Staff writer
GLASGOW -- A couple of big plays by the host Barren County Trojans turned out to be the difference in a defensive tussle as the Trojans beat Grayson County 21-7.
The Cougars (2-3) gave up a 90-yard touchdown run to the Trojans' Kyle Adams on Barren County's first possession of the game, then let receiver Ryan Ganci get behind the secondary for a 30-yard touchdown pass on Barren's first possession of the second half.
Other than those two plays, the Cougars defense played well, though the Trojans put together a 10-play, 68-yard drive that took nearly five minutes off the clock at the end of the third and the beginning of the fourth quarters.
Senior quarterback Matt Graham injured his throwing hand on the first play of the game, but stayed in the game, finishing with over 100 yards in passing. Graham connected with senior tight end Brian Soverns for the Cougars' only score of the game, a third-quarter touchdown that brought the Cougars to within 14-7 with 1:28 left in the period. But Graham also threw three interceptions, two of which hurt the Cougars by stopping drives.
"You have to give Matt credit for hanging in there, but we had some people open and he missed them," said Head Coach Ed Smart. "He hadn't thrown an interception since the Edmonson County game."
It is probable that Graham will not play in this Friday's Homecoming matchup against Ohio County. Senior Brett Clemons, last year's starter at quarterback, is the probable starter against the Eagles.
Things looked bright as the Cougars took the opening kickoff. Lance Boone grabbed the ball near the 30-yard line and returned it to near midfield. A second-down pass from Graham to Boone gave the Cougars a first down at the Trojan 39, but then things started to bog down.
Facing fourth-and-seven at the 36, Graham punted for the Cougars and pinned the Trojans inside their own 1-yard line.
Two Barren County runs moved the ball to the 10 before the Trojans pulled off their first huge play. Adams took a handoff and found a hole off-tackle, then cut back to the left side where he found no one in front of him as he raced 90 yards for the first score. John Buck added the point after to make it 7-0 at the 7:25 mark.
The Cougars got something going at their own 24 following a Trojan punt. They moved the ball for a first down at the Trojan 45 before an illegal procedure penalty moved them back to he 50. On the next play, Graham threw his first interception.
The Cougars got the ball again in good field position at the Trojan 45 with 3:20 left in the half. Graham connected with Clemons for a first down at the 30, then found him again down at the 12.
On first down, though, the Cougars were flagged again for illegal procedure and that seemed to halt their momentum. They could only advance the ball as far as the original line of scrimmage, so Smart sent out place-kicker Jordan Drake to try a 29-yard field goal with 39 seconds left in the half. Drake's kick sailed wide to the left and the half ended with the Trojans holding their 7-0 lead.
The Trojans got great field position at the start of the second half when Adams returned the kickoff 32 yards to the Trojan 47. Barren picked up a pair of first downs and had the ball at the 30 when they got their second big play. Quarterback Blake Crabtree found Ganci well behind two Cougar defenders, all alone in the end zone and got the ball to him for the touchdown. The Buck PAT made it 14-0.
"The secondary has always been my concern and it showed up again," Smart said. "On the long run, our two best players ran together and fell down. On the pass play, I think it was more inexperience than anything else."
The Cougar offense then got things in gear, looking like the team that had given Apollo its first-half scare. They took 7:34 off the clock, running 12 plays to score the touchdown on Graham's pass to Soverns in the end zone.
During the drive, they converted a fourth-and-one situation when Graham ran three yards to the Trojan 39. Barren County was called for pass interference on a third-and-goal at the 14, setting up the Cougars on the seven and leading to the touchdown throw.
The Trojans put their stamp on the game on their next possession, driving 68 yards in 10 plays to take a two-touchdown lead. Adams carried in from four yards out at the 8:29 mark of the fourth period and Buck added the extra point to make it 21-7.
The Cougars tried to climb back into the game on their next possession. Starting at their own 36, they moved to a first down at the Trojan 26, but Graham threw his second interception of the night to end the threat.
This Friday the Cougars face a 4-1 Ohio County team that did not give up an offensive touchdown in its 17-0 loss to Owensboro last Friday. A 98-yard kickoff return and a 95-yard interception return were the only TDs the Devils could manage against a solid Eagle defense.
"I think they are better than they were last year," Smart said. "They return five seniors on the offensive and defensive lines. They are athletic and physical. I rank them right there with Apollo."
Game time at Cougar Field is set for 7:30 p.m.
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