Rockets beat Caverna 49-30,
earn Class A playoff berth
Sorina rushes for 308 yards

(NOTE: Statistics are now official)

HORSE CAVE, Ky. Oct. 13 -- Jeramie Sorina had a breakout game, rushing for 308 yards and scoring five touchdowns as the Rockets beat Caverna on the road 49-30 and earned a berth in the post-season Class A playoffs.
Over the past three weeks, Crittenden has gone from worrying about whether it would make the playoffs at all to fighting for at No. 2 seed in postseason and a chance to even win the district title.
Part of the Rocket resurrection is due to Sorina’s uplifting performances over the last couple of weeks. In his first six games this year, the sophomore tailback netted just 298 yards on the ground. In the past two games, he’s rushed for 450.
“Any time you have a back that’s running like he is it’s a big threat for your offense,” Rocket coach Al Starnes said. “Jeramie is gaining a lot of confidence and as his play elevates, it elevates the play of others around him.”
Crittenden, at 2-1 in district play, is tied with Russellville and McLean County in the standings. Metcalfe County is atop the league standings and to date, the Rockets have given the Hornets their biggest challenge. Metcalfe beat Crittenden 21-19 before blowing out Hancock and Russellville the past two weeks.
The Rockets can improve their post-season seed by winning again in the final two district games, both at home against Hancock County and Russellville. It appears that Metcalfe has locked up the top seed unless it loses both of its last two games against Caverna and McLean.
Still, Crittenden could earn the district hardware this season. A change in the playoff system has made it possible for the Rockets to still win the Second District trophy. New this year, teams will play the first two weeks of the postseason in their own district. The winner of that is considered the district champion, said coach Starnes, who isn’t a fan of the new system. Starnes said this type of plan doesn’t reward teams for a good regular season.
“We’re playing together as a team better now, we’ve matured and it’s paying off,” Starnes said. “We’ve had some tough times this year, but we still have to remember that we’re just four points from being in the district driver’s seat.”
Still, the Rocket skipper is well aware that his club has two of the top teams in the district left on the schedule.
At Caverna, Crittenden relied heavily on its sophomore running back Sorina, who had gained a career-high 142 on the ground a week earlier. Against the Colonels, Sorina came out gunning on the first series after a three-hour bus ride. He picked up 75 yards on the first possession, helping the Rockets go 80 yards for a touchdown and a lead it never relinquished.
Crittenden scored on every possession of the first half except its last of the second period and even then the Rockets moved into the red zone, but time ran out in the half.
Sorina's rushing effort earned him a No. 2 spot on the Rockets' all-time best single-game rushing list. The record is 343 yards held by Jimmy Hopper and set in 1963. Last year, Blake Gardner rushed for 266 against Russellville. That was the second best single-game mark before Sorina eclipsed it against Caverna.
Caverna's athletic quarterback Bartley Weaver, at 6-foot-2, 225 pounds, kept his team from getting completely blown out. Weaver rushed for two touchdowns and threw for a couple more. Otherwise, Crittenden's defense kept the Colonels at bay.
Sorina wasn't the only Rocket running back who rushed with a career high. Rodney Robertson, another sophomore, gained 103 yards on 11 carries. Robertson scored two touchdowns – one on a 55-yard run in the second half and another earlier on a pass from QB Taylon Polk.

SCORE BY QUARTER
Crittenden 7....21....14....7.
Caverna....0.....6.....16....8

SCORING PLAYS
Critt-Rodney Robertson 9 pass from Taylon Polk (J.D. Gray kick) 4:03, 1st
Critt-Jeramie Sorina 2 run (Gray kick) 6:24, 2nd
Critt-Sorina 1 run (Gray kick) 2:05, 2nd
Caverna-Andy Goodnight 68 pass from Bartley Weaver (kick blocked) 1:25, 2nd
Critt-Sorina 22 run (Gray kick) :57, 2nd
Critt-Sorina 8 run (Gray kick) 10:20, 3rd
Caverna-Weaver 90 run (conversion pass) 8:05, 3rd
Critt-Sorina 7 run (Gray kick) 6:21, 3rd
Caverna-Weaver 2 run (Weaver run) 3:54, 3rd
Critt-Robertson 55 run (Gray kick) 5:07, 4th
Caverna-Goodnight 3 pass from Weaver (conversion pass), 1:22, 4th


TEAM TOTALS
First Downs: Crittenden 17, Caverna 9
Penalties: Crittenden 9-85, Caverna 4-33
Rushing: Crittenden 430, Caverna 23-186
Passing: Crittenden 6-10-0, 79 yds., Caverna 14-26-1, 214 yds.
Total Yards: Crittenden 509, Caverna 382
Fumbles/Lost: Crittenden 1-1, Caverna 2-1

INDIVIDUAL STATS
Rushing
Crittenden-Crittenden-Jeramie Sorina 33-308, Rodney Robertson 11-103, Gaige Courtney 2-12, Jackie Fletcher 1-0, Taylon Polk 2-7. Caverna-Weaver 10-103, Curtis Adams 5-37, Andy Goodnight 3-16, A.J. Ford 4-13.
Passing
Crittenden-Crittenden-Polk 6-10-0, 79 yds., Caverna-Weaver 14-26-1, 214 yds.
Receiving
Crittenden-Gaige Courtney 2-21, Adam Hardin 1-39, J.Sorina 2-10, Robertson 1-9. Caverna-Ford 1-16, Adams 5-118, Goodnight 3-9, Stump 3-65.

Defense Defense Wood 2 solos, assist; J.Courtney solo, TFL, fumble recovery; Thompson 4 solos, 2 assists; G.Courtney 3 solos, 4 assists; Berr 4 solos, 2 assists, TFL; J.Sorina 2 solos; Hardin solos, 3 assists; Robertson 5 solos, 2 assists; Gray 5 solos, assist; caused fumble; Ju.Asbridge 3 solos, 5 assists, blocked punt; TFL; Polk 3 solos, 2 assists, interception, TFL; Moranz 3 assists; Clark assist; Fritz assist; Ipock solo, assist; Smiley 2 solos; Kirk solo.
Records: Crittenden 3-5, Caverna 1-7.
Players of the Game (as selected by the coaching staff) Offense Jeramie Sorina; Defense Justin Asbridge; Lineman A.J. Thompson.