SURPRISING WIN

 The Whitley County Colonels surprised their coach Friday night with a thumping of the Perry Central Commodores in Hazard, 63-18. “I never dreamed that we would go down there and beat them like that,” said Coach Jim Black. “That was one of the best games we’ve played since I have been here.”

It was a record setting performance by the Colonels. Whitley County broke the school record for rushing with 507 yards and total yards in a game with 648.

“Everyone played well,” Black. “It was a very complete game. Our line dominated the game from the beginning.”

The win left the Colonels atop the Class 5A, District 8 standings with Letcher Central and Harlan County with 4-1 records. Black said Letcher Central would get the number one seed because they have more points in the tie-breaker system. Whitley County will get the number two seed since the Colonels defeated Harlan County.

The Colonels (5-4) will close out the regular season Friday night at Rockcastle County. The Colonels have won four of their last five games with that loss being to Letcher Central at Whitley County. “I would love to play Letcher Central one more time,” said Black. “We gave that game away.”

Whitley County can secure a winning season with a win over the Rockets. But, Black said he expected a tough battle from the Rockets. “It’s going to be a hard fought game. They will hit hard, we will hit hard,” he said.

“They have a couple of good backs in No. 20 (Clarke Rowe) and No. 33 (John Saylor) and a very good offensive line,” said Black.

“It’s going to be a knock down drag out type game,” he said. “We have to be ready to play Friday night.”

The Colonels were more than ready for the Commodores in last week’s key district showdown. Whitley County scored on five of the six possessions in the first half enroute to a 37-6 lead.

Josh Wynn got the Colonels started with a 74-yard run to the end zone on the third play of the game. Then after failing to score on the second possession Cody Bowling intercepted a Jordan Amis pass, two plays later Lebanion broke loose on a 68-yard run for a 13-0 lead with 2:45 left in the opening quarter.

The Colonels posted 24 points in the second quarter as Justin Goins and Cody Bowlin found the end zone for the Colonels. Goins had a big night with three touchdowns from quarterback Jamie Lebanion for 136 yards.

Whitley Co. 63, Perry Central 18

Whitley Co.            13  24  19    7- 63

Perry Central              0    6    6    6- 18

WC- Josh Wynn 74 run (Lebanion kick)

WC- Jamie Lebanion 68 (kick failed)

WC- Justin Goins 59 pass from Lebanion (Alex Patrick run)

WC- Goins 14 pass from Lebanion (Cody Bramlett run)

PC- Darrell Beatty pass from Jordan Amis (run failed)

WC- Cody Bowlin 5 run (Josh Wynn run)

PC- Beatty from Amis (run failed)

WC- Goins 31 pass from Lebanion (run failed)

WC- Lebanion, 2 run (run failed)

WC- Jordan Chute 1 run (Lebanion kick)

PC- Jay White 88 kickoff return (run failed)

WC- Chute 6 run (Lebanion kick)