The Christian County Colonels remain undefeated with a 37-6 blowout win over the visiting Marshals, their best start since 2011, when they began 9-0. The Marshals fall to 3-3 on the season.
The Marshals began the game on their own 20 yard line after a touchback on the kickoff, which were handled by Colonel freshman Austin Grant-Hall. Marshall quarterback, senior Skylar Smith completed a pass to the Christian County 36, but the drive would bog down and after going for it on 4th and 6 and taking a sack, the Colonels began with the ball on their own 40.
The Colonels first drive started with a 16 yard completion by senior quarterback Kolbe Langhi to junior wide receiver Ellis Dunn for a first down. Senior running back Diion Leavell broke a 24 yard run down to the Marshall 17, and then picked up another 10 yards, before finishing the drive with a 10 yard touchdown run. The two-point conversion was unsuccessful, leaving the Colonels with a 6-0 lead with 7:12 left in the first quarter.
Marshall County returned the kickoff to their own 27, but would go three and out and punt. Colonel senior Cory Trice returned the punt for an apparent touchdown, but the play was brought back due to a debatable Colonel personal foul. Instead, the Colonels took over on their own 45 with 5:22 left until halftime, and junior running back Jadonavin McNeal took over from there. On three carries, McNeal took the Colonels to the Marshals’ 24 yard line. Marshall was called for a pass interference penalty that moved the ball to the 11, and McNeil only needed two carries to get in the end zone from there. Junior kicker Ben Settle added the PAT for a 13-0 lead.
After a modest kickoff return, Smith hit a big completion to move the Marshals down to the Colonel 28, before finding themselves in a third and five situation from the 23. After an offside penalty on the Colonels, the quarter would expire with the Marshals in a second and ten on the 18.
After a small gain on third and ten, the Marshals would go for it on fourth and eight, drawing a pass interference call giving them a first and goal from the Colonel 8. Another Colonel penalty, this time a personal foul, moved the ball to the 3 with 10:08 left in the half. At third and goal from the 3, Colonel senior Artravious Gaither broke through the line to knock down the Smith pass, bringing up fourth and goal from the 3. The Marshals would try to power it in on the ground, but the Colonel defense held strong, stuffing the Marshals at the 2.
Christian County took possession on their own 2 yard line, and after a first down incompletion, they would turn to Diion Leavell to give them some breathing room. Leavell would get the ball out to the 10, before McNeal carried it out to the 19, picking up a first down. The Colonels would turn to McNeal again, with him picking up 17 and then 10 yards on consecutive carries, moving the ball to midfield with 7:23 left in the half. Langhi hit senior JaQuon Long for a 23 yard gain down to the Marshall 33. Diion Leavell would take it from there with a 33 yard scamper for a Colonel touchdown. Settle’s PAT would be good, giving Christian County a 20-0 lead with 6:29 left.
On the ensuing possession, Marshall picked up a first down on a screen play, but the drive would stall around midfield and the Marshals punted with 4:20 left in the half. The Marshals spent the night trying to punt and kick away from Cory Trice, with this punt going out of bounds at the Colonel 39.
Langhi hit Long for 8 yards to the Colonel 47, bringing up a third and two, before hitting Dunn for a first down at the Marshall 39. After a Langhi fumble that he was able to fall on, he hit Long on third and ten for a big gain down to the Marshall 7. However, the Colonels would have to settle for a field goal after Leavell fumbled a Langhi pitch and an incomplete pass to Long in the end zone. The Colonel lead stretched to 23-0 with 1:13 left in the half.
With time running out on the half, the Marshals got a spark with a big kickoff return to the Christian County 35. After a dropped pass on first down that would have been a touchdown, the Marshals got into scoring position with a 22 yard run down to the 13. Marshall County stalled once again, facing a third and eight from the 11. An attempted screen was stuffed, leaving a decision on fourth and eight from the 11 with 2 seconds left. The Marshals elected to attempt the 28 yard field goal, but the kick fell well short, ending the half.
Trice returned the second half’s opening kickoff to midfield, setting the stage for McNeil and Leavell to go to work for the Colonels. McNeil would use three carries to get down to the Marshal 17, and after a couple of Leavell rushes and two first downs, the Colonels faced a third and goal from the one. Leavell punched it in and a Settle PAT gave Christian County a commanding 30-0 lead with 7:35 left in the third quarter.
The Marshals couldn’t move the ball and went three and out, punting from their own 35. The Colonels took over on their own 31, and quickly faced a third and six from the 35. Langhi would hit Long across the middle for a first down out to the Marshall 49. Two strikes to Dunn moved the Colonels down to the 13 yard line, before Langhi connected with Long for the touchdown with 1:26 left in the third quarter. After the PAT, the Colonels led 37-0 and the running clock was activated.
The Marshals returned the kickoff to their own 27 as the third quarter drew to a close. The Colonel defense would come through again, holding the Marshals to a three and out and a punt from their own 35. The angled punt would take Trice out of bounds, giving the Colonels the ball on their own 39 with 9 minutes remaining.
With the game in hand, freshman quarterback Donte Abren would relieve Langhi, but on his second attempt, a fourth and five from the Colonel 47, Marshall junior Austin Riley would step in front of a pass and return it 60 yards for the Marshal’s only score. A fumbled snap on the PAT left the score at 37-6 with 6:36 left in the game and a running clock.
After the Marshall kickoff, Christian County took over at their own 23 and ran out the clock. Repeated hand-offs to freshman Austin Grant-Hall, including a 15 yard first down run, would drain the clock and give the Colonels their fifth win of the season in as many outings.
The Colonels put their undefeated record on the line next week when they travel to Owensboro Catholic to face the 2-3 Red Devils.
