CORBIN DEFEAT

The Corbin Redhounds got off to a quick start against the Oldham County Colonels Saturday night in the 12th Annual Cumberland Falls Pigskin Classic, but they soon cooled off and suffered a disappointing 34-20 loss.
On the second play from scrimmage, junior quarterback Clint Cashen hit classmate Rob Madon on a 40 yard pass play for six points with just seconds off the clock. Jordan Wagers tacked on the extra point and the Redhounds led 7-0. Then an interception of Oldham County quarterback Josh Koebel gave the Redhounds a first down on the Corbin 35 yard line.
Corbin failed to move the ball even with the aid of a five yard Oldham County penalty. The first of many sacks to Cashen stalled the drive and the Redhounds were forced to punt the ball. The short punt gave the Colonels a first down at their own 38 yard line.
The Redhound defense forced another turnover when Madon intercepted a pass at the Colonels’ 46 yard line with 6:39 in the quarter.
Junior running back Josh Sanders got the call early and carried the ball three straight times, accounting for 22 yards down to the 24 yard line. After a short gain by Corey Sewell, Cashen hooked up with Sanders to the nine yard line.
However, a stubborn Colonels’ defense refused to let Corbin get off to a two TD lead. A Cashen pass fell incomplete then a run by the junior QB was sniffed out just one yard into the play. Blake Freeman was caught behind the line of scrimmage on third down for a four yard loss. Cashen went to the air on fourth and 12, but the pass was incomplete and the Colonels’ defense celebrated.
The Redhounds picked up their third pass of the quarter when Sewell intercepted Koebel at the Colonels 39 with seconds left in the period. Corbin went to the second period in control of the game.
“We had a lot of opportunities, but we just didn’t take care of them,” Corbin coach Steve Jewell told his team after the game. “We didn’t capitalize on opportunities that we created for ourselves.”
“We did an extremely good job creating opportunities and we didn’t capitalize on those,” said Jewell. “Even as bad as we played I thought we had an opportunity there in the fourth quarter to come away with a win or pull even and make it go into overtime.”
“It’s just a downer or however you want to look at it, it just doesn’t leave a good taste in your mouth to squander that many opportunities,” said Jewell.
Jewell feels this is one that got away. “I definitely do,” he said. “I felt we were a mature ballclub and had developed into the team we need to be, we have to be able to capitalize and put away teams early. We went up 7-0 then we created those turnovers and wasn’t able to stick it in there.”
“If you let a team stick around and they get to thinking positive they can play, that’s what happens,” said Jewell referring to the loss.
A Dy’Lan Underwood interception sparked the Colonels, but the Corbin defense allowed just two yards after Oldham County got the ball back. They were forced to punt with 9:49 on the clock.
However, the Colonels’ defense punished the Redhounds for three straight losses after taking the punt at their own 23 yard line. A Freeman loss of three yards and back to back sacks of Cashen left the Redhounds facing a fourth and 18 from the 15 yard line. A procedure penalty pushed the ball back to the 10 where Corbin was forced to punt.
Oldham County took over at the Corbin 35. The Colonels got a break that led to their first touchdown when a pass to Chase Hamby gave Oldham County a first down at the nine yard line. Hamby had actually dropped the pass but the official (behind the play) ruled it a catch and the pass stood to the argument of the Corbin coaching staff.
“It was one huge play in the ballgame, we questioned it, that’s all you can do, but still yet there were other opportunities to hold them defensively and score offensively,” said Jewell. “You’re going to have those things happen in a game, it’s just whoever adjusts to those things the best.”
Corbin failed to adjust and Zach Byrne ran the ball on from nine yards out on the ensuing play and the Colonels were within a point with 6:36 in the second period.
The teams traded possessions to end the half and Corbin looked to have the Colonels backed up when they took over the final drive with 3:35 left in the half. Things looked pretty good for Corbin when they had Oldham County in a third and 18 situation at the Redhounds 30 yard line with :55 left.
However, a Koebel 20 yard pass to Jaque Vinson was good for a first down at the 10 yard line. The Colonels struck with :20 left on a pass to Hamby, giving the Colonels a 12-7 lead after Underwood failed to get the PAT.
It was Oldham County who struck quickly in the third quarter when Vinson hauled in a 56 yard TD from Koebel. Jimmy McCarl added the kick and the Colonels led 19-7 with twenty seconds off the clock.
However, Corbin came back and scored on a Blake Freeman run of six yards with 6:54 in the period but again Oldham County answered. A 12-play 65 yard drive saw Koebel score on the final play from 12 yards out with 2:05 remaining in the third. Koebel added the extra point on a run into the end zone for the two points and 27-13 lead.
The Redhounds pulled to within a touchdown with 6:06 left in the game when Freeman scored on a three yard run. After recovering a fumble at the 30 yard line, Cashen broke loose for a 18 yard run. Freeman had three straight carries, the final carry sent him into the end zone. Wagers kick made it 27-20.
Corbin tried an onside kick but Oldham County was prepared and took over at their own 43.
After stopping Underwood and Hoebel to short gains, Josh Martin got a quarterback sack five yards behind the line of scrimmage. The Redhounds got the ball back with 3:52 left in the game, an opportunity to tie or win.
The momentum was on the side of the Redhounds as Michael Campbell picked up a six yard gain on the first down. Freeman added a short gain and a offsides penalty gave the Redhounds a first down at their own 33 yard marker.
The following play had the Corbin fans on their feet when Cashen hit Madon down the middle for a 34 yard pass, but the junior lost his handle on the ball and fumbled. Oldham County gained possession with 3:04.
The Colonels drove the ball down the field for a TD with :58 left in the game. Hoebel scored on a four yard run. McCarl added the point after and the Colonels were ready to celebrate a 34-20 win over Corbin.
Corbin will remain home Friday night when they entertain the Cardinals of South Laurel and quarterback Ricky Bowling.
“South Laurel will be in the spread but they seem to be throwing the ball more,” said Jewell. “They like to run the ball out of their spread.”
“I have not seen them run as much this year but that is not to say they will not,” Jewell said. “They are in the same boat as us, they will have to change a few things too, to be able to get on the winning track.”
“I think Bowling and (Terry) Bingham are a good tantum up there,” said Jewell. “Marcum was his go to guy last year, Bingham is that man this year, although there are other kids there that can catch the ball.”

Oldham County 0 12 15 7- 34
Corbin 7 0 6 7- 20
First Quarter
C – Rob Madon, 40 pass from Clint Cashen (Jordan Wagers kick)
Second Quarter
OC – Zach Byrne, 9 run (Jimmy McCarl kick)
OC – Chase Hamby, 21 pass from Heobel (run failed)
Third Quarter
OC – Jaque Vinson, 56 pass from Hoebel (McCarl kick)
C – Blake Freeman, 6 run (run failed)
OC – Koebel, 12 run (Koebel run)
C – Freeman, 3 run (Wagers kick)
OC – Koebel, 4 run (McCarl kick)