Crittenden's Blake Gardner takes off for a touchdown run in the first half.

Rockets lose shootout 52-49
Each team scores 7 touchdowns

Marion, Ky. (Sept. 10, 2004) - In a stunning offensive shootout, Union County prevailed by scoring the last touchdown in a 52-49 victory that saw 10 lead changes, 101 points and nearly 1,000 yards of total offense.

When Union County scored its final go-ahead touchdown with 1:03 to play, no one left the stadium. After all, there had been three touchdowns scored in the final 1:45 of the first period.

The Rockets' last valiant march cut into Union territory, but time expired after quarterback Austin Berry completed a pass to running back Josh Franklin with four seconds left. Franklin couldn't get out of bounds before being tackled and the clock emptied. It was the only thing that stopped either team's offense all evening ­ other than a handful of turnovers.

Indeed, Crittenden scored on seven of 13 possessions in the game. The first half ended one drive, a fumble and interception stopped the Rockets twice and they punted once. Union was one better, scoring its seven TDs on 12 possessions, mostly on long running plays by its quick running backs DeMarcus Batson and Justin Foster. Foster scored on runs of 59, 54 and 64 yards as he rushed for a game-high 193 yards. Batson, the Braves' heralded fullback, was nearly as productive, scoring three touchdowns and rushing for 137 yards.

Crittenden held Union County ­ which never punted ­ on fourth down three times in the first half, but couldn't put the brakes on the Braves' running game in the last two periods. Union scored six times in the last half on seven possessions, stalling only once because of a fumble.

Both teams were visible exhausted by the start of the fourth period and Crittenden had lost two key players to injuries ­ receiver Cody Robinson and lineman Justin Baker. Robinson had a concussion and Baker a leg injury.

It was the most points scored in a Crittenden football game since 1997 when the Rockets beat Todd Central 64-7. The 101 points scored in this blowout pales in comparison to those 71 seven years ago and is perhaps a record for Rocket Stadium. It's certainly the most scored in the last 20 years. And it also marks the most points Crittenden has scored in the last 20 years without winning the game.

T.K. Guess ran for two touchdowns and threw for another on a halfback pass which was caught by Shawnte Moss for one of his two scoring catches. Moss finished with 109 yards receiving as QB Berry threw for 157 and rushed for two touchdowns.

Union County's unorthodox conversions were the key to winning the points' battle. Lined up in a swinging gate formation, they matched up their highly-skilled players one-on-one with Crittenden defenders and scored 10 points off five conversions either running or passing. The Braves never attempted a PAT kick. Meanwhile, Crittenden scored seven points on point-after attempts, three on George Congenie kicks and twice the Rockets converted a two-point play.

SCORING PLAYS
C-T.K. Guess 1 run (George Congenie kick) 1:57, 1st
U-Justin Foster 59 run (Billy Brummett pass from Tyler Caudill) 1:45, 1st
C-Blake Gardner 56 run (pass failed) :11, 1st
C-Austin Berry 2 run (Congenie kick) 8:09, 2nd
U-DeMarcus Batson 6 run (Caudill run) 7:48, 2nd
C-Guess 39 run (Congenie kick) 6:27, 3rd
U-Foster 54 run (Kenny Manuel run) 5:45, 3rd
U-Batson 38 run (Brummett pass from Caudill) 4:26, 3rd
C-Shawnte Moss 42 pass from Berry (Josh Franklin pass from Berry) 3:23, 3rd
U-Miles Risinger 49 pass from Caudill (Brummett pass from Caudill), 2:13, 3rd
C-Berry 1 run (pass failed) 8:03, 4th
U-Foster 64 run (run failed) 7:42, 4th
C-Moss 35 pass from Guess (Guess run) 5:02, 4th
U-Batson 3 run (pass failed) 1:03, 4th