had pulled to within 42-20.

Any thoughts of a comeback all but died on the ensuing kickoff, however, as Miles Brewer fielded the ball at the 6 yard line, bounced to the sideline, and raced 94 yards for the touchdown. Hoover’s kick gave Oldham a 49-20 lead with 10:25 to go in the third.

Oldham County wrapped up the scoring on a nine yard touchdown run by – who else? – Kevin Bramblett, with 5:31 remaining in the third. Bramblett fumbled as he crossed the goal line, but he recovered his fumble in the end zone for the score. Hoover’s kick capped Oldham’s most successful night, scoring-wise, of the season, giving Oldham a 56-20 lead.

South would mount one more threat before the period ended. Starting on their own 26 yard line, the Dragons moved 50 yards, primarily behind the strong running of Lance Smither, to the Oldham County 24 yard line. The Oldham defense, stiffened, however, and the last Dragon threat died on downs.

Both coaches substituted freely in a scoreless fourth period, with Ben Meffert handling quarterback chores for Oldham and Bradley Vowels quarterbacking South.

Oldham County moves to 5-5 overall and 3-4 in the district, claiming the fourth and final playoff berth. Although a number of Colonel "streaks" died this year – it was the first Mike Jackson team to fail to finish in first or second place in the district and it was the first team in four years to fail to be ranked in the top 10 at the end of the season - the Colonels persevered despite a cruel schedule and crippling injuries. Oldham faced four Top 10 teams – Trinity, Danville, Eastern, and Ballard – and Top 15 St. X. All three starting linebackers – Josh Riordan, Ryan Hamilton, and Mike Sentelle – have been on the sidelines with injuries since mid-year. And key receiver Brandon Gathof is limited to defensive duties after suffering broken fingers.

South Oldham finishes the year 4-6 and 3-4. The Dragons made significant improvements in coach Brian Schutte’s second season. They missed the playoffs by virtue of a tiebreaker – Oldham, South, and Shelby County all finished 3-4 in the district – in a season in which they weren’t even expected to be contenders.

Oldham County now advances to play the BOONE COUNTY REBELS next week. Sports Zone 105.7 FM will cover the Colonels, live, as far as they go in the playoffs.

NOTES: Oldham scored touchdowns on the first four possessions, and eight of their first ten.

Bramblett’s 151 yards rushing give him 806 yards rushing, unofficially, on the season. His five rushing touchdowns give him 14 TDs on the year.

Oldham’s 56 points were its highest point total of the season, and comes one week after they had recorded their previous high, 49 points, against Jeffersontown.

The Oldham defense held South to just 25 net yards rushing and 55 passing.

Oldham County now leads the series, 10-5, and has won five of the last six matchups.

Trinity 35, Eastern 3

Shelby Co 43, Fern Creek 26

Ballard 41, Jeffersontwn 20

Trinity (10-0) vs. Ryle (5-5)

Eastern (8-2) vs. Conner (8-2)

Ballard (8-2) vs. Dixie Heights (8-2)

Oldham Co. (5-5) vs. Boone County (7-3)

Rushing – Oldham – Bramblett 17 – 151 yds – 5 TDs South – Smither 11-59 yds.

Passing – Oldham – Miller 3-7-1 56 yards, Bramblett 1-1-0 62 yds 1 TD, Meffert 1-2-0 16 yds.

South Oldham – Moll 9-25-1 1 TD, 55 yds, Vowels 0-1-0

Receiving – Oldham Brewer 4 – 122 yds, 1 TD South – Donohue 3- 7 yds, Schumm 2-17, Cory Kincaid 2-19, Kennedy 2-12