SMASHING THE ROCK

 Whitley County’s game against Rockcastle County Friday night was similar to the 2011 game in one respect. Coach Jim Black’s Colonels scored a moral victory. Those moral victories couldn’t have been further apart. In 2011, it was a 35-yard field goal with seconds remaining to avoid a shutout in a 36-3 loss.

Friday night it was the four-headed monster backfield of Boston Bryant, Zach Mills, Austin Hooper and Josh Nichols running for 302 of the 320 yards that the Colonels’ offense put up, combined with a smothering defense that held the Rockets to 100 yards of total offense in the 28-0 shutout victory.

"What did I tell you, if they don’t score, they don’t win," Black reminded his players after the game.

Black said it was a team effort on defense starting with the defensive line to the linebackers and the defensive backs.

"The kids were flying around making plays," Black said.

He had told his players one of the keys would be controlling the line of scrimmage, because Rockcastle County is well known for doing just that on the offensive side of the ball.

"You have to give credit to everybody," Black said "The defensive line allows us to do it because they are eating up blocks and that allows the linebackers to play down hill. We were sending blitzes and making plays when they got in there."

The defense did not just pitch the shutout, but did not allow the Rockets to move the ball inside Whitley County’s 43-yard line the entire night.

Offensively, Black said Rockcastle County was ready for Whitley County’s running game. Coupled with some early mistakes, the offense was unable to sustain any momentum.

However, midway through the second quarter, the Colonels’ running game began to find some sizeable holes and moved the ball.

A short punt by Rockcastle County gave Whitley County a short field beginning at the Rockets’ 47-yard line. On the third play of the drive Zac Mills, who ran for 94 yards on the night, went up the middle for 30 yards, taking the ball down to the Rockcastle County nine-yard line.

Black then went to, "The Boss." Fullback Boston Bryant powered for three yards on the first play, taking the ball down to the six-yard line. On the next play, Bryant went back up the middle and appeared to be stopped for a loss, but bounced off the Rockets’ defender and into the end zone for the first of his two touchdowns on the night.

Whitley County’s second touchdown came on its next possession and took just two plays to cover the 77 yards.

Quarterback Austin Ysidro took the snap and headed down the right side of the line before making the perfect pitch to Zac Mills on the option. Mills broke a tackle and got around the right side of the line. A downfield block gave Mills some running room, to cut back across the field and beat the Rockets’ defense to the corner of the end zone for the touchdown.

Mills credited his teammates for putting in the work needed to get better and be prepared to take the field on Friday night.

"We were just so much faster," Mills said.

Bryant added his second touchdown of the night on the first series of the second half. After driving to the Rockcastle County 24-yard line, Bryant finished the drive when he found a hole in the middle of the line and powered in for the touchdown. With the kick, Whitley County was up 21-0 with nine minutes remaining in the third quarter.

Ysidro and Nichols teamed up for the last touchdown as Ysidro hit Nichols for a 35-yard touchdown pass.

"They (Rockcastle County) gave us fits offensively up front," Black said. "They take away the run and make you throw it. We loosened them up enough where they had to honor it."

Whitley County had several opportunities to increase the lead but mistakes, particularly penalties, prevented that. The Colonels had three touchdowns called back because of penalties, including what would have been the first touchdown of the night when Mills ran a punt return back for a touchdown.

Black reminded his players that in Friday’s game at Bell County, the Bobcats will not be so forgiving of such miss opportunities.

Bell County is 2-1 on the season, losing to Lexington Catholic to open the season, 21-7 but winning at Bryan Station, 32-31 and at home against Middlesboro, 50-6.

Black said he has not watched any film on the Bobcats so he has not yet started putting together a game plan.

Kickoff is set for 7:30 at Bell County.

Whitley Co. 28, Rockcastle Co. 0

Rockcastle Co.     0   0   0   0- 0

Whitley Co.     0  14   7   7- 28

WC- Boston Bryant 6 run (Conlin kick)

WC- Zac Mills 76 run (Conlin kick)

WC- Bryant 24 run (Conlin kick)

WC- Tilmon Jackson 35 pass from Austin Ysidro (Conlin Kick)