Lions lean on OLine in shootout win over Redmen

CANNONSBURG, Ky. — In 1984, a little old lady named Clara Peller looked at her hamburger with a tiny patty and asked, “Where’s the beef?”

The line became famous and boosted Wendy’s sales by 31 percent since the fast food restaurant used a large patty.

Friday night, Boyd County Lions’ head coach Evan Ferguson must have used the line, “I found the beef, so let’s use it.”

The Lions turned to their offensive line that utilized Garren Price (6-1, 280), Carter Gray (6-2, 265), Tyler Easterling (6-0, 290), Logan Stevens (6-4, 270), Cam Benner (6-1, 220), Peyton Moore (5-11, 170), and the twin buildings Quinn Groves (6-4, 340), and Jacob Carter (6-8, 340) to help run their way to a wild 39-36 win over the Rock Hill Redmen.

Boyd County (2-0) threw just one pass in the second half while running for 236 yards.

“When was the last time we leaned on our offensive line to finish a game off?” said Ferguson. “It’s been a long time. I’d have to go back to 2020, so hats off to those guys. We ran behind them and the running backs ran hard and we started blocking better.”

Running back Blake Sexton had 21 carries for 129 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Jace Manning was 5 of 9 passing for 59 yards but he ran 8 times for 65 yards and a touchdown.

May ran 6 times for 77 yards and a touchdown, all in the fourth quarter.

“The more I get back there the more I get comfortable with it,” said Sexton, who also ran some Wildcat. “The line played phenomenal again. They got me where I needed to be. They found holes for me, Cam May, Weston (Turner) and Jace.”

Rock Hill (1-1) ran for 100 yards with Kelan Davidson carrying the ball 22 times for 72 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Jarrod Bridges was 11 of 19 passing for 260 yards and a score, but he threw two interceptions and both were returned for touchdowns.

Cash Lyons had a huge game for the Redmen with 4 catches for 119 yards and a score, Braylon McClellan had 3 receptions for 72 yards and Davidson had a pair of grabs for 49 yards.

Rock Hill led 21-20 heading into the fourth quarter, but that’s when the real fireworks began.

The Lions went on a 12-play, 63-yard drive that started in the third quarter and spilled over into the fourth quarter. Sexton’s 5-yard run with 8:18 on the clock put the Lions up 26-21, but the conversion failed.

The Redmen answered quickly.

Lyons returned the kick-off to the Lions’ 49 and Bridges hooked up with McClellan on a 48-yard pass to the one-yard line. Three plays later, Bridges scored on a keeper and threw the conversion pass to Bridger Kerns for a 29-26 lead with 6:40 left.

Boyd County then drove 60 yards in 8 plays with Mays scoring on a 3-yard run. Conner Davis kicked the conversion and the Lions led 33-29 with 2;56 to go.

Next came the surprise of the game. Ferguson called for an onside kick-off and the Lions recovered at the Rock Hill 44.

A 24-yard run by Mays got the ball to the 12-yard line, but he fumbled on the next play at the 3-yard line and Gavin Malone recovered for Rock Hill.

However, on the next play Bridges was being chased in the end zone and threw a pass for McClellan only to have C.J. Smith step in front of the receiver for an interception and he ran it 7 yards for the touchdown with 1:39 left and it was 39-29.

But the Redmen refused to quit as they returned the kick-off to the 43. Bridges hit Lyons for 14 yards and then 43 yards for a touchdown with 1:03 to go. Cameron Howard’s conversion kick made it a 3-point game.

Rock Hill tried an onside kick-off but the Lions recovered at the 49 and just took a knee on three straight plays to end the game.

The Redmen dominated the first quarter as they limited the Lions to only a 3-and-out. But Boyd County scored on the first series of the game as Sexton intercepted a pass that bounced off a receiver and ran it back 51 yards for the touchdown. Davis kicked the conversion.

Rock Hill answered with a 70-yard, 10-play march as Davidson ran 6 yards for the touchdown and Howard’s conversion tied the game at the 4:43 mark.

“We started with very little fight,” said Ferguson.

Rock Hill began a drive late in the first quarter that started at the 47 and ended on the first play of the second quarter when Bridges ran a 5-yard keeper and the Redmen led 14-7.

Boyd County tied the game at 14-all with an 81-yard drive that saw Manning got 4 of 4 for 54 yards including a 36-yard scoring pass to May with 5:38 left in the half.

The Lions took a 20-14 lead with 8:57 on the third quarter clock as Manning ran 13 yards for the touchdown. The conversion failed.

Rock Hill put together a 11-play, 65-yard drive highlighted by a 35-yard pass and a 27-yard pass — both to Lyons — and capped by Davidson’s 6-yard run.

“They ran the ball pretty well. We didn’t play our best game defensively, but we still found a way to win,” said Sexton.

Next Friday, Rock Hill will host Middle Tennessee Christian while Boyd County visits East Carter.

Rock Hill 7  7   7  15 = 36

Boyd County 7 7 6 19 = 39

First Quarter

BC — Blake Sexton 51 interception return (Conner Davis kick) 9:14

RH — Kelan Davidson 6 run (Cameron Howard kick) 4:43

Second Quarter

RH — Jarrod Bridges 5 run (Cameron Howard kick) 11:55

BC — Cam May 36 pass from Jace Manning (Conner Davis kick) 5:28

Third Quarter

BC — Jace Manning 13 run (run failed) 8:57

RH — Kelan Davidson 6 run (Cameron Howard kick) 2:21

Fourth Quarter

BC — Blake Sexton 5 run (run failed) 8:18

RH — Jarrod Bridges 1 run (Bridger Kerns pass from Jarrod Bridges) 6:40

BC — Cam May 2 run (Conner Davis kick) 2:52

BC — C.J. Smith 7 interception return (kick failed) 1:39

RH — Cash Lyons 43 pass from Jarrod Bridges (Cameron Howard kick) 1:03

RH BC

First downs 15 15

Rushes-yards 34-100 39-270

Passing yards 260 59

Total yards 360 329

Cmp-Att-Int 11-19-2 5-9-0

Fumbles-lost 1-0      2-1

Penalties-yards 3-20 3-20

Punts-average 1-31.0 2-28.0

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Individual Leaders

RUSHING—Rock Hill: Kelan Davidson 22-72 2-TD, Bridger Kerns 5-17 TD, Jarrod Bridges 5-11 TD, Aaron Workman 1-0, Cash Lyons 1-0; Boyd County: Blake Sexton 21-129 TD, Jace Manning 8-65 TD, Cam May 6-77 TD, Weston Turner 1-2, Team 3-minus 3.

PASSING—Rock Hill: Jarrod Bridges 11-19-2 260 TD; Boyd County: Jace Manning 5-9-0 59 TD.

RECEIVING—Rock Hill: Braylon McClellan 3-72, Cash Lyons 4-119 TD, Marshall Maddy 1-7, Kelan Davidson 2-49, Gavin Malone 1-13; Boyd County: Conner Davis 2-7, Blake Sexton 1-11, Cam May 2-41 TD.

MISSED FIELD GOALS—None.