Colonels fall

Whitley County had South Laurel on the ropes Friday, but couldn’t come up with the knock out punch to down the Cardinals in a district battle in London. The Cardinals held on for a 22-20 win and held on to third place in the district standings.
Although it wasn’t a must win situation for the Colonels, a win would have moved Whitley County into a much better playoff picture. The race for a home playoff berth looks dim for coach Mike Campbell and his Colonels. A third place finish is still in the picture with wins over Clark County and North Laurel.
Should the Colonels lose at Clark County, then a win over North Laurel would be a must to get into the playoffs. There are a lot of games to be played before the district picture gets clear.
Whitley County had its chances against the Cardinals. The Colonels jumped out to a 12-0 lead, but missed two crucial conversions that proved to be a key in the loss. Even after the Cardinals came back with three straight touchdowns and took the 22-20 lead the Colonels had a couple of opportunities, but failed to get on the scoreboard.
In the opening drive it was Ladale Rider working his way to the end zone as the line opened some big holes for the senior to run through. When he wasn’t going up the middle he went around the South Laurel ends for some big yardage.
Whitley County got its first possession started at their own 27 yard line and took it across midfield in just three plays, all runs by Rider.
Eli Rhodes got a short gain on a first down, then it was back to Rider for a 10 yard carry to the South Laurel 40. A Cardinal penalty helped push the ball down to the South Laurel 28. Rider took it in from three on three straight carries. He picked up a first down at the 18 then broke loose to the one yard line on a 17-yard run. He pushed his way across the goalline on the ensuing play with 7:35 on the clock.
Mark Teague’s kick was blocked on the extra point try and the Colonels led 6-0.
It was three and out for the Cardinals who had to punt the ball back to Whitley County. The Colonels took over at their own 38. The first play from scrimmage saw Rider go in and out of traffic for a 58 yard run. When he was pulled down, he was at the South Laurel four.
Rider got the carry on the following play and made it good with a four-yard run into the end zone for a 12-0 lead. The Colonels went for two but were stopped just short of the line.
The tide then turned in favor of the Cardinals and freshman quarterback Ricky Bowlng. The Cardinals took the ball at their own 31 yard line and drove down the field for their first TD of the game.
Short passes seem to be the liking of the South Laurel offense as Bowling hit Brown, Quinn and Bingham on short routes to ease their way down the field.
However, it took the Cardinals a questionable call in the end zone to get out of some trouble. South Laurel faced a third and 15 from the 29 yard line. Bowling missed his intended receiver but a Colonel was flagged for interference and sit up a first down at the 15 yard line for the Cardinals with 1:38 in the opening quarter.
A pass to Bingham for seven yards and a Quinn carry for six yards gave the host a first down at the two-yard line. An incomplete pass later, Brown went in for the six points. Nick Ellington added the point after and South Laurel was within 12-7.
Whitley County tried to comeback with a score of its own but the drive stalled at the Cardinals 10 yard line with 6:41 left in the opening half.
A 29 yard run to the 11 yard line gave the Colonels hope but Cody Jeffries was hit with a three yard loss and a Jordan McCumbers pass fail incomplete on second down. Rider picked up four yards on third down and the Colonels faced a fourth down. A passing attempt failed to work and Whitley County turned the ball over to South Laurel.
Whitley County went to the break with a 12-7 lead.
South Laurel came out ready to go in the second half as Brown broke away on first down from the 40 yard line. His 60-yard TD put South Laurel ahead, 15-12 after Bowling’s completed pass on the conversion.
The Colonels failed to move the ball on their first possession of the second half and were forced to punt.
Brown returned the ball to the Cardinals 43 and the offense went to work padding the South Laurel lead.
With 6:32 in the quarter, Brown scored from five yards out. Ellington cashed in on the extra point for a 22-12 score.
But here come the Colonels, Whitley County drove the ball down to the 12 yard line behind Rider, Rhodes and Jeffries. The Colonels converted two third down plays with ease.
After getting to the 12 yard line, Jeffries picked up seven yards to the South Laurel 5, but a fumble, recovered by Whitley, pushed the ball back to the eight yard line. Rider got the three yards back on third down but a fourth and three pass failed short with :11 left in the quarter.
Brown got the Cardinals out of the hole with a 30 yard run to the South Laurel 35 but the drive was stopped there. Bowling tried to move his team up the field but back to back losses saw the Cardinals facing a fourth and seven from the 38.
The punt was returned to the Whitley County 47 where the Colonels went to work. Rider picked up eight yards before McCumber found his receivers covered on second-down. He scrambled his way down the side line and was hit out of bounds. The penalty gave Whitley a first-down at the 22.
Five straight carries by Rider saw the senior go in for the touchdown with 8:07 left in the game. He scored from eight yards out. McCumbers connected with senior Shawn Rowe on the conversion that allowed the Colonels to pull within two, 22-20.
Eric Partin, a senior defensive back, ended South Laurel’s next series with an interception at the Colonels 21 yard line.
Whitley County put together an impressive last minute drive that allowed the Colonels a first down at the 26 yard line with just over two minutes remaining. Rider lost a yard on first down but Jeffries took the secon play five yards to the 22 yard marker. Rowe was the target on a pass to the left flats. The senior worked his way free of the defender but the pass was just out of reach.
The fourth down play was disrupted by the South Laurel defense as the Colonels tried a half-back passed that failed. Rider got pinned behind the line of scrimmage and was never able to find his reciever. The Colonels turned the ball over to South Laurel with 1:09 left on the clock. The Cardinals took a knee and ran out the clock for the win.
The Colonels step outside district play this week to host the Breathitt County Bobcats. They will return to district action, October 22 with a trip to Clark County.

Whitley Co. 12 0 0 8- 20
South Laurel 0 7 15 0- 22
WC- Ladale Rider, 1 run (kick blocked)
WC- Rider, 4 run (run failed)
Second Quarter
SL- Cory Brown, 2 run (Ellington kick)
Third Quarter
SL- Brown, 60 run (Bowling to
SL- Brown, 5 pass from Bowling (Ellington kick)
Fourth Quarter
WC- Rider, 8 run (McCumbers to Rowe)