Six turnovers help Bell hold off Boyle Co. 17-15
By JAY COMPTON/Sports Editor
Published:
Sunday, December 7, 2008 4:34 PM EST
LOG MOUNTAIN "? The Bell County Bobcats are headed to the state championship game for the first time since they won it all in 1991.
The Bobcat defense forced six turnovers Friday night as Bell held off Boyle County 17-15 in the Class 4A semifinals.
"The old man is going back to the big house one more time,"? coach Dudley Hilton said. "I didn't know if I'd ever make it, but give Boyle County a lot of credit they've got a great football team."?
For the second straight week the Bobcats were taking down to the wire. The Rebels were driving in the final minute and a pass interference penalty gave them a first down at Bell 27 with 23.3 seconds to play.
Boyle quarterback Phillip Mason scrambled around before throwing an incomplete pass, then tried to go deep for Kentucky commit Jordan Aumiller as the clock ticked under ten seconds.
Bell senior Shawnta Zachery jumped up and intercepted the pass at the four yard line and slid down to clinch the win for the Bobcats with two seconds left to play.
"They threw the verticals and a couple of plays before that they had it open and they dropped it,"? Zachery said. "I thought they might be looking to their big play man inside, the big UK man (Aumiller). So I cheated this way a little bit and kind of baited him. When it came I just went up an got it.
"I wanted to go back and score but it's more important to get the win, anything could have happened. So I just intercepted it and fell down,"? he said. "Then I just threw the ball up in the air. It was an amazing, great feeling."?
It was fitting that the ball landed in Zachery's hands on the deciding play. With Boyle concentrating to stopping the Bell running game, the senior quarterback had a career day throwing the ball.
He completed 15-of-24 passes for 163 yards. Zachery also ran for 18 yards on ten carries including three times for first downs and a one-yard sneak for a touchdown in the third quarter that gave Bell a 14-9 lead they would never give up.
"What an outstanding performance by our quarterback. Shawnta stepped up big for us throwing the ball tonight and I put a lot of credit not just him, our defense played well too,"? Hilton said.
Sophomore cornerback Cody Davenport had intercepted Phillips on Boyle's first drive of the second half at the Bell 28-yard line.
The Bobcats went 72 yards on 14 plays with the biggest one being a 28-yard catch by Adam Overbay. He caught the ball eight yards down field on a crossing pattern and broke a pair of tackles on his way down the sideline to the Boyle County 11.
Overbay led the Bobcats with six catches for 73 yards in the game.
Three runs by Spencer Greer left Bell with a 4th & inches at the two. Zachery plowed ahead once for the first down, then again for the go-ahead score with 4:16 to play in the third quarter.
"What about little Overbay,"? Hilton said. "I told you: "?Thank the Lord that he came out' and he showed why tonight."?
The Rebels' next possession was brought to an early end as Billy Lawson rolled up running back Rees MacShara behind the line of scrimmage and the ball came free. Taylor Mills recovered the fumble and Bell took over at the Boyle 44.
Zachery passed to Matt Raines for nine yards and a first down on a 4th & 4 play. Then hooked up with John Dudley Hilton for an 18-yard gain down inside the Rebel five.
Boyle County opened the fourth quarter with their second goal-line stand of the game and a false start penalty moved the Bobcats back to the six.
Monte Merrick came on and kicked a 23-yard field goal to extend the lead to 17-9 with 10:19 to play.
Mason completed 4-of-6 passes for 41 yards as Boyle County drove 80 yards on nine plays on the following drive. Tight end Lamar Dawson capped the drive with touchdown catch from ten yards out.
In a game filled with big plays from the Bobcat defense, their smallest defender Davenport made what might have the biggest play of all.
The Rebels went for the two-point conversion to tie the game. Mason scrambled to his left and looked to have a clear path to the pylon. But Davenport peeled off his man and came out of nowhere to knock Mason back before he reached the goal line.
"He took that boy's head off. I really thought he made a heck of a play right there,"? Hilton said.
