Grayson County’s Cougar football program took another giant step upward last Friday evening as they defeated visiting district opponent Warren Central 15-12.

The win assured the Cougars (5-3, 2-1 District) of the number-two seed in District 2 and a home game in the first round of the football playoffs following the regular season, the first time the Cougars will have hosted a playoff game since 1982. They will play Hopkinsville, the number-three seed in District 1.

Sophomore quarterback Hunter Gary ran for 99 yards and scored both of Grayson County’s touchdowns. His fourth-quarter score with a little over four minutes left to play put the Cougars back in front after the Dragons had intercepted one of Gary’s third-quarter passes and returned it 60 yards for a score to make it 12-7.

The first quarter was a defensive struggle, with both sides playing a field-position game. The Dragons hurt themselves twice with penalties on their second possession. On a second-and-10 play from the Cougar 36, quarterback Troy Halcomb got loose on a scramble down inside the Cougar five-yard line, but  a holding call moved the ball back to the Warren Central 45.

On the next play, Halcomb hit tight end Edin Hadzikadunic for an apparent touchdown, but another flag, this time for a block in the back, negated the play and brought it back to the Dragon 46. Two plays later, Gary intercepted a Halcomb pass to end the threat. Gary nearly broke free down the sideline, but he stepped out of bounds at the 26.

Just before the end of the first period, the Cougars took over at their own 31 following a punt and put together their first scoring drive. On a second-and-five play at the Grayson County 36, senior Bradley Harrison broke away for 28 yards, down to the Dragon 36. Harrison finished the night with 84 rushing yards on 17 carries.

As the second quarter began, Harrison earned a first down at the 26. On a third-and-inches play, Aaron Deviney gained just enough for a first down at the 16. Gary then completed a pass to senior Matt Thurner good for a first-and-goal at the two and on the next play Gary carried over for the score. Gary’s extra-point kick was good and with 9:03 left in the first half the Cougars led 7-0.

That score seemed to open things up for the Dragons as they quickly moved downfield from their own 33 to a first-and-goal at the three. But Grayson County’s defense rose to the occasion. Two running plays lost two yards and a third-down pass was incomplete, bringing up a fourth-and-goal at the four. Halcomb rolled out looking for a receiver, but Harrison tracked him down and sacked him, giving the Cougars the ball at the nine.

Grayson County began moving the ball again, taking it out to the 41, but the Cougars fumbled a second-down pitch and the Dragons covered it at the 36 with 1:56 left in the half. With just 45 seconds left and facing a second-and-six at the 20, the Dragons called for a screen pass from Halcomb to fullback L. A. Rigsby and made it work for a touchdown. The kicked extra point was wide and as the first half ended, the Cougars were clinging to a slim 7-6 lead.

The third quarter was much like the first, with both teams being unable to move the ball and having to punt for field position.

Grayson County got the ball back at their own 48 with 2:21 left in the third period, but on first down, a Gary pass was picked off by Dragon cornerback Cortez Barber and returned 60 yards for a touchdown. The Dragons went for a two-point conversion, but Grayson County’s Brian Beeler intercepted a Halcomb pass in the end zone to keep it a 12-7 game.

The two teams traded punts in the fourth quarter with the Cougars taking over once more at their own 43 with a little more than eight minutes left in the game. From there they put together the game-winning, 10 play drive.

Facing a third-and-eight at the 45, Gary rolled right and just before he was hit threw off his back foot to senior Dustin Thomas on the sideline. Thomas was able to take the ball down the sideline to the Dragon 31 and a first down.

Facing a third-and-four at the 11, Gary lost a yard on a keeper when a flag was thrown for an illegal block in the back. If the Dragons had taken the penalty, it would have been third-and-10 at the 17, but they chose to refuse it, bringing up fourth down at the 12.

That turned out to be a crucial call as on fourth down Gary’s hard count induced the Dragon line to come across offside, giving the Cougars five yards and a free first down at the seven.

Gary carried down to the one, then carried once more into the end zone to put the Cougars back on top 13-12. The Cougars went for two and were successful as Gary hit junior Jacob Clemons all by himself in the end zone. With 4:07 left in the game, the Cougars held a 15-12 lead.

Grayson County had been in similar situations many times over the recent years and wound up giving up a winning score to the other team, but this time was different. Following a squib kick the Dragons took over at their own 42. On third-and-two at the 50, Harrison got in once more and sacked Halcomb at the 38, setting up a fourth-and-14 play.

Warren Central called up a trick play, with the halfback taking a backward pass from Halcomb, then throwing for a receiver downfield. But Clemons and Gary were all over the play, double-teaming the intended receiver and knocking the pass away to give the Cougars the ball with less than two minutes left in the game.

Two running plays gave the Cougars another first down, and after the Dragons exhausted their time outs, they were able to run out the clock to preserve perhaps their biggest win since ‘82.

Grayson County will be at home again this Friday for Senior Night when they host Muhlenberg South. The Suns come in 5-3 following a big win over Paducah Tilghman last Friday. Game time is set for 7 p.m.