Football picks up first win

    After a tough loss to start the season, Wildcat football bounced back nicely with a convincing 24-19 at Owen County on Friday night.
    In a game where the Wildcats didn’t attempt a single pass, it was their rushing attack that controlled the ball and maintained favorable time of possession.
    Junior running back Coen Fuller found paydirt first as he took the ball 56 yards up the left sideline to put the Wildcats up 6-0 in the first quarter. Junior running back Oak Fields slammed in the two-point conversion to make it 8-0.
    Owen County scored a passing touchdown towards the end of the half and knocked in an extra point to bring the score to 8-7. It would remain that way until the second half when the game broke open.
    In the third quarter after a well-executed drive, the Wildcats handed it to senior fullback Caleb Rogers on a fullback dive who found the end zone putting the Wildcats up 14-7. Some trickery prevailed on the two-point conversion as Fuller crossed the goal line giving the Wildcats a 16-7 lead which they would maintain until the fourth quarter.
    Owen County had an 11-yard run earlier in the fourth quarter to bring the game back to within three points. Their extra-point kick attempt was no good. The score was now 16-13. The Wildcats then launched a long, methodical drive time to eat clock and hopefully put the game out of reach.
    After finding success in the running game throughout the drive with Rogers, Fuller, Fields and senior running back Tredyn Thomas, the Wildcats crossed over midfield and were determined to get into the end zone one last time. In the deciding series of the game, the Wildcats pounded the rock for small gains into the Owen County defense. The Rebels held strong and brought up a crucial fourth down; arguably less than one yard to go. The Wildcats were in a position where they needed the first to secure the game. Offensive coordinator Kyle Pettit called Rogers number once again who pounded it into the Rebel line. He was tackled.
    The crowd held their breath as the chain crew emerged from the sideline for the measurement. After little deliberation, the referees declared a first down for the Wildcats much to the dismay of the Rebel fans.
    At this point in the game, all of the momentum had shifted in the Wildcats favor. It would have been hard for Owen County to stand up defensively after such a big play. With the Wildcats charging towards the end zone, they let sophomore quarterback Ethan Verst do the honors at the goal line. He punched in a two-yard score to put the Wildcats up 22-14. Rogers added on the two-point conversion to make the game 24-13.
    With limited time left in the game, Owen County began a passing barrage that sliced through the Wildcat defense. They completed multiple passes en route to a quick passing touchdown to put them back within striking distance. The Wildcats came up with a key stop on the two-point conversion attempt. The score was now 24-19.
    This brought up an onside kick opportunity. Recovering the ball is a tough task for the kicking team. Unfortunately for Owen County, they were not the Dallas Cowboys and did not have Pro Bowl kicker Greg “The Leg” Zuerlein handling their onside kicks. The nose of the ball hit the grass, took a bounce and landed in the hands of the smallest player on the field, sophomore wide receiver Vincent Nocero.
    With that recovery, the Wildcats secured their first win on the 2020 season moving their record to 1-1 on the season.
    Fuller led the team in rushing with 99 yards, one touchdown and one conversion on four attempts. Rogers had 58 yards, one touchdown and one conversion on 10 carries. Fields had 33 yards on four carries. He had a touchdown called back on a blocking penalty. Thomas gained 29 yards on eight carries. He had a kick return touchdown called back due to a holding. Verst had 18 yards and a touchdown on four carries.
    Thomas led the Wildcats defensively with a fantastic performance. He totaled 12 tackles, seven of which were solo. He also snagged his second interception of the year and netted 62 return yards out of it. Rogers was all over field at linebacker gathering eight tackles. Fields has seven with one being a tackle for a loss. Defensive lineman Blayne Pugh recovered a fumble.
    The Wildcats will travel to Mason County on the Sept. 25 for their first district game of the season. The Wildcats suffered a 50-22 defeat at the hands of the Royals last season. Mason County currently sits at 1-0. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.