With 6:10 to play, the Bobcats clung to a 17-15 lead.
They ground out two first downs and made the Rebels used all their timeouts before being faced with a 3rd & 12 from the Boyle 44.
Zachery went deep for Raines down the left sideline, but the pass was intercepted and Boyle's last drive would start at their own 22 with 2:18 on the clock.
Mason "? who was 17-of-31 passing for 175 yards and two TDs "? drove them into Bell territory, but Zachery's last second heroics sealed the win for the Bobcats.
"I can't explain the feeling, it's amazing. It's the greatest feeling in the world,"? Zachery said of securing a spot in the championship game. "I just want to thank God first of all, and my family, friends, my team, coaches, everybody. It's the greatest feeling in the world, seriously."?
The teams traded long drives in the first quarter with neither getting on the scoreboard.
Bell opened up with nine straight running plays out of the wishbone. Goodin and Greer alternated carries, but the drive stalled after a fumbled exchange and then a false start penalty.
Merrick pinned Boyle back at their own two-yard line with a 45-yard punt.
Mason came out throwing from his own end zone and completed throws to Bret Marshall and Ron Crutchfield for first downs before the Rebels were also forced to punt.
Zachery completed his first five passes and got the Bobcat offense moving again on their second possession. Overbay, Davenport and Chase Ely all made catches for first downs and another completion to Overbay gave Bell a first down at the Rebel 11 early in the second quarter.
But the Bobcats were eventually stopped on a 4th and 1 play from the two yard line.
On 2nd & 10 Mason again dropped back to pass from his own end zone and had to get rid of the ball under pressure from Lawson and Shawn Marcum. His pass went right to Matt Simpson at the 15 and he ran untouched into the end zone to put Bell on top.
Merrick's extra point made it 7-0 with 9:07 to play in the second quarter.
"He just threw it up in the air and it was like he was throwing it to me and I just took it to the house,"? Simpson said. "We got to the regional last year and lost in a heart-breaker. Our seniors have worked so hard (to get to Louisville) this year, it means everything to us."?
The Bobcats tried an onside kick, but Boyle recovered it at the 47.
Mason passed to MacShara for a 34-yard touchdown to complete a quick drive that tied the game with 8:23 left in the half.
"A lot of people might second guess me, but I was scared of that little boy back there returning kickoffs,"? Hilton said of the decision to onside kick. "We lost here last year after Lexington Catholic returned the opening kickoff (for a touchdown)."?
Bell moved the ball again on their next drive, but stalled in Boyle territory. Merrick missed a 44-yard field goal attempt and the Rebels took over at their own 20.
Aumiller gained a total of 41 yards on two catches on the following drive and Boyle County was threatening to take the lead.
MacShara made a nice move to cut inside the Bobcat 10-yard line, but John Dudley Hilton managed to strip the ball from behind him and Zachery recovered it on the one-yard line.
Bell couldn't move the ball and Merrick came on to punt from the end zone. The snap sailed over his head and out of bounds for a safety to put the Rebels on top 9-7 with 48.9 seconds to go in the second quarter.
An interception by Raines made sure the Boyle wouldn't add to that lead before the half.
"I thought we should have had two or three touchdowns in the first half,"? Hilton said. "We had some bad mistakes but the bottom line is our kids didn't quit."?
The Bobcats came out and forced two quick turnovers as they took control of the game in the third quarter. Then held on at the end.
"You've got to have a little bit of luck,"? Hilton added. "We probably should have been beat last week and anybody could have won this game."?
Bell County (14-0) will play Bullitt East (9-5) Saturday at 3 p.m. in the state championship game at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium in Louisville.
Bullitt East defeated Calloway County 52-49 in Friday's other semifinal.
Above: The Bell County seniors pose with their trophy after holding on for a 17-15 win over Boyle County Friday night in the Class 4A semifinals. The Bobcats advance to face Bullitt East next Saturday at 3 p.m. Bell and coach Dudley Hilton (inset above) will be looking for their first state title since 1991. (JAY COMPTON/Daily News)
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