Crittenden defenders pile in on the Webster quarterback. Pictured below is another encounter won by Rocket senior Dustin Lanham and a host of others against Trojan Daniel Dacy.

Defense shines for Rockets
Guess scores 4 TDs in 47-6 win

MARION, Ky. (Sept. 23, 2005) - Crittenden County's offense had been scalping opponents one by one in Old West fashion, but coach Al Starnes was looking for some savagery out of his defense and got it Friday night when the Rockets ambushed Webster County 47-6.

While T.K. Guess and the rest of the Rocket Regulars were chiseling out customary big plays with the pass-and-dash offense, their defense stepped in to share the spotlight.

Early in the game, it looked like another shootout was brewing as Webster quickly answered the Rockets first touchdown to pull within 7-6. The Trojans smash-mouth running game was everything it was billed in the first 12 minutes as featured back DeAdrian Rollins rolled up 90 yards on his first 10 carries.

Then the door closed.

Crittenden's defense bent early, then firmed up in the second quarter. Guess intercepted a pass and returned it 52 yards for a touchdown and the Rockets pulled the curtain over Rollins, who managed just eight more yards the entire game. Crittenden shut out the Trojans the last three periods.

Guess, who is being recruited by UK and a host of other Division I-AA colleges, ran off several plays for the highlight reel. To go along with his phenomenal interception return, the senior playmaker tacked on winding and weaving carries of 46, 31 and 40 yards en route to four touchdowns, 122 yards rushing and 43 receiving. Guess' interception was his third of the season and the second that he has returned for six points. As a junior, Guess had a single-season record 10 interceptions last year.

Quarterback Austin Berry threw three TD passes. Guess caught one, Blake Gardner one and freshman Gaige Courtney finished it off with a three-yard scoring reception to start the fourth period. Gardner's touchdown catch was one to play back on the videotape. Berry was flushed out of the pocket and just before being driven out of bounds by the Webster rush, the senior delivered a pass way down field that Gardner had to come back and get, taking it away from his defender and racing to the end zone for a 48-yard score.

Freshman Jeramie Sorina, who came in late on defense, intercepted his second pass of the season and juked several would-be tacklers for a big return in the second half.

Crittenden's offense ­ which has scored 41 or more the last four games ­ never clutched once against 2-3 Webster. The Rockets scored on every possession until the reserves came in at the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, Crittenden's often-maligned defense had its best performance of the season, forcing the Trojans to punt three times and forcing three turnovers. As Crittenden was rolling up 452 yards of offense against the Class 2A Trojans, the Rocket defense yielded just 182 yards rushing and 29 passing.

Crittenden, now 4-1, will turn its attention to the Class A Second District schedule, which starts next week with a long road trip to Metcalfe County. The Hornets, 4-1, have shut out three opponents this season.