HOMECOMING UPSET WITH THIRD QUARTER RALLY, 14-9
Buckner, KY – It was Homecoming, and the 19th-ranked Oldham County Colonels were coming off one of the school’s biggest victories ever, a 36-35 double-overtime win over the fourth-ranked Danville Admirals the week before. The opponent was the Eastern Eagles, a pre-season favorite to contend in Region Three, District Five who had under-achieved, stumbling to a 1-4 mark midway through the season.
But it was the Colonels who under-achieved on this night. Perhaps it was the distractions that go with Homecoming Week. Or maybe the team was still on a euphoric high after edging Danville. Or perhaps the Eagles – who already had two district losses, and who face top-ranked Trinity in their final district contest – were simply more desperate. Maybe it was all of the above, but regardless the Colonels came out flat. For everything they did right, there was a mistake to go with it. Oldham County simply was unable to finish anything off, either offensively or defensively.
That’s not to say the Colonels didn’t do many things well. They did. However, they also shot themselves in the foot nearly every time.
The two teams struggled through a defensive battle throughout the first half, much like last year. The Oldham defense looked good, allowing just 68 yards in total offense in the first half, and Eastern never mounted a serious threat. Oldham, on the other hand, moved the ball a lot but failed to generate much in the way of points.
On Oldham’s second possession, Donta Smith returned an Eagle punt to the Eastern 46 yard line. Penalties killed a promising drive, but Oldham did get off a 36 yard field goal attempt which Chris Thompson just missed.
After the Eagles turned the ball over on downs, Oldham took over and drove to the Eastern four yard line, only to see the drive stall. On fourth down, Oldham County faked a field goal attempt. Holder Brad Koenig – who had thrown passes for two point conversions in each of the past two weeks – rolled to his right and found Brent Gibbs wide open in the end zone. But the pass was slightly behind Gibbs, and he dropped it, leaving the score still tied at 0 with 9:22 to go in the first half.
The Eagles drove the ball out to near mid-field before punting to the Oldham 17 yard line. From there, quarterback Derek Miller led the Colonels deep into Eastern territory, only to have a pass intercepted at the Eastern 10 with 1:12 to go in the first half by sophomore defensive back Rodney Bowen.
The Colonels forced stopped Eastern on three plays, however, and when Brad Koenig blocked the ensuing punt, Brent Gibbs recovered the ball at the Eastern one yard line with just 13 seconds left in the half. Two plays later, Miller hit Donta Smith in the corner of the end zone for the touchdown. Chris Thompson’s point after made it 7-0, Oldham County, at the half.
Eastern got the ball to start the second half and got great field position on the return to the Eagle 49. Just under three minutes later, quarterback Grant Huyear found Martin Scruggs in the end zone from 11 yards out for the touchdown. The point after tied the game at 7 with 9:10 to go in the third period.
Following the kickoff, Oldham moved from their own 20 to the Eastern 16 yard line in nine plays, all on the ground. But Miller – who had thrown for five touchdowns without any interceptions in the past two games – threw his second interception of the night. Eastern returned the pick to the Eagle 34, and a face mask penalty on Oldham County moved the ball all the way out to the Eastern 49 yard line.
For the second time in as many possessions, the Eagles moved 51 yards to paydirt. This time, the Colonels apparently had the drive stalled after just two plays. Facing third and ten from the Eastern 49, Huyear found Bowen streaking down the middle of the field. The senior quarterback threw a strike which Bowen while suspended in mid-air, parallel to the ground, for a 26 yard gain to keep the drive alive. Moments later, Huyear hit Bowen again, this time for 25 yards to the Oldham County one. On the next play, Huyear went over on the quarterback keeper with :49 left in the third. The kick made it 14-7, Eastern.
Once again, the Oldham offense went on a long march, starting at their own 20. On third and ten from the OC 20, Donta Smith – filling in briefly at quarterback – hit Brad Koenig for what turned into a 39 yard pass play to the Eagle 41 yard line. Seconds later, Derek Miller hit Donta on a post pattern against double coverage for what appeared to be a 41 yard touchdown. But the points came off the board when Donta was called for a highly questionable offensive pass interference penalty that took points off the board and backed up the Colonels.
