In a game flush with fresh storylines and nuances and old truism was the take away from 3A Boyle County's 35-21 win over 6A Ballard. Experience is the best teacher, and an experienced Boyle County team whose core was playing its first game since winning the 2017 3A Kentucky state championship taught Ballard a lesson in team chemistry in week one of the 2018 season.
Ballard started off the game on the wrong foot. On their second play from scrimmage CAL transfer quarterback Austin Carr threw an ill advised pass on the run that was picked off by Boyle County linebacker Drew Barker. Boyle County started with the ball in Bruins territory and rode Junior tailback Landen Bartleson for three carries that covered 25 yards and a one yard score to give the Rebels a 7-0 lead.
Ballard responded on their next drive with a good run pass mixture that carried them 60 plus yards, punctuated by a 20-yard touchdown romp by junior running back Michael Lofton. Notching the score at seven a piece.
Boyle County would go three and out on the next drive as Reed Lantner just missed a streaking Reese Smith. Ballard had the momentum but Austin Carr was picked off by a diving Isaac Hardwick. On Boyle County's next play from scrimmage 2020 running back Landen Bartleson broke a tackle in the hole and flashed his 10.95-second 100-meter dash speed, pulling away from Bruins' defenders en route to a 73-yard touchdown that put the Rebs up 14-7. Bartleson finished with 14 carries for 108 yards and 3 touchdowns on the game.
Ballard struck back on the next drive after a long kick return by freshman Dedrick Hamilton set them up on the Boyle County 46-yard line. After a few carries by Michael Lofton and Jayden Farmer got the ball to the one, Austin Carr punched it in to tie the game at 14.
Boyle County returned fire on special teams as Chris Duffy fielded the ball on his own five and raced down to the Ballard 30 before getting tripped up by the kicker. Two plays later Reed Lantner dropped a precise lob in the bucket to Reese Smith down the sideline to set up first and goal from the five. Bartleson would finish off the drive with a one yard plunge and Boyle County went up 21-14.
It looked like Boyle County was about to run away with the game over the next sequence of events. Austin Carr was intercepted by game MVP Reese Smith which Boyle County's offense manifested into a 17 yard touchdown strike from Lanter to junior wide out Grant Hotchkiss putting the Rebels up 28-14. Hotchkiss finished with three catches for 51 yards and a score.
Drama ensued on the kickoff as Ballard muffed it, Boyle County recovered, and a fracas erupted on the Boyle County sideline resulting in off setting penalties and a stern lecture from Ballard coach AJ Morton to his team on their sideline. The game was hanging in the balance at this point and Ballard needed a stop in the worst way. Well, whatever Morton said worked because Ballard turned up the intensity and stopped Boyle County on four straight plays. Then the Bruins drove 90 yards on a series of screen passes and Austin Carr scrambles which lead to Michael Lofton punching it in from one yard out to close the gap at 28-21.
The final minutes of the first half were chuck full of drama as Austin Carr threw his fourth interception. Boyle County was primed to take a two score lead into the locker room but Lanter was intercepted by Terrence Hearn who raced into the end zone for six only to have the play called back on a questionable roughing the passer penalty that spawned an array of boos from the massive Ballard contingency in attendance. Boyle County took a knee and ran the clock out, content with their 28-21 halftime lead.
A torrential downpour slowed the field for the second half and both offenses struggled. Boyle County lost two fumbles but their defense clamped down and sacked Austin Carr time and time again.
With time running out, Boyle County had possession. The Rebs were pinning for a put-away touchdown and Ballard for one more big stop to give their offense a chance.
That's when the play of the game happened.
Boyle County ran a switch route, like they had been doing all game. The inside receiver switched to an outside go and was wide open. Reed Lanter saw some pressure on the edge and forced it to the outside receiver Reese Smith who flashed underneath. Smith somehow raced in front of Ballard's Josh Minkins snatched the ball in the teeth of the Ballard secondary, and sprinted away from two other Ballard defenders for a fifty yard game clinching touchdown that would be the final score of 35-21, earning him the game MVP, and a Rebels win.
Smith finished with seven catches for 143 yards and a touchdown and Reed Lanter completed 15 of 23 passes for 227 yards and two touchdowns.
Boyle County goes to 1-0 and with face 1-0 Franklin County next week and Ballard drops to 0-1 and will take on 1-0 Male.
