Mount Vernon, Ky. — A valiant comeback fell short as Lawrence Co. bowed out to Rockcastle Co. 31-28 in the second round of the Class 3A Ky. Football playoffs Friday at the Rock.
LC QB Talon Pollack looks to the sideline for the play call on a crucial third down against the Rockets.
The Rockets returned the opening kickoff to the 8 yard line and dual threat QB Tucker Warren scored from a yard out and Benjamin Brenda tacked the extra point for a 7-0 lead.
After the teams traded punts and turnover on downs the Rockets made it 14-0 when Warren connected with Caleb Moore for a 68 yard touchdown and Brenda tacked on the extra point.
Lawrence Co. finally got a drive going and Talon Pollack hit Kaden Johnson over the middle and Johnson scooted down the sideline for a 25 yard score and Will McDavid added the two point conversion and it was 14-8 Rockets.
Will McDavid two point conversion and Logan Ratliff’s touchdown in the video below.
Right before half Warren was forced out of the pocket on third down but used his legs and found the end zone from 8 yards out and Brenda made it 21-8 Rockcastle Co. at Halftime.
In the third quarter Warren and Moore hooked up again this time from 52 yards out and Broedy Dunaway kicked the PAT for a 28-8 Rocket lead and the only points of the period.
Trailing 28-8 in the fourth quarter the Bulldogs began to chip away when Pollack found Logan Ratliff for an 8 yard score and Brayden Queen booted the PAT to cut the lead to 28-15.
#11 Ty Brooks and #35 Cody Crum tackle the Rocket ball carrier.
After getting the ball back the Dawgs made it a one score game when McDavid powered his way into the end zone and Queen tacked on the extra point to make it 28-22.
Rockcastle Co. would extend their lead when Dunaway drilled a 32 yard field goal to make it 31-22 with under five minutes left in the game.
The Dawgs turned it over on downs on their next possession but forced a punt and quickly drove down the field and McDavid scored from a yard out but the PAT was no good and with 2:12 left in the game it was 31-28.
#44 Will McDavid and #77 Luis Chicko await the ball to be snapped.
The Dawgs failed on the onside kick try but had two timeouts left and forced a Rocket punt and got the ball back with 45 seconds left at their own 43 yard line.
Pollack connected with Cody Crum who got the ball near the Rocket 35. But after two incompletions left only .4 seconds on the clock for one last play, he was flushed out of the pocket and had to drop it off to Crum who made a couple defenders miss but was tackled around the 20 to end the ballgame.
Talon Pollack went 20 of 48 for 296 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions and was also the leading rusher with 52 yards on 11 carries.
Freshman Kaden Johnson draws a pass interference call against the Rocket defender. Johnson had a career high six catches and drew three pass interference calls Friday.
Kaden Johnson caught six passes for 147 yards and a touchdown, Jake Derifield hauled in 3 passes for 59 yards, Cody Crum 3 receptions for 46 yards, Dalton Runyons 5 catches for 28 yards, Carlo Chicko 2 catches for 8 yards, Logan Ratliff his line catch went for 8 yards and a score.
Coach Short and his staff talking to the players during a break in the action.
Lawrence Co. finishes the season 8-4 and will say goodbye to a senior class that went 29-13 including the COVID shortened year when they were freshman.
Rockcastle Co. ( 11-1 ) will host Lexington Catholic ( 8-4 ) next Friday night.
Lawrence Co. Head Coach Alan Short
COACH’S COMMENTS
“… Our kids are very resilient who are wonderful kids who played their hearts out tonight and never gave up. Unfortunately we are past the point of moral victories, but very proud and pleased with their effort. And how hard they played just wish the outcome would have been a little bit different.”
“… They didn’t stop coming and fought all game long, they kept competing and started playing one play at a time. Eventually it started to go in our favor a little but again not the outcome that we wanted but certainly proud of our effort.”
“… I think it’s evident that to anybody that follows our team and has seen us play in early August until now has seen the improvement and that’s a testament to the work and effort that our kids put in everyday and we were able to grow and again very very proud of this group and would have went to the moon to play a game next week. But unfortunately that wasn’t in the cards for us.”