Still, the Colonels kept the drive alive, and moments later, Miles Brewer scored on a run from 23 yards out – or so it appeared. Again, the yellow flags fluttered, and a holding penalty brought the play back. For the fourth time in three games, Oldham County saw a touchdown erased by a penalty.
Ultimately, the drive fizzled on downs, with Miller’s fourth-down pass attempt for Donta Smith in the end zone falling incomplete with 7:42 to go in the game.
The Oldham defense quickly put the Eagles in reverse. On third down and long, Grant Huyear dropped back to pass, only to be sacked by Brent Gibbs at the Eastern 12. Oldham again got good penetration on the ensuing punt, and when punter David Koshewa fumbled the snap in the end zone, he was immediately pressured by Oldham County. Clumsily trying to throw the ball away, Koshewa was called for intentional grounding while in the end zone, resulting in a safety. The two points pulled Oldham to within five at 14-9 with 5:15 left.
Oldham started from the Eastern 47 after the ensuing free kick, but was unable to get a first down. On fourth and two from the Eastern 39, Miles Brewer was stopped after a one-yard gain, and Eastern took over with just 3:10 showing on the clock.
The Colonels again stiffened on defense, allowing just four yards, and forcing the Eagles to punt. Oldham got the ball back at their own 33 yard line with exactly two minutes remaining and two time outs.
The Colonels ate up nearly a minute gaining 17 yards to mid-field. They moved the ball another ten yards before poor time management got the best of them. Miller fumbled a snap and tried to gain yardage on the ground instead of killing the clock by spiking the ball. On the next play, Miller successfully spiked the ball, but not before fumbling the snap again and losing valuable seconds.
With just eight seconds left an no time outs remaining, the Colonels needed to go forty yards for the score. But Miller’s pass was picked off by Bowen with three seconds to go, sealing the win for Eastern, and ending two years of frustration at the hands of the Colonels. (Oldham beat Eastern, 21-0, in 1999 and 7-6 in 2000.)
Oldham fell to 4-3 overall and 2-2 in the district. Eastern moves to 2-4 and 2-2.
The Colonels lost despite outgaining Eastern in total yardage, 346 – 169 (unofficially). The Colonels had two touchdowns called back by penalties (Oldham was flagged twelve times for 100 yards), missed a field goal, mis-connected on passes into the end zone on two fourth down plays, and lost the turnover war, 3-0 (all on interceptions).
Next week: Oldham County and South Oldham are idle.
Next Broadcast: Friday, October 12, 2001 Oldham County vs. Ballard
Pre-game 7:00 pm, kickoff 7:30 pm, WYKY 105.7 FM
UNOFFICIAL STATS:
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1 TD |
1 TD |
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Odd Statistic – Oldham County scored just one touchdown despite amassing 346 yards in offense. The Colonels never punted.
Individual stats: (unofficial)
Oldham County
Rushing
Brewer 16 carries – 79 yards
Smith 2 – 25
Osborne 5 – 29
Koenig 5 – 16
Riordan 6 – 11
Miller 5 - 7
Passing
Miller 12 – 23 – 3 1 TD 118 yards
Smith 2 - 2 - 0 61 yards
Koenig 0 - 1 - 0
Receiving
Smith 7 catches – 75 yards 1 touchdown
Koenig 6 – 88
Brewer 1 – 16
9/28/01 District Results & District Standings:
Eastern 14, Oldham County 9
Trinity 40, South Oldham 14
Fern Creek 40, Jeffersontown 12
Ballard 56, Shelby County 21
Trinity 4 – 0 (district)
Ballard 3 – 1
Eastern 2 – 2
Oldham County 2 – 2
Shelby County 2 – 2
Fern Creek 2 – 2
South Oldham 1 – 3
Jeffersontown 0 – 4
Mike Montgomery
Sports Director
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