Defense turns table on passing attack
Nov 5, 2005 22:51:50 GMT -5
Post by Jim Wilson on Nov 5, 2005 22:51:50 GMT -5
Defense turns table on passing attack in Ashland romp
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By MARK MAYNARD - The Ashland Independent
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ASHLAND Ashland's secondary was more than up to the challenge against pass-happy Clay County on Friday night.
The Tomcats intercepted four passes in the first half and returned two for touchdowns while racing to a 49-16 first-round Class 3A playoff victory over the Tigers in Putnam Stadium.
Ashland safety Drew McDavid had two of the picks and returned one of those 100 yards for a touchdown that put the game well out of reach at 28-0 with less than five minutes to play in the first half. The Tomcats would add two more touchdowns before the half ended, taking a cozy 42-0 lead to the locker room despite running an amazing 40 fewer players than Clay County.
Even though Ashland had run only a dozen offensive plays in the first half, four of the five runs went for touchdowns and the four interceptions had put it in position to turn the game into a rout.
“I told one of the officials at halftime, I guarantee you this: You'll never have another game where the quarterback has thrown for 300 yards and the team has rushed for 50 and be down 42-0,” said Clay County coach Aaron Stepp. “You'll never see it again.”
Freshman quarterback Zach Lewis put on a dizzying display, completing 32 of 49 passes for 432 yards. Yet despite the impressive statistics, Ashland's defense made sure it was never a game.
“Hats off to Ashland,” Stepp said. “They've got a real good shot to win this region. Madison Southern (which upended Johnson Central 35-28) and Ashland would have to be the two teams you worry about the most.”
The Tomcats (9-2) play host to Rockcastle County next week in the Region 3 semifinals. Madison Southern plays at Bell County. If Ashland and Madison Southern were to win, the regional championship would be back at Putnam Stadium.
Ashland had several defensive schemes ready for Lewis, who was sacked five times along with throwing the interceptions.
“I really thought the kids played well,” said Ashland coach Leon Hart. “It took us a little time to adjust to their speed. But we picked four and dropped one. We did a good job of matching up and took two (interceptions) back to the house.
“Offensively, we didn't have to do much. Tyler Reliford carried it three times and scored three touchdowns. I thought our speed was really evident on both sides of the ball.”
Reliford scored on a pair of 14-yard runs and a 1-yard run and was hardly touched on any of them.
“The O-line did a good job of protecting me tonight,” Reliford said. “I didn't even get tackled. They just keep playing better and better.”
Quarterback Ian Holbrook got in on the big plays, too, and showed some breakaway speed in the process. He returned an interception 84 yards for a touchdown, thwarting Clay County's opening possession. Holbrook picked off the pass on fourth down, ran diagonally across the field and went untouched for the score that put Ashland in command.
He also scored on a 73-yard run during a 28-point second quarter. Holbrook slipped a tackle near the line of scrimmage and then sped down the sideline to the end zone.
“Holbrook is deceptively fast,” Stepp said. “We missed a tackle there and he was gone.”
Hart said Ashland's secondary started smelling blood after Holbrook's electrifying return.
“From that point on, it was like sharks out there,” he said. “I thought they (the secondary) really responded. It was a good challenge for us. We may see somebody else who throws the ball well. This was good practice for us.”
Ashland's Matt Thomas also got in on the action. He caught a 22-yard flip pass from Holbrook during a five-play drive that made it 14-0. Thomas also scored on an 11-yard run with 35 seconds left in the half that pushed the margin to 42-0 after Preston Freeman kicked one of his seven extra points.
It was a game where statistics truly didn't tell the story. Clay County outgained Ashland 475-271 and held a 25-8 advantage in first downs. But the Tomcats' 260 return yards, and most of that on interception returns, spelled a lopsided defeat.
“We gave up some yards tonight but yards don't win you ballgames, points do,” Hart said. “We were up 42 at halftime. That was pretty comfortable.”
Holbrook completed all four of his passes, including a 33-yard strike to Adam Cannoy on one of the best plays of the night. Cannoy had to reach over the defender, who interfered with him on the play.
“He got his arm between me and the ball,” Cannoy said. “I was still able to come down with it.”
Ashland was leading 21-0 and Clay County had driven to the Tomcats' 20 when it appeared the Tigers had been stopped after a five-yard facemask penalty was short of a first down. But the officials gave Clay County a fifth down despite protests from Hart.
As it turned out, that was when McDavid intercepted Lewis on the goal line and raced 100 yards for the touchdown. McDavid looked like he was slowing down around the Clay County 40 when he picked up a block from Angel Gurule, who knocked down the last defender between McDavid and the end zone.
“A hundred yards, that's a long way,” McDavid said. “I was getting tired.”
Ian Holbrook and his brother, Evan, a freshman center, shared a nice moment, too. Ian went in the game in the fourth quarter when Evan was playing center so he could take a snap from his brother for one play.
“That was coach Hart's idea,” Ian said. “It was a good idea. I liked it.”
“I thought it would be something for him and his family,” Hart said. “It isn't often that a freshman and senior are in the game together. It was just something for them.”
Lewis finished with a school-record 432 yards passing and sophomore receiver Robert Marcum caught 13 passes for 218 yards for the Tigers, who finished 6-5. Both of Clay's touchdowns came against Ashland reserves in the fourth quarter.
“Yes, we moved the football but anytime we were in position to score, we couldn't capitalize on it,” Stepp said. “Ashland's seasoning really showed. They've got a lot of seniors who have been in the playoffs four years in a row. We've only got five seniors and it showed.
