One by one, the Rockets were sidelined then some carried to the hospital. Fortunately,
none of the injuries proved too serious. Here Cody Robinson is taken off the field
on a stretcher while T.K. Guess (right) looks on. He would be taken to the hospital, too.

Hancock hobbles Rockets 55-7
Lineup riddled with injuries

Hawesville, Ky. (Oct. 24, 2003) - Quarterback Sean Thompson went down with an ankle injury on the first play from scrimmage and it the pain just kept getting worse as Hancock County administered a barge load of salt onto Crittenden's open wounds.

By the end of the half, Crittenden trailed 35-0, six players were on the sideline with injuries and four would be carried to a nearby hospital by ambulance.

Jordan Roberts' nagging shoulder injury put him out, T.K. Guess and Cody Robinson went down with knee injuries and Dustin Harris and Dustin Easley had concussions. Thompson was able to return to play once his ankle was wrapped from knee to toe with white tape, but he was virtually ineffective. He failed to complete a single pass on 14 attempts and threw a pair of interceptions.

Guess, Easley, Harris and Robinson were all taken to the hospital. None of their injuries were too serious as it turns out.

For the Rockets, it was the most devastating loss in more than a decade. With a second-place finish in the Class A Second District and homefield advantage for the playoffs hanging in the balance, Hancock totally dominated the Rockets from start to finish.

The Hornets' wing-T rushing attack was pointed by sophomore Josh Sanders and Jordan Doyle, who rushed for 200 and 138 yards, respectively.

Rocket coach Al Starnes was speechless following the game, his major concern was for the injured players. The loss was Starnes' second most lopsided regular-season defeat in his 13 years as coach. Crittenden lost 54-0 to Russellville in 1994 in a regular-season game and Mayfield beat the Rockets 57-6 in the 1998 playoffs. Yet, the debacle at Hancock may be the heaviest saddle because no one expected such a margin. In fact, most observers had picked the game as a virtual toss up. On paper, the teams looked very similar and each believed it could be the district's second-place team. For Crittenden, the two-time defending champion, it was a humiliating situation.

"Yes, it's embarrassing. Hancock physically just beat us up," said Starnes. "We have one more regular-season game to play and then the playoffs so we have an opportunity to redeem ourselves. "

With one game left in the regular season, next week at Russellville, the Rockets will have to regroup with what will probably be a piece-milled lineup as Guess and Robinson probably will not play again this season. It's not certain if Harris or Easley will return or how affective Thompson can be with his recurring ankle injury. There's a good chance Roberts will bounce back as he has played with the injury most of his career. Guess and Robinson's knee injuries were diagnosed as ligament strains, no tears or other damage. However, both will be at least one week, and probably longer.

SCORING PLAYS
H-Jordan Doyle 3 run (kick blocked) 2:54, 1st
H-Josh Sanders 68 run (Andrew Autry pass from Jonathan Eckles) 1:33, 1st
H-Doyle 36 run (kick failed) 11:36, 2nd
H-Mike Swindell 61 pass from Eckles (Swindell run) 5:50, 2nd
H-Sanders 71 run (Donnie Muskin kick) 3:04, 2nd
H-Doyle 50 run (kick failed) 4:38, 3rd
H-Sanders 10 run (Muskin kick) 4:08, 3rd
H-Swindell 92 interception return (Muskin kick) 9:28, 4th
C-Josh Franklin 1 run (George Congenie kick) 3:47, 4th