EAGLES GROUNDED

The door is open for a Williamsburg district championship. The Yellow Jackets took a big step through the door with lopsided wins over Berea and Clinton County. But, last week they took a huge step by knocking off defending champion, Campbellsville, 30-12.

Now the Yellow Jackets want to close that door with a win over Lynn Camp Friday night at Findlay-Legion Field. “We know what we have to do, we just have to get back to practice and focus on Lynn Camp,” Williamsburg Coach Jerry Herron said in his post-game show.

It was a much easier win that anyone anticipated after Williamsburg took control of the game in the first quarter and put 10 points on the scoreboard while the Yellow Jackets defense held the Eagles scoreless.

Kevin Hoffman, who had a huge night for the Yellow Jackets, gave the fans something to cheer about when he rambled 52 yards on a first-down from the Williamsburg 37-yard line on the second possession of the game.

That was enough to spark the Yellow Jackets. Sophomore quarterback Logan Hamblin broke loose on a second down from the 11-yard line to go nine yards before being pulled down at the two. A Hamblin pass to J.P. Payne put Williamsburg on the scoreboard with 7:17 in the opening quarter. A two-point conversion to Payne gave the Jackets an 8-0 lead.

A Williamsburg punt late in the first quarter was downed at the one-yard line. An off sides penalty helped the Eagles to the six-yard marker, but Cody Perkins blind-sided Tyler Carson on third down in the end zone for a safety, giving Williamsburg a 10-0 lead.

The free kick ended up at the Williamsburg 46-yard line after a Chris Lowrie runback. Hamblin and Thomas were hit with losses totaling nine yards and on third-and-19; Payne caught a pass that went for 35 yards and a first-down at the Eagles 25.

Hamblin went around the corner on the first down for 14 yards, taking the ball to the Campbellsville 11.

Four plays later Hamblin hit Hoffman on a six-yard play for the touchdown and 16-0 lead with 11:05 in the second quarter.

After Campbellsville failed to score on an eight-play drive that ended at the Williamsburg 28-yard line, the Jackets moved the ball down the field for yet another TD.

Payne was on the end of two 30+ passes, the second gave the Jackets a first-down at the six-yard line. A pitchout to Hoffman resulted in six points. Hamblin hit Payne on the conversion for a 24-0 lead.

Campbellsville answered on its next possession taking the ball to the end zone on a nine-play, 68-yard drive. Carson hit Joe McKenzie on a two-yard third-down play with 58-seconds left in the half to cut the lead to 24-6.

Williamsburg scored on its second possession of the third quarter after Lowrie intercepted the ball at the 34-yard line. Two plays later it was Hamblin to Hoffman for 22-yards and the touchdown. The PAT failed, but Williamsburg led, 30-6.

Campbellsville scored late in the game when Tashaun Hoskins went four-yards up the middle for a TD with 1:38 left in the game.

“I was very pleased with Payne and Hamblin,” said Herron. “Payne made some big catches and it was Hamblin’s third start and biggest game of his life. His eyes were so big before the game and I told it was going to be all-right and to just settle down and throw the football.”

“I was real pleased with the physicality of our football team,” Herron said. “Micah Purdie hit some people, J.P. was splattering people, Lowrie and Spencer (Brown) are really coming on,” said Herron. “Root (Andrew) had an unbelievable game tonight. They really got after the football tonight. “Hoffman, Logan, Perkins, they all played well on defense.”

“Their defense is really good and we had over 300 yards,” Herron said. “I bet that was the most they gave up all year.”

The Jackets had 178 yards on the ground with Hoffman leading the way with eight carries for 84 yards. Hamblin had 12 carries for 70 yards and Thomas had six carries for 24 yards.

Hamblin was 10-of-17 through the air for 158 yards and two touchdowns. Payne had seven catches for 129 yards.

A win over Lynn Camp this week will give the Yellow Jackets the district title. They won the title in 2008 after going 10-2. Lynn Camp hasn’t won the district since 2005 when they lost to Paintsville in the region, 28-27. The Wildcats are 7-7 since going to the current district format in 2007.

“This is a rivalry game,” said Herron. “The kids love to get fired up for them. It’s going to be crazy. We are off for fall break, so we have time to heal and get ready for them.”

“It’s going to be a battle because they are a good football team,” Herron said. “They held this team (Campbellsville) to 14 points. They are pretty good on defense.”

The Wildcats tuned up for its game with Williamsburg by beating the Clinton County Bulldogs, 38-12.

The game was close in the first half until sophomore Clint Jackson helped break the game open in the second half.

Williamsburg 30, Campbellsville 12

Campbellsville     0     6   0   6- 12

Williamsburg               10   14   6   0- 30           

WHS- J.P. Payne 2 run (J.P.Payne from Logan Hamblin)

WHS- Safety

WHS- Hoffman 6 pass from Logan Hamblin (run failed)

WHS- Hoffman 6 run (Payne pass from Hamblin)

CHS- Joe McKenzie 2 pass from Tyler Carson (run failed)

WHS- Hoffman 22 pass from Hamblin (run failed)

CHS- Tashaun Hoskins 4 run (run failed)