RECORD SETTING NIGHT

Clark County senior Pokie Harris ran for 277 yards and scored five touchdowns in leading the Cardinals to a 39-29 win over the Corbin Redhounds Friday night at Cardinal Stadium in Winchester.

“He’s like a one-man show,” Corbin Coach Steve Jewell said. “It seems like we were like a half-second or a second slow getting to him, We always had people in the area, but to his credit he is one of the quicker kids I’ve been around as far as acceleration. He is very quick and I have been around backs like that, but he could turn it on after he made his cut.”

Harris scored the game’s first touchdown from 52 yards out on the second play of the game. He added a second touchdown in the first quarter on a 12-yard run. Then tied the game 21-12 on a 13-yard gallop late in the second period.

He started the second half like he did the game, scoring on a long run of 90 yards two plays into the third quarter. His finishing touch came when he intercepted a Ty Cobb pass and went 64 yards to put the Cardinals ahead, 39-21.

“He put a lot of stress on us,” Jewell said. They (offensive line) did a good job blocking for him and it was like we set up cones down the field so he could weave his way in and out a lot of times.”

While most of the attention went to Harris, junior wide receiver Josh Jewell was having the night of his life. Jewell, at 5’9” and 140 pounds was quietly nearing a KHSAA record for pass completions.

Jewell caught 17 passes for 167 yards and one touchdown. He was two catches away from the state record set by Patrick West of Franklin-Simpson in 2002 and tied by J.T. Britt of Lewis County in 2007.

Senior Bradley Foley also had a 100-yard game as he finished with 24 rushes for 118 yards and two touchdowns.

After Harris gave the Cardinals a 6-0 lead early in the game, the Redhounds responded with 14 straight points. Foley scored from one-yard out with 7:06 in the quarter then added a four-yard run a minute later after Cai Jackson recovered a Harris fumble. Jackson completed both kicks to put the Redhounds ahead 14-7.

Jewell feels one of the biggest plays of the night came on Clark County’s drive to tie the game when the Cardinals faced a third-and-17 at Corbin 45-yard line. Just when it looked as if Clark County runner Mark Campbell was got in the backfield, he took a broken play 32 yards. The Cardinals scored two plays later.

With the scored tied 14-14, Corbin answered a Clark County score with an 80-yard drive on 12 plays with Matt Jewell going in from five-yards out to put the Redhounds back on top, 21-14.

Harris tied the game with 3:24 left in the opening half, but Corbin wasn’t done yet. Starting at their own 20-yard line, Cobb hit Hunter Grubb on a 27-yard pass play to the 47. The Redhounds marched the ball down to the eight-yard-line before turning in it over to the Cardinals with: 26 on the clock.

A 40-yard pass gave the Cardinals a first down inside Corbin’s 45-yard line. Harris broke loose for a 10-yard run with just enough time for a pass. Jackson intercepted the ball and weaved his way down the field with blockers ahead of him. Jackson was pulled down at the 10-yard line after a 70+-interception return.

Clark County scored three unanswered touchdowns, but failed to convert on any extra points’ try and led 39-21 before the Redhounds put together another 80-yard drive. Josh Jewell had eight catches for 76 yards finally scoring on a six-yard pass with 2:43 left in the game.

Corbin was slowed in the second half by leg cramps to Foley and an ankle injury to Matt Jewell.

The coach found plenty to be positive about during Monday’s interview. “I was pleased with the way our line blocked most of the night,” Jewell said. “All in all, we put 400 yards of offense on the board so you have to be pleased with that. Ty was 23-of-33 and threw the ball really well and Josh Jewell had an exceptional game. If you go back and look at it, it was the second best in number of catches in the state in a ball game with 17.”

“Brady had over 100 yards,” Jewell added. “There were a lot of positives.”

“We can’t give up the big play,” he added. “We are not a team that can do that.”

Corbin will be at home Friday night when they entertain the Beavers of Knoxville Karns High School. Karns opened the season with a 7-0 loss to South Doyle last week.

“They are experimenting with a new offense, but played a very solid defensive game last week,” Jewell said. “We’re both coming off opening losses, so one of us will come away a winner this week. Our kids are hungry to get a win, we need something positive. We had a negative scrimmage at Harlan County and the kids did come out better and moved the ball better against Clark County. We have to hone in on our defense.”

“The bottom line right now is the fact that we have to correct our mistakes and not worry about Knoxville Karns,” Jewell said. “I feel like if we can play our game and manage the football like we did the other night we will have a good shot to win the ballgame.”

Clark County 39, Corbin 29

Corbin               14   7     0   8- 29

Clark County  14   7   18   0- 39

First Quarter

CC – Pokie Harris, 52 run (kick failed)

Corbin – Brady Foley, 1 run (Cai Jackson kick)

Corbin – Foley 4, run (Jackson kick)

CC- Harris 12 run (Harris run)

Second Quarter

Corbin – Matt Jewell 5 run (Jackson kick)

CC- Harris 13 run (Campbell kick)

Third Quarter

CC- Harris 90 run (kick failed)

CC- Campbell 4 run (Run failed)

CC- Harris 60 interception return (kick failed)

Fourth Quarter

Corbin – Josh Jewell 6 pass from Ty Cobb (Foley run)