Unbeaten Raiders turn back Wildcats in Class 3A playoffs

Published 6:05 am Saturday, November 16, 2024

by Jeff Nations

MUNFORDVILLE — Franklin-Simpson ran out of comebacks Friday night.

The Wildcats, who rallied back from a three-touchdown deficit to stun Hancock County in last week’s first round of the Class 3A state playoffs, gamely hung with unbeaten Hart County through most of a hard-hitting contest at Raider Stadium.

The hosts matched the Wildcats’ grit hit-for-hit and led throughout before finally getting separation midway through the fourth quarter for a 28-13 victory.

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Franklin-Simpson (6-6) labored to hang with the Raiders throughout the night.

“The kids fought hard, played them hard — played them better than the last time we played them,” Wildcats coach Max Chaney said. “We had a good game plan going in, didn’t always execute on some things. That’s a good team. They’re a really good team and we’re playing a lot of young guys, but I was proud of the way the guys fought the whole game long. Just to get to this point in the season has been really good for them.”

Up 14-3 at halftime, Hart County (12-0) looked to deliver the finishing blow with the opening drive of the second half when Christian Martin scored on an 11-yard touchdown run.

The Wildcats answered with a seven-play scoring drive covering 65 yards. Quarterback Brady Delk’s deep pass into a bunched group that included wide receivers Colin Anderson and Cason Groves — plus a pair of Hart County defenders — was pulled in by Groves for a 49-yard completion. Two plays later, Delk scored on an 8-yard touchdown run to get his team back within 21-10 with 5:00 left in the third.

Brody McAlister’s second field goal of the night — a 31-yarder — got Franklin within one score at 21-13 with 11:04 left to play.

The Raiders came up with their final answer on their ensuing drive. Jacob Shoulders dropped a pass down the middle to Martin, who was spun down by a Franklin defender — but didn’t appear to touch the turf before popping onto his feet and running into the end zone for a 35-yard touchdown catch with 5:06 to go.

“That hurts a lot,” Chaney said. “I thought he was down, but I’ll have to go back and look. I’m not real sure. I actually turned away because I thought he was down. He was probably down around the 10-yard line, so you got to think they’re probably going to get in from there.”

The Wildcats got two more shots at pulling closer, but turned the ball over on downs the first time at the Hart 31-yard line and then lost possession to LD Waggoner’s interception on their last drive.

Hart County, coming off a stellar 13-1 season in 2023, hasn’t missed a beat despite losing a heavy senior class from last year.

The Raiders, who had already beaten the Wildcats 28-7 Oct. 25 in Franklin in a regular-season meeting, grabbed a touchdown lead early in the second quarter on Kameron Asbury’s 1-yard run.

Hart County boosted that lead to 14-0 with 4:55 left in the first half when Shoulders (9-of-16 passing for 139 yards and two touchdowns) found Kohnner Trent in the front corner of the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown pass on a fourth-and-12 play.

The Wildcats inched closer right before halftime when McAlister kicked a 26-yard field goal on the last play of the first half.

Delk, who was 7-of-22 passing for 116 yards, also led the Wildcats with 57 rushing yards. Groves had five catches for 86 yards.

Brenan Griffin finished with 100 rushing yards on 13 carries for the Raiders, with Martin adding 86 rushing yards.

“I thought the defense did a lot better job this time around and offensively we scored a couple more times than we did than last time, so not horrible. We just played a good team. They’re front-loaded with 18 seniors and coach (Chad) Griffin does a good job, so it was a tough night.”

FSHS 0 3 7 3 — 13

HCHS 0 14 7 7 — 28

Second quarter

HCHS — Kameron Asbury 1 run (Ryann Hawkins kick), 11:16

HCHS — Kohnner Trent 14 pass from Jacob Shoulders (Hawkins kick), 4:55

FSHS — Brody McAlister 26 field goal, 0:00

Third quarter

HCHS — Christian Martin 11 run (Hawkins kick), 7:41

FSHS — Brady Delk 8 run (McAlister kick), 5:00

Fourth quarter

FSHS — McAlister 31 field goal, 11:04

HCHS — Martin 35 pass from Shoulders (Hawkins kick), 5:06

About Jeff Nations

Sports Editor, Bowling Green Daily News

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