Just over a year later, the Rockets get another shot.
Kentucky Country Day knocked Crittenden County out of the playoffs in the third round a year ago, claiming a 36-22 decision in Louisville.
The teams will meet again this week — and again in the third round. Friday’s game kicks off at 6:30 p.m. Central time on the northeast side of Louisville.
The Rockets struggled against the Bearcats’ run game last year, giving up 343 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.
But the Crittenden defense has been more stout this season. The first-team unit has allowed just five touchdowns all season.
Senior linebacker Tyler Boone became the school’s all-time leading tackler last week with 376 career stops.
Crittenden (7-2) is giving up just over 72 yards a game on the ground this season. That will get a test this week from KCD (8-1), which is averaging 227 yards (of its 348 a game) in the running department.
The Bearcats have run the football over two-thirds of the time this season behind senior Nathan Caldwell (854 yards, 19 touchdowns) and junior Eric Dickerson (597 yards, 12 TDs).
Junior quarterback Luke Russo has completed 51 of 92 passes for 979 yards and 11 touchdowns with five interceptions.
Kentucky Country Day leads all Class A teams in the state with 42.8 points a game. Crittenden is second at 38.0 a contest.
The Bearcats have won six straight games and breezed through their first two playoff tilts — routing Berea 62-8 and Eminence 57-13.
Crittenden has won seven of its last eight outings. The only setback during that time was a 10-9 decision at Class 6A Henderson County. The Rockets had a first round bye in the playoffs. Crittenden used a strong second half last week to beat Russellville 42-13 in the second round.
Senior Caden McCalister (400 yards rushing, seven touchdowns) has become the featured back for the Rockets since the ankle injury to Xander Tabor (755 yards, 13 TDs) earlier this season. McCalister ran for 111 yards and a score in the playoff win over Russellville.
Junior quarterback Luke Crider has thrown for 1,304 yards and 18 touchdowns this season but also has 14 interceptions.
Sophomore Preston Morgeson is the leading receiver for the Rockets with 21 catches for 481 yards and nine touchdowns. He had 136 yards and three touchdowns receiving last week.
Crittenden is in the third round of the playoffs for the fourth straight year.
The Rockets last reached the state semifinals in 2008 when they lost at Beechwood after beating Mayfield in round three.
Crittenden won its only state championship in 1985.
KCD’s only state championship was a KHSAA 8-Man Football title in 2002.
The Rockets were a two-point try away from hosting a playoff game this week.
Because of the RIP, which the KHSAA uses to determine pairings starting in the third round, a Bethlehem upset of Louisville Holy Cross in the second round would have given Crittenden a home date this week against Newport Central Catholic.
Down 28-27 in overtime, Bethlehem elected to go for a potential game-winning two-point conversion. However, a run play was stopped well short of the end zone.
That meant the Rockets earned a trip to Kentucky Country Day while Newport Central Catholic heads to Holy Cross this week.
The playoffs will be re-seeded for the state semifinals following this week’s action.
