Trailing 14-8 at the end of the third quarter, the Cougar football team scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns to take a 22-14 win last Friday at Muhlenberg County.
Senior running back Hunter Gibson carried the ball 23 times for 115 yards and two touchdowns to lead the charge against the Mustangs. Senior kicker Logan Raymer hit two field goals, one from 26 yards and the other from 31 yards.
Grayson County outrushed the Mustangs, 232 yards to 60, and outgained them 237 to 128 in total yardage. Junior Zach Bratcher led the defense with six tackles. Senior Cooper Terry had four tackles before leaving the game in the first half with a shoulder injury.
The Cougars got a big break on the opening kickoff when return man, Trace Angus, fumbled the return and senior Talin Smart recovered the ball at the Mustang 38.
But the Mustang defense proved tough to penetrate and the Cougars were forced into a fourth-and-goal at the 10-yard line. Raymer trotted out to attempt a 26-yard field goal and he put it through the uprights to give the Cougars the early lead, 3-0.
As the second quarter started, the Mustangs were backed up deep in their own territory. On a fourth-and-20 from their own five-yard line, senior Hunter Pendergest broke through and blocked a Mustang punt. When the ball went out of the back of the end zone, the Cougars were awarded a safety to lead the game 5-0, which is how the first half ended.
The Cougars were unable to move the ball after taking the second-half kickoff and were forced to punt at their own 41-yard line. Punter Logan Kopp whiffed on the kick and the Mustangs covered the fumble at the Cougar 34.
Quarterback Bronzyn Healy was whistled for intentional grounding on second-and-12. That set up a third-and-24 at the Cougar 48. On the next play, Healy threw an interception to junior Zach Bratcher, who returned the ball to the Mustang 41.
The Cougars once more struggled to move the ball against the Mustang defense and on a fourth-and-five at the Mustang 15, Raymer was called upon once again. His 31-yard field goal gave the Cougars an 8-0 lead with 3:56 left in the third quarter.
The Mustangs took the ensuing kickoff and returned it to their own 25. On first down, junior Caden Revelette raced 75 yards for a touchdown. Revelette then caught a pass from Healy for a successful two-point conversion, and suddenly the game was tied 8-8.
On the ensuing kickoff, senior Ethan Stewart muffed the kick and the Mustangs covered the loose ball at the Cougar 20. Four plays later the Mustangs were in the end zone again with Revelette catching a 22-yard pass from Healy. A two-point try failed, but the Mustangs led 14-8 with 2:24 left in the third period.
The Mustang kickoff went out of bounds, setting up the Cougars at their own 40-yard line. As the third quarter ended, the Cougars faced a second-and-11 at the Mustang 31-yard line. After changing ends of the field, Gibson took a handoff and raced 31 yard to put the Cougars back in front 15-14.
Neither team was able to move the ball until the Cougars took over at their mown 36 with 6:39 remaining to be played. Grayson County then moved 64 yards in 12 plays, taking 4:39 off the clock to put the game out of reach of the Mustangs. Gibson carried in from five yards out and Raymer supplied the extra point to give the Cougar a 22-14 lead with 2:00 left to play.
The Cougar defense then held the Mustangs on four plays to end the game.
The Cougars (6-0) will return home this Friday to take on the Graves County Eagles (2-3) in a district contest at Cougar Field. That game is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
By Don Brown, Local Sports
Reach Don at donbrown@k105.com
