The Grayson County Cougars ended their regular season in spectacular fashion last Friday in Munfordville as they shut out the Hart County Raiders 34-0 to break a three-game losing streak to finish 7-3 for the season.
It was a complete beat-down as the Cougars held the Raiders to 130 total yards, 54 rushing and 76 passing, while running roughshod over the Raider defense for 341 yards on the ground.
Grayson County had two runners carry for more than 100 yards in the game. Senior Hunter Gibson ran 17 times for 185 yards and two touchdowns, while senior quarterback Logan Kopp ran 15 times for 130 yards and two scores. Kopp also scored a touchdown late in the fourth quarter on a 44-yard interception return.
Junior Zach Bratcher had a huge night on defense with 15 tackles, nine of them unassisted, with three tackles for loss. Senior Cooper Terry and junior Dylan Zabel both finished with 10 tackles, with Zabel having eight unassisted.
In a slow-starting game, neither team scored in the first quarter. But with the ball deep in their own territory at the start of the second quarter, the Raiders fumbled the ball and the Cougars covered it at the 11-yard line.
Two plays later Gibson carried in from the six to put the Cougars in front to stay. Logan Raymer added the extra point and the Cougars led 7-0 at the 11:28 mark.
The Cougars forced a punt on the next Raider possession and took over at their own 34. Grayson County moved the ball into Raider territory at the 38, but an illegal procedure penalty moved them back to the 43, where they had a first-and-15.
The setback didn’t hurt, though, and Gibson raced through the Raider defense for a 43-yard touchdown run to put the Cougars in front 14-0, which is how the half ended.
Grayson County had the ball to start the second half, starting at their own 36-yard line. They then ripped off big chunks of ground, quickly moving down to the Raider 16, where on second-and-eight, Kopp carried in for the third Cougar touchdown. Raymer added the extra point and at the 9:58 mark of the third quarter the Cougars led 21-0.
With the Raiders facing a fourth-and-one at their own 49-yard line near the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Cougars sacked quarterback Hayden Belden and took over at the Hart County 40-yard line.
The Cougars moved to the 31, where they had a fourth-and-one of their own, but Kopp squirted through a hole and took it to the house to put the Cougars out front 28-0.
With time running down and the Raiders trying desperately to get on the board late in the fourth quarter, Belden was picked off by Kopp at the Raider 44, and he tip-toed down the sideline all the way to the end zone for a final touchdown with :19.9 showing on the clock. The kick failed, but it hardly mattered as the Cougars celebrated their big win.
Grayson County will enter the post-season this coming Friday when they travel to Graves County to take on the Eagles (6-4) in playoff action. The Eagles got the best of the Cougars in the regular season, winning 21-10 at Cougar Field on Oct. 11. Game time in Mayfield is set for 7 p.m. You will be able to watch that game via K105 Digital Productions on YouTube or on K105’s Facebook page.
By Don Brown, Local Sports
Reach Don at donbrown@k105.com
