2022 Redhounds deserved to go out on top

Now that we’ve all had a few days to absorb the events of last week’s state football championship, allow me to offer up a few thoughts…

First of all, congratulations to Coach Justin Haddix and the Boyle County Rebels on winning their third straight Class 4A title. It would have been nice to see this thing go a different way this time around, but Justin was always a pleasure to work with when he was head coach of the Redhounds between 2014-2019, so I am happy for him, regardless of how anyone else might feel.

With that being said, I really did feel like this was Corbin’s year to once again reach the mountaintop. They truly deserved it, and although they don’t really need a state championship trophy to prove how special this team was, it sure would have been a fitting end to an amazing season. Regardless, as Head Coach Tom Greer told them after the game last Friday, they have absolutely nothing to hang their heads over. They weren’t able to win the big one, which hurts, but hey, this will still go down in the history books as one of the best teams in CHS history. That’s saying something.

As for this year’s state championship game, it was a pretty miserable night to be on any sideline, even somewhere as nice as Kroger Field. Just before kickoff, the heavens opened up and soaked everyone with a cold rain. The downpours would continue, on and off, for the entire first half. Luckily, the second half of the game was drier, but the winds were really whipping through the stadium at that point. All things considered, let’s just say that I have definitely been more comfortable while covering games. I’ve also seen worse, though, so let’s move on.

The action on the field went about the way that I expected it to. I knew that both of these teams would come ready to compete, and that it would be very difficult for one side to really gain an advantage over the other. As it turns out, both offenses were nearly unstoppable, with the Redhounds and the Rebels scoring on nearly every drive. It was a pretty epic battle, and really came down to just a few key moments throughout the evening. If you didn’t have a dog in the fight, and you just wanted to see an exciting ball game, then this would have been your lucky night, for sure.

Sadly, there were some calls that had a major impact on the outcome of this game. I am in no way trying to make excuses for the Hounds, because the fact of the matter is that they were not able to make some plays at crucial moments that could have put them in the driver’s seat, but let’s face it… a few of the flags that got thrown came at terrible times for Corbin specifically, killing their momentum when it mattered most. The same simply cannot be said for Boyle County.

Case in point, the Carter Stewart kickoff return for a touchdown that got called back because of holding. That was a dagger straight to the heart if I’ve ever seen one. In one moment the Hounds were in command, and the next, they are faced with a lot of ground to cover in order to make it back into the end zone. This would end up being one of the few instances that the ball was punted away, leading to a scoring drive for the Rebels just before the half. Had that kickoff return stood, then I believe Corbin is your 2022 state champs right now.

Fast forward to the fourth quarter. The Hounds are down, but not out, and after a HUGE interception by senior Jacob Baker the offense is once again driving with a chance to take the lead if they can score and convert the extra point. Truthfully, I thought that we were going to see that very scenario play out. It was almost too perfect, and I was already preparing myself for what the coverage would look like the following week after a thrilling one-point win. I imagine others had similar thoughts running through their heads, but wouldn’t you know it, the flags appeared again. This time, if memory serves me right, there were a pair of holding calls that backed Corbin way up, eventually leading to a turnover on downs. And that was pretty much the end of the game.

Like I said, the Redhounds had chances that they were not able to capitalize on, but those calls in particular sure made things a whole lot harder. Were they legit holds? I can’t say, but the timing could not have been worse. I know that much.

So, those are my thoughts. I hope that every member of this year’s Corbin High School football team realizes what a special run they had, and how proud their community is of them. Nobody around here could have asked for any more in terms of effort, dedication and emotion. You guys left it all on the field, and I commend you for doing so. Congrats on a great year.