Patriots Edge Tigers 36-34

By Don Meador,
Sports Writer

The Allen County-Scottsville Patriots closed out the regular season District slate with a hard-fought 36-34 win over the Hopkinsville Tigers last Friday. The Senior Night victory lifted AC-S to their eighth win of the year overall and 4-1 in District play.

Once again, senior Chase Ross was the story for the Patriots offensively. Unofficially Ross tallied 182 yards in the game. His efforts coupled with the play of quarterback Braylon Adams, the Patriot offensive and defensive lines, and the entire AC-S defense enabled AC-S to rally late and hold on for the win.

AC-S opened the night with a score on their first possession. Adams hooked up with junior DeAntre Grainger for a 13-yard touchdown. The score and PAT gave the Patriots a 7-0 lead at the 7:19 mark of the first quarter.

Hopkinsville answered. After holding the Patriots from scoring early in the second, the Tigers moved down field, capping the drive with a one-yard run by John Aiden King. A successful two-point conversion gave Hoptown the 8-7 lead with 6:19 left in the first half.

With just under a minute left in the first half, AC-S used the wildcat formation to score. Jackson Morris’ three-yard score lifted the Patriots to a 13-8 lead. The try for two failed.

Rather than call the first half done, Hopkinsville caught AC-S napping. With 13 seconds remaining in the first half, King tossed a 41-yard touchdown to a receiver open in the middle of the Patriot secondary. The play gave the Tigers a 14-13 lead at the break. The lead increased to nine, 22-13, after the Tigers scored at the 7:38 mark of the third.

On the following series, the Patriots marched the length of the field. Ross capped the drive with a nine-yard run. Braydon Holland’s run for the two-point conversion brought AC-S to within one, 22-21. However, Hopkinsville answered with a score in the first 15 seconds of the fourth to take a 28-21 lead.

Behind the running of Ross, the Patriots needed less than two minutes to tie the game. Ross scored on a nine yard sweep at the 10:20 mark. Joseph Hunley kicked the PAT to tie the game at 28.

Six minutes later–following a defensive stop by AC-S–the Patriots looked to take control. Adams kept the ball and scored on a short run to give AC-S a 34-28 lead with 4:11 remaining. On the Patriots PAT attempt, an offside penalty on Hopkinsville prompted the Patriots to move the ball to the 1.5 yard line and go for the two-point conversion. Adams converted lifting AC-S to an eight-point lead.

Hopkinsville refused to go away. With their playoff lives on the line, the Tigers attacked. With 2:18 left, a 29-yard score on a pass play brought the Tigers to within two. However, the two-point pass attempt was intercepted leaving AC-S with the slim two-point lead.

AC-S managed to close the game out with a first down on their next possession. The win assures the Patriots of a home playoff game in two weeks. The opponent is expected to be Nelson County (2-7, 2-2).

The Patriots (8-1) close the regular season this Friday on the road to Barren County (7-2). Kickoff is at 7 at Trojan Field in Glasgow.