Coming into last Friday night’s game against the Grayson County Cougars, the Fort Campbell Falcons had lost 17 of 18 games and were 0-3 on the current season, so it seemed like a good set-up for the Cougars’ fourth straight win to start the season.
But that was far from what happened as the Cougars were fortunate to pick up a close, 22-14 win at Fort Campbell.
The Falcons outgained the Cougars on the night 262 yards to 178, including 224 passing yards by senior quarterback Matthew Middleton.
The Cougars rushed for 138 yards on 46 carries, and average of three yards per carry. Seniors Hunter Gibson and Jacob Kerr both rushed for 54 yards, Gibson on 21 carries and Kerr on seven. Gibson also caught two passes from quarterback Logan Kopp good for 40 yards.
Junior Dylan Zabel led the defense with eight tackles, while Kopp and Kerr had seven apiece. Senior Hunter Pendergest had six tackles, five of them for losses.
The Falcons got on the board first after driving 56 yards for a score after the Cougars went three-and-out on their first possession. Senior Jordan Edwards scored on a 24-yard pass from Middleton and the Falcons led 7-0 at the 8:40 mark of the first period.
The Cougars took over at their own 27-yard line with 5:27 left in the first period and set sail on a 73-yard, 15-play drive that tied the score at the 9:59 mark of the second period. Kopp carried in from the eight for the score and Logan Raymer added the extra point.
On the ensuing kickoff, the Falcons failed to cover Raymer’s kick that died at the Falcon 19-yard line and Zabel covered the live ball at the Falcon 19.
However, the Cougars could move the ball only five yards and were forced to attempt a 21-yard field goal. Raymer split the uprights on the kick and the Cougars took the lead, 10-7 with 8:06 left in the first half.
The Falcons then went three-and-out and punted the ball and the Cougars took it at their own 44. Five plays later the Cougars were in the end zone again following a one-yard run by Kopp. The extra point sailed wide left, Raymer’s first miss of the season, and the Cougars led 16-7, which was the score at the half.
Neither team was able to score in the third quarter, but the Falcons began a drive at the end of the period that ended with a fourth-quarter score that made it 16-14.The Falcons moved 90 yards in 13 plays with freshman running back Octavious Mahogany scoring from four yards out.
On the next Cougar possession, they moved from their own 33 up to the Falcon 41. But on first down, Gibson fumbled the ball along the sideline and the Falcons recovered it at their own 30-yard line.
But on a second-and-12 play, Middleton threw an interception to sophomore safety Hunter Tomes at the Falcon 46-yard line. Tomes then returned the ball through the Falcons all the way for a touchdown. A bad snap on the extra-point try kept the score at 22-14.
The two teams then traded empty possessions before the Falcons took over at their own 16 yard line with 2:12 left to play. With Middleton dropping back to pass on every down, the Falcons moved to the Cougar 13-yard line with just seconds left, but two straight incompletions ended the game with the Cougars holding on for the win.
The Cougars will be on the road this Friday when they travel to Harned to take on the Breckinridge County Tigers. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
By Don Brown, Local Sports
Reach Don at donbrown@k105.com