“I think Ashland has a real chance to win the region, I really do. They're well-coached and they do things right.”
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By MARK MAYNARD - The Ashland Independent
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ASHLAND Ashland's secondary was more than up to the challenge against pass-happy Clay County on Friday night.
The Tomcats intercepted four passes in the first half and returned two for touchdowns while racing to a 49-16 first-round Class 3A playoff victory over the Tigers in Putnam Stadium.
Ashland safety Drew McDavid had two of the picks and returned one of those 100 yards for a touchdown that put the game well out of reach at 28-0 with less than five minutes to play in the first half. The Tomcats would add two more touchdowns before the half ended, taking a cozy 42-0 lead to the locker room despite running an amazing 40 fewer players than Clay County.
Even though Ashland had run only a dozen offensive plays in the first half, four of the five runs went for touchdowns and the four interceptions had put it in position to turn the game into a rout.
“I told one of the officials at halftime, I guarantee you this: You'll never have another game where the quarterback has thrown for 300 yards and the team has rushed for 50 and be down 42-0,” said Clay County coach Aaron Stepp. “You'll never see it again.”
Freshman quarterback Zach Lewis put on a dizzying display, completing 32 of 49 passes for 432 yards. Yet despite the impressive statistics, Ashland's defense made sure it was never a game.
“Hats off to Ashland,” Stepp said. “They've got a real good shot to win this region. Madison Southern (which upended Johnson Central 35-28) and Ashland would have to be the two teams you worry about the most.”
The Tomcats (9-2) play host to Rockcastle County next week in the Region 3 semifinals. Madison Southern plays at Bell County. If Ashland and Madison Southern were to win, the regional championship would be back at Putnam Stadium.
Ashland had several defensive schemes ready for Lewis, who was sacked five times along with throwing the interceptions.
“I really thought the kids played well,” said Ashland coach Leon Hart. “It took us a little time to adjust to their speed. But we picked four and dropped one. We did a good job of matching up and took two (interceptions) back to the house.
“Offensively, we didn't have to do much. Tyler Reliford carried it three times and scored three touchdowns. I thought our speed was really evident on both sides of the ball.”
Reliford scored on a pair of 14-yard runs and a 1-yard run and was hardly touched on any of them.
“The O-line did a good job of protecting me tonight,” Reliford said. “I didn't even get tackled. They just keep playing better and better.”
Quarterback Ian Holbrook got in on the big plays, too, and showed some breakaway speed in the process. He returned an interception 84 yards for a touchdown, thwarting Clay County's opening possession. Holbrook picked off the pass on fourth down, ran diagonally across the field and went untouched for the score that put Ashland in command.
He also scored on a 73-yard run during a 28-point second quarter. Holbrook slipped a tackle near the line of scrimmage and then sped down the sideline to the end zone.
“Holbrook is deceptively fast,” Stepp said. “We missed a tackle there and he was gone.”
Hart said Ashland's secondary started smelling blood after Holbrook's electrifying return.
“From that point on, it was like sharks out there,” he said. “I thought they (the secondary) really responded. It was a good challenge for us. We may see somebody else who throws the ball well. This was good practice for us.”
Ashland's Matt Thomas also got in on the action. He caught a 22-yard flip pass from Holbrook during a five-play drive that made it 14-0. Thomas also scored on an 11-yard run with 35 seconds left in the half that pushed the margin to 42-0 after Preston Freeman kicked one of his seven extra points.
It was a game where statistics truly didn't tell the story. Clay County outgained Ashland 475-271 and held a 25-8 advantage in first downs. But the Tomcats' 260 return yards, and most of that on interception returns, spelled a lopsided defeat.
“We gave up some yards tonight but yards don't win you ballgames, points do,” Hart said. “We were up 42 at halftime. That was pretty comfortable.”
Holbrook completed all four of his passes, including a 33-yard strike to Adam Cannoy on one of the best plays of the night. Cannoy had to reach over the defender, who interfered with him on the play.
“He got his arm between me and the ball,” Cannoy said. “I was still able to come down with it.”
Ashland was leading 21-0 and Clay County had driven to the Tomcats' 20 when it appeared the Tigers had been stopped after a five-yard facemask penalty was short of a first down. But the officials gave Clay County a fifth down despite protests from Hart.
As it turned out, that was when McDavid intercepted Lewis on the goal line and raced 100 yards for the touchdown. McDavid looked like he was slowing down around the Clay County 40 when he picked up a block from Angel Gurule, who knocked down the last defender between McDavid and the end zone.
“A hundred yards, that's a long way,” McDavid said. “I was getting tired.”
Ian Holbrook and his brother, Evan, a freshman center, shared a nice moment, too. Ian went in the game in the fourth quarter when Evan was playing center so he could take a snap from his brother for one play.
“That was coach Hart's idea,” Ian said. “It was a good idea. I liked it.”
“I thought it would be something for him and his family,” Hart said. “It isn't often that a freshman and senior are in the game together. It was just something for them.”
Lewis finished with a school-record 432 yards passing and sophomore receiver Robert Marcum caught 13 passes for 218 yards for the Tigers, who finished 6-5. Both of Clay's touchdowns came against Ashland reserves in the fourth quarter.
“Yes, we moved the football but anytime we were in position to score, we couldn't capitalize on it,” Stepp said. “Ashland's seasoning really showed. They've got a lot of seniors who have been in the playoffs four years in a row. We've only got five seniors and it showed.
“I think Ashland has a real chance to win the region, I really do. They're well-coached and they do things right.”