Colonels edge Clay County

The Whitley County Colonels picked up their first victory of the football season in a heroic style Friday night when senior Seth McCoy, who is starter for the soccer team, kicked a 24-yard field goal with five seconds left in the game to lift his team to a 33-32 win over the Clay County Tigers.

It was McCoy’s fourth field goal of the season and second of the ballgame. The kick could be a season changer for the Colonels, who went into the game with a 0-3 record after losing to Russell County (30-0), Rockcastle Co. (36-3) and Bell Co. (33-10).

It was McCoy, who got the scoring started in the game with a field goal in the first quarter that put the Colonels ahead, 3-0. However, the scoring would seesaw back and forth as Clay County scored the first TD of the game on a Zach McGeorge 34-yard pass to Joey Dezarn.

Boston Bryant, who has led the Colonels in scoring and rushing the first three weeks of the season, bullied his way in from three yards out to give the Colonels a 9-6 lead with 3:32 left in the opening quarter only to see the Tigers come back.

Clay County (1-3) would score two touchdowns before Bryant reach the end zone mid-way through the second quarter. Bryant’s six-yard run with 7:18 in the half pulled the Colonels within two, 18-16. The Colonels caught the Tigers on a safety and tied the score 18-all.

Just before the half ended the Tigers regained the lead on a 33-yard pass from McGeorge to Dezarn as Clay County took a 26-18 lead into the half.

The Colonels answered in the third quarter with a long drive of their own. But, as quarterback Austin Ysidro crossed the line, he fumbled the football. John Madden was there to recover and get the touchdown for Whitley County. The run for the conversion failed the Colonels trailed 26-24.

Bryant, who had 175 yards on the night, gave Whitley County the lead late in the fourth quarter on a three-yard touchdown run. The PAT failed, but the Colonels led 30-26.

However, a celebration penalty gave the Tigers excellent field position. On the kickoff, Sam Carr return the ball 80 yards to put the Tigers ahead with 1:47 left in the game.

Clay County set off their own celebration and was flagged by the officials.

Ysidro took the kickoff to the Clay County 48-yard line and the Colonels had to go the distance to win the game. A Bryant run of 15 yards gave the Colonels the ball at the five-yard line. With time running out, Black elected to go with the field goal for the win. McCoy’s kick went to the right, but through the uprights.

“It’s like you shoot yourself in the foot and still win the football game,” said Whitley County Coach Jim Black in his post-game show. I’m happy the kids got that win, they needed it.”

“We got better as the game went on, but we did see some things that we need to work on,” Black said. “That’s the first passing team we’ve seen, everyone else has been running the ball.”

Clay County came into the game averaging nearly 200 yards on the ground was held to just five yards. “We’ve done a good job stopping the run and we showed that. Right now we are having a hard time with the pass defense recognizing the plays,” Black said.

“There are things we have to get better to be a good football team,” Black said. “It’s just not one or two guys, it’s the whole group.”

Ysidro had an excellent night running the football; the freshman quarterback carried the ball 17 times for 105 yards.

The Colonels will travel to Lynn Camp Friday night to battle the Wildcats. “Coach (David) Mitchell does a very good job getting his team’s ready to play,” Black said.

Whitley Co. 33, Clay Co. 32

Clay Co.            12  14  0  6- 32

Whitley Co.              9    8  6  9- 33

First Quarter

WC- Seth McCoy, 29 FG

CC- Dezarn 34 pass from McGeorge (run fail)

WC- Boston Bryant 3 run (kick blocked)

CC- Dezarn 50 pass from McGeorge (kick fail)

Second Quarter

CC- Dezarn 21 pass from McGeogre (kick fail)

WC- Bryant 6 run (McCoy kick)

WC- Safety

CC- Dezarn 34 pass from McGeorge (run good) 26-18

Third Quarter

WC- John Madden fumble recovery (run fail)

Fourth Quarter

WC- Bryant 3 run (run fail) 30-26

CC- Sam Karr 80 kickoff return (pass fail)

WC- McCoy 24 FG