Taking a run at it: Musketeers use revamped rush game, special teams for district win over Lions
· Yahoo Sports
LLOYD The ball keeps bouncing Greenup County’s way amid its turnaround this season.
The ball also keeps moving as the Musketeers and their offensive line push forward.
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Kayden Taylor added to the highlights with a special teams touchdown, and Greenup County opened its Thursday night district game against Boyd County by scoring on its five possessions, leading to a 44-33 win on the Farm.
The Musketeers’ former offensive coordinator, now four-year head coach Travis Jones, said his guys up front allowed the team to install a new, run-heavy game plan.
“It all starts with our offensive line,” Jones said. “We are a team that wants to run the football. It’s something that we weren’t able to do last year, so it’s been a big emphasis. We have completely changed our offense. I was the offensive coordinator here for three years before I was head coach. Nevan Johnson, our offensive line coach, has done a phenomenal job. It's good for a guy that's calling the plays to know that we can handle our business up front."
Forty-two of Greenup County’s 55 plays stayed on the ground. Quarterback Jasper Davis (173 yards) and Ashur Wireman (104) combined for 277 rushing yards through open running lanes.
“The strength is our offensive line, but we have so many running backs that can run the ball well,” said senior lineman Sawyer Murphy. “I will give it to our offensive line all day, every day.
“It’s amazing that everybody returned on the line,” he added. “Last year, it didn’t go so well, being a junior and having to be the anchor. This year, we’ve made such a comeback on our offensive line. I love those guys, and we have improved so much.”
The growth started from their senior captain, and Jones knows he has a dependable force with Murphy.
“It’s Sawyer’s third year starting right tackle for us,” Jones said. “He got voted our team captain at team camp this year. Our players vote on who should represent us. Sawyer does a great job leading us. I am proud of him. When we need yardage, we run behind No. 65.”
A key play before halftime combined a fortuitous bounce and the emergence of another rising Greenup County star.
The Lions punted deep in their own territory, and the Musketeers’ rush applied the pressure. It resulted in a low, short kick that found Taylor, who initially knocked it down. The freshman quickly realized it was a live ball, scooped it up, and returned it 42 yards for a touchdown.
“I had to adjust my mind quickly,” Taylor said. “I thought it was a pass and then I heard, ‘Run!’ I picked it up and ran the ball back.”
Taylor’s TD increased Greenup County’s lead to 28-7, and Carter Nunley added a 30-yard field goal before intermission after another long kick return from Taylor. Special teams give players another opportunity to make an impact.
“With not going into the game as much, I feel that special teams is a chance to try and make a big play for the team,” Taylor said, “get six on the board and help them out in the long run.
“It’s a little nerve-racking out there in front of everybody. You just have to stay locked in and be ready.”
Jones said Taylor takes his limited role seriously.
“He’s our kick returner and a freshman,” Jones said. “It’s a big responsibility to be the returner. He does a great job. He made a big play on the punt return for a touchdown."
Boyd County (4-2, 0-2 in district seeding) had a few answers for Greenup County’s growing momentum. After Taylor’s scoring run, Jace Manning capped off a six-play drive with a 15-yard rushing touchdown.
Greenup County (5-2, 1-1) fumbled on its first second-half possession for the second straight week, and the Lions turned it into points with another Manning trip to the end zone. It only took two plays to respond to a late Musketeers’ TD in the third quarter with a 35-yard TD pass from Manning to CJ Smith.
“I just love that we don’t give up,” Boyd County coach Evan Ferguson said. “These kids have grit. We have to have execution and grit. We have to show that for four quarters. We can’t keep having slow starts and expect to bail ourselves out at the end. I like that we didn’t quit, and a team like that has the opportunity to get better.”
Collin Melvin opened the game with a 1-yard TD run on Greenup County’s first possession. Wireman followed with the first of his two rushing TDs, and Eric Campbell turned a short catch into a 13-yard scoring sprint.
“We made the same mistakes that we made the week before,” Ferguson said. “Two weeks in a row with the same result. We can’t keep waiting until halftime to make adjustments. It’s just execution. It’s something that we have to get better at. I love our kids, love our fight.”
Greenup County senior Keegan Brien delivered a key sack late in the game to close out a Lions’ drive on fourth down as the final quarter turned defensive.
Jones echoed those sentiments, noting his team battled, but they have to find ways to keep opponents from hanging around.
“It’s like we don’t know how to close the door on a game,” Jones said. “We’ve done that multiple times this year. … (Thursday) night, we could never really shut that door. We had a chance with the first drive of the second half to build a significant lead, and we fumbled. I guess our guys just want to play four quarters. I wish we would develop a killer instinct.”
Blake Sexton scored a pair of touchdowns for the Lions. Nolan Clarkson added a TD catch in traffic for the Musketeers.
Greenup County enters a bye week before traveling to Johnson Central, having made another step toward securing a home playoff game on the Farm.
“After we got beat by Boyd County by 40 points last year, to come back and beat them is amazing,” Murphy said. “We struggled on defense, and we will work on that during our bye week. The gravity of this win is insane.”
BOYD CO. 0 14 13 6 — 33
GREENUP CO. 7 24 13 0 — 44
FIRST QUARTER
GC—Collin Melvin 1 run (Carter Nunley kick), 4:41
SECOND QUARTER
GC—Ashur Wireman 5 run (Nunley kick), 11:53
BC—Blake Sexton 4 run (Conner Davis kick), 10:03
GC—Eric Campbell 13 pass from Jasper Davis (Nunley kick), 5:04
GC—Kayden Taylor 42 punt return (Nunley kick), 2:19
BC—Jace Manning 15 run (Davis kick), :54.7
GC—Nunley 30 field goal, :00
THIRD QUARTER
BC—Manning 1 run (Davis kick), 7:23
GC—Nolan Clarkson 23 pass from Jasper Davis (Nunley kick), 5:53
GC—Wireman 1 run (kick failed), 1:12
BC—CJ Smith 35 pass from Manning (run failed), :39.7
FOURTH QUARTER
BC—Sexton 12 run (kick failed), :57.7
BC GC
First Downs 15 23
Rushes-Yards 145 298
Comp-Att-Int 12-23-0 8-13-0
Passing Yards 158 109
Fumbles-Lost 2-0 2-1
Punts-Avg. 3-24.0 1-34.0
Penalties-Yards 6-35 7-80
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Boyd County rushing: Sexton 12-62, Turner 1-2, Manning 13-81.
Greenup County rushing: Davis 14-173, Wireman 25-104, Campbell 1-5, Melvin 2-16.
Boyd County passing: Manning 12 of 23 for 158 yards.
Greenup County passing: Davis 8 of 13 for 109 yards.
Boyd County receiving: May 6-45, Davis 3-33, Smit 2-68, Ehirim 1-12.
Greenup County receiving: Clarkson 1-23, Campbell 5-67, Wireman 1-3, Lewis 1-16.