Coach
Starnes goes over strategy during a timeout in the first half.
Rockets waylay Fulton City
Crittenden rolls in
first round of playoffs
Marion Ky. (Nov. 5, 2004) - Crittenden County won 40-12 over Fulton
City in the opening round of the Class A playoffs Friday night,
but may have lost a big part of its defense along the way.
The Rockets dominated Fulton from the outset despite losing starting running back and linebacker Blake Gardner in the first half. On a rushing play in the second period, Gardner re-injured his right ankle, aggravating a problem that he had earlier in the season.
By the time Gardner was taken off the field, Crittenden had the game well in hand thanks to another stellar performance by quarterback Austin Berry and his pack of receivers. Junior T.K. Guess caught two passes for 103 yards and a touchdown while senior tight end Brad Hart grabbed two TD receptions and senior Shawnte Moss had one. Moss also returned a kickoff 76 yards late in the second quarter to answer Fulton's first touchdown.
With the outcome virtually guaranteed, Crittenden
turned to several reserves in the last half and Fulton managed
to score one more time on a bad snap on a punt which was recovered
and returned for a TD.
Crittenden's offense did little in the second half after the Rockets had a comfortable 34-6 advantage at the break. Berry did throw his final touchdown pass in the last half, but on the ground, the running game managed just 31 yards on 17 plays.
Crittenden's defense contained Fulton's highly touted Burton brothers, holding quarterback Keith Burton to 75 yards and running back Josh Burton to 29. The Rocket defense hit Fulton ballcarriers for no gain or a loss on a dozen plays during the contest.
The victory sets up a showdown with Mayfield Friday. The Cardinals, a perennial favorite in the first Region, beat Caverna 35-0 Saturday. Mayfield has ended Crittenden's playoffs hopes five times in the last 10 years, but the Rockets high-powered offense has given Crittenden fans reason to believe it can't be stopped.
Around the
Region
Class A Playoffs click here for statewide bracket
Murray 38, Russellville 15
Hancock County 54, Ballard Memorial 0
Mayfield 35, Caverna 0
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Fulton City.....0......6....0...6
Crittenden ...12...22...6...0
SCORING PLAYS
C-T.K. Guess 69 pass from Austin
Berry (run failed) 8:02, 1st
C-Shawnte Moss 16 pass from Berry (pass failed) :47, 1st
C-Brad Hart 13 pass from Berry (Guess pass from Berry) 8:32, 2nd
C-Guess 8 run (George Congenie kick) 3:35, 2nd
F-Keith Burton 10 run (run failed) :54, 2nd
C-Moss 76 kickoff return (Congenie kick) :44, 2nd
C-Hart 5 pass from Berry (kick failed) 4:04, 3rd
F-Alex Farmer 10 fumble recovery (pass failed) 5:47, 4th
TEAM TOTALS
First Downs: Crittenden 10, Fulton 10
Penalties: Crittenden 11-82, Fulton 8-70
Rushing: Crittenden 35-97, Fulton 41-97
Passing: Crittenden 6-9-0, 155 yds. Fulton 3-15-0, 96 yds.
Total Yards: Crittenden 252, Fulton 193
Fumbles/Lost: Crittenden 2-1, Fulton 3-2
INDIVIDUAL STATS
Rushing
Crittenden-Blake Gardner 7-28, Shawnte
Moss 5-23, Josh Franklin 7-21, Cody Robinson 2-16, T.K. Guess
3-11, Justin McFarland 3-11, Austin Berry 1-6, Jerrod Jennings
1-(-2), Jacob Courtney 1-(-2), Shawn Farmer 2-(-4), George Congenie
2-(-11). Fulton-Keith Burton 17-75, Josh Burton 12-29, Anthony
Tipton 8-11, Kentrall Rouse 1-1, A.J. Jones 1-0, Billy Madding
2-(-19).
Passing
Crittenden-Berry 6-8-0, 155 yds.,
Courtney 0-1-0. Fulton-K.Burton 3-13-2, 96 yds., Barry Graves
0-1-0, Madding 0-1-0.
Receiving
Crittenden-Guess 2-103, Hart 2-18,
Franklin 1-18, Moss 1-16. Fulton-J.Burton 2-60, Jones 1-36.
Defense Gardner 3 solos, 2 assists; Hart 7 solos, 2 assists,
TFL; Courtney 1 solo, 3 assists; Robertson solo, assist, TFL;
Congenie 4 solos, assist, 2 sacks, fumble recovery; Franklin solo,
assist; Lanham 5 solos, 3 assists, fumble recovery; Baker 5 solos,
assist; Je.Jennings 5 solos, 4 assists; Guess 2 solos, assist,
interception, TFL; Moss solo, assist; Hamby 5 solos; Robinson
solo, assist; S.Farmer 2 solos, 2 assists; Easley 3 solos, sack,
caused fumble; Tinsley 3 solos, TFL; McFarland solo, TFL; Stone
assist; Ja.Asbridge assist; Conner solo, 2 assists, TFL; Thompson
2 solos.
Records
Crittenden 9-2, Fulton City 3-7