“… This senior class is not only great football players they are great people. They are fun kids to be around as well. My dad used to always say the closest you get to people other than your family is the people you work with. And to see these kids and the development athletically, socially, and spiritually that each of them have grown in their time here is something that I am very proud of and each one of them will be missed and it is a sad time as a football coach to watch seniors play their final game. But I will say it again I’m so so proud of them. Honored and thankful that we had the opportunity to coach them and thankful for their families to be a part of their children’s life.”
“… I think the future of Lawrence Co. is obviously very very bright. I think you win with people and we have quality people in our program. There is a love, a desire and interest community wide and eventually we are going to knock down the door and get back to winning regional titles and it’s not easy but certainly looking forward to the future.”
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GAME STATS Lawrence County Bulldogs vs. Rockcastle Co Rockets11/10/23, 7:30 PM
Playoffs SCORING SUMMARY:
1st QuarterRC: Tucker Warren 1 yd Rush (TD) 0-6RC: Benjamin Brenda (PAT) 0-72nd QuarterRC: Caleb Moore 68 yd Pass from Tucker Warren (CNV) 0-13RC: Benjamin Brenda (PAT) 0-14 LC: Kaden Johnson 25 yd Pass from Talan Pollock (CNV) 6-14LC: William McDavid 3 yd Rush (CNV) 8-14RC: Tucker Warren 8 yd Rush (TD) 8-20RC: Benjamin Brenda (PAT) 8-213rd QuarterRC: Caleb Moore 52 yd Pass from Tucker Warren (CNV) 8-27RC: Broedy Dunaway (PAT) 8-284th QuarterLC: Logan Ratliff 8 yd Pass from Talan Pollock (CNV) 14-28LC: Brayden Queen (PAT) 15-28LC: William McDavid 3 yd Rush (TD) 21-28LC: Brayden Queen (PAT) 22-28RC: Broedy Dunaway 32 yd (FG) 22-31LC: William McDavid 1 yd Rush (TD) 28-31
1 2 3 4 Total Lawrence County Bulldogs 0 8 0 20 28 Rockcastle Co Rockets 7 14 7 3 31 Game Summary Lawrence County Bulldogs Rockcastle Co Rockets First Downs 21 12 Rushes-Yards 28 54 38 76 Recep-Yards 20 296 12 210 Passing Yards 296 210 Comp-Attempts 20 48 12 21 TD-INT 2 2 2 1 Fumbles-Lost 0 0 0 0 Penalties-Yards 8 98 9 85 3rd Down Conv 5 17 4 20 4th Down Conv 1 6 1 12 FG Made-Att 0 0 1 1 Tackles 4.0 0 Sacks-Yards 0 0 Time of Possession 19:52 28:32 RUSHING LEADERS: No. Player Rushes Yards TDs Fumbles No. Player Rushes Yards TDs Fumbles 7 Talan Pollock 11 52 0 0 4 Tucker Warren 25 41 2 0 44 William McDavid 5 11 2 0 21 Anthony Goodson 9 33 0 0 35 Cody Crum 12 -9 0 0 3 Caleb Moore 1 5 0 0 5 Player 5 1 0 0 0 2 Isaac Jackson 2 -3 0 0 PASSING LEADERS: No. Player Comp Att Yards TD INT No. Player Comp Att Yards TD INT 7 Talan Pollock 20 48 296 2 2 4 Tucker Warren 12 21 210 2 1 RECEIVING LEADERS: No. Player Rec Yards TDs No. Player Rec Yards TDs 10 Kaden Johnson 6 147 1 3 Caleb Moore 5 154 2 22 Jake Derifield 3 59 0 11 Christian Larkey 2 29 0 35 Cody Crum 3 46 0 2 Isaac Jackson 4 27 0 12 Dalton Runyons 5 28 0 21 Carlo Chicko 2 8 0 17 Logan Ratliff 1 8 1
