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Graves, Mayfield Post Football Opening Wins

Graves, Mayfield Post Football Opening Wins
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By West Kentucky Star Staff
Aug. 23, 2019 | WESTERN KENTUCKY
By West Kentucky Star Staff Aug. 23, 2019 | 11:21 PM | WESTERN KENTUCKY
The most entertaining game Friday night took place in Murray’s Ty Holland Stadium as the Graves County Eagles went on the road and gave their new head coach his first career win, 38-35 over the Murray Tigers.

Nick Kemp accepted the football head coaching position for Graves County just 12 weeks before the season started. He replaced Morgan Cruce who replaced Lance Gregory at the end of last season as Graves County’s 2nd-winningest coach in program history.

The first quarter featured few first downs and several punts, but the action picked up in the 2nd quarter with a combined 31 points scored. Murray senior quarterback, Hunter Utley, found senior receiver Jaiden Jackson for a 30-yard touchdown reception to open the scoring with 11:34 in the 2nd quarter to give the Tigers a 7-0 lead.

That didn’t last long, however, as the Eagles responded a minute and a half later when senior Cody Goatley scampered 8 yards for a touchdown to tie the game at 7-7 with 10:11 left in the 2nd quarter.

Murray responded on the defensive side as Dijon Miles picked off an errant Graves County pass and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown to put Murray back on top 14-7 with 6:28 left in the half. The Tigers botched their next possession with a 3-and-out and then an errant snap headed into the end zone where the Tigers would fall on it and give Graves County a safety to make it 14-9 Murray with four minutes left in the 2nd quarter.

As the final seconds of the half ticked off the clock, Graves County would continue their momentum as quarterback John Ben Brown threw his first career varsity touchdown, a 64-yard strike to receiver Race Richards. The Eagles would tack on the 2-point conversion and take a 17-14 lead into the halftime locker room.

The backbreaking play of the 2nd half would come with just over six minutes left in the game as John Ben Brown connected on his second big touchdown strike of the game, this time a 74-yard bomb to Mason Grant to give the Eagles the 38-28 lead and solidify the opening week win for Graves County.

Graves County will have a couple of weeks to enjoy the win before their next game. The Eagles are off next week, then host McCracken County on September 6th.

Murray will host rival Calloway County next Friday at 7pm.

 

The Mayfield Cardinals needed little time to introduce their visitors to the dominance the Cardinals have put on so many teams over the last few seasons.

Lausanne Collegiate, a well-known prep school just outside the Memphis area, made the trip to Mayfield last night. Unfortunately for them, they would fall behind early and never really gain any traction. A similar song and dance many other teams have faced when visiting War Memorial Stadium.

Lausanne had a golden opportunity to strike first, but a fumble on the 1-yard line that was recovered by Mayfield would be all the momentum the Cardinals would need. Mayfield marched 99 yards and capped the drive off with a 43-yard touchdown run by Markeacio Jackson to make it 7-0 Cardinals with 5:50 left in the opening quarter.

The Cardinals first drive of the 2nd quarter would continue the momentum as Kade Neely took a direct snap and scampered 17 yards to give Mayfield a 14-0 lead with 8:29 left in the first half.

The Cardinals would extend the momentum and lead to 38-7 midway through the 3rd quarter and roll to the 45-22 win. Mayfield travels to Hopkinsville next week to play Hopkinsville in the Toyota of Hopkinsville Jerry Claiborne Bowl at 5:30pm



Friday night's scores

Greenfield, TN 41, Fulton City 6
Crittenden County 43, Fort Campbell 14
Marshall County 37, Ballard Memorial 6
Madisonville 41, Union County 0
Webster County 20, Hopkins County Central 14
Trigg County 40, Muhlenberg County 0
Graves County 38, Murray 35
Mayfield 45, Lausanne Collegiate, TN 22
Caldwell County 19, Christian County 14
Hopkinsville 35, Kenwood, TN 21
Henderson County 20, Evansville Reitz, IN 7
Todd County Central 21, Calloway County 20
Fulton County 42, Gleason, TN 14
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