Blake Gardner breaks loose on a first-quarter run.

Caldwell spoils Rocket opener
Tigers pound ground game for 32-22 win

Marion, Ky. (Aug. 26, 2005) - The four-game win streak won't get any longer.

Plans for an undefeated regular season. Shattered.

The optimism surrounding Crittenden's best returning team in years. Extinguished.

The respect that was built during an offseason of hype and hope is gone.

For now at least, there's a great deal of retrospection in Rocketland after arch-rival Caldwell County handed Crittenden a somewhat surprising 32-22 loss Friday night.

For the Rockets, it was a disheartening start to a season painted with lofty dreams and heralded players. For Caldwell, it was sweet vengance for the last two matchups when Crittenden pulled out wins in the final seconds.

This one was too easy in the beginning. A decided favorite going into the game, the Rockets racked up a rapid 14-0 lead as they took advantage of one Caldwell turnover (a Blake Gardner interception) and nearly made the Tigers pay for a fumble. Crittenden needed just nine plays to take the quick two-touchdown lead on an Austin Berry one-yard keeper and a four-yard TD by T.K. Guess.

From there, the tide turned as Caldwell kept a tight grasp on the ball and the momentum. Pat Gates, back at the helm at Caldwell after two years of temporary retirement, used a text-book power game to roll up 305 yards rushing and control the game after the shaky start. All of that despite losing its top running back, Allen Wadlington, to a knee injury in the first half.

Behind junior quarterback Cameron Williams, the Tigers recovered from their fumble and interception out of the chute. Crittenden's defense simply never found a solution for Caldwell's punishing ground attack. The Tigers scored on their next five possessions and didn't punt until the final minute when the game was well in hand.

Although the Rocket offense reeled off 236 yards passing (Berry had 210 yards on 10-of-19 accuracy) and the ground game produced 100 more yards, it was a porous Rocket defense that was bent backwards onto its heels.

After years of losing to Caldwell, including a 1-17 stretch at one point, the Rockets had turned the tide over the past half dozen years, winning five. Crittenden had won the last four in the series which Caldwell now leads 23-9.