OWENSBORO – The Apollo High School football team squandered an early two-touchdown lead in Friday night’s opening round of the KHSAA Class 5A playoffs and lost 51-31 against Greenwood.

“This is probably going to sting for awhile,” Apollo coach Dan Crume said. “I felt like we had a great opportunity that we didn’t capitalize on.

“They (Greenwood) did the things they had to do to win the game and that’s what it’s all about.”

Sophomore Geoffrey Johnson ran for a 71-yard touchdown on the Eagles’ first offensive play to get them up early.

A 57-yard fumble return by junior Gage Hayden on the Gators’ following offensive drive gave Apollo a quick 14-0 lead.

That lead would soon vanish.

Greenwood senior quarterback Jackson Adams ran in for two scores on the Gators’ next two offensive drives to tie the game.

Adams finished with 22 rushes for 227 yards and five touchdowns. He also completed 4-of-9 passes for 86 yards.

“You got to play through your assignments and responsibilities, and we didn’t do a very good job of that,” Crume said about his team’s inability to stop Greenwood’s run game.

Apollo junior quarterback Colby Clark was picked off by senior Jake Sanson late in the second quarter and returned the interception 28 yards for a touchdown.

Greenwood (4-7) now advances and will play Bowling Green on the road.

GHS – 7 14 15 15—51

AHS – 14 0 10 7—31

A-Johnson 71 run (Knott kick)

A-Hayden 57 fumble return (Knott kick)

G-Adams 18 run (Patterson kick)

G-Adams 1 run (Patterson kick)

G-Sanson 28 interception return (Patterson kick)

A-Knott 32 kick

G-Adams 48 run (Adams run)

A-Parm 65 pass from Clark (Knott kick)

G-Wilson 29 run (Patterson kick)

A-McKenzie 1 run (Knott kick)

G-Adams 1 run (Adams run)

G-Adams 20 run (Patterson kick)