Rocket 'D' dumps Hancock
Garnder continues onslaught

HAWESVILLE, Ky. (Oct. 21, 2005) - Hancock County's first possession against Crittenden County Friday night lasted eight plays and gained 35 yards.
That turned out to be the Hornets' best offensive series of the contest as Crittenden shut the door and pounded its way to a 16-0 Second District victory on a rainy night at Hancock County.
Blake Gardner and the rugged Rocket defense put the screws to home-standing Hancock, a team Crittenden was supposed to battle tooth and nail this season for the Class A Second District title. Although that scenario didn't materialize thanks to Metcalfe County's rise out of the ashes to claim the league championship, the Rockets did move one step closer to locking down second place in the league.
They also inched closer to tying up a first-round home game in the playoffs with Friday's win at Hancock. Now, a win at Russellville Friday in the last regular-season game of the season will assure the Rockets finish second in the district and will be at home for the opening round of the playoffs, probably against Fulton County.
The Rocket defense, on its heels and highly questioned during the first half of the season, has organized a complete resurrection over the last few games. Much of that has to do with a conversion to the 5-3 and moving Josh Franklin to nose guard. Additionally, Gardner has picked up his play considerably and is leading the defensive charge.
Crittenden's first team defense hasn't been scored on since Metcalfe upset the Rockets in Week 6. Indeed, the Rocket regulars haven't yielded a touchdown since Sept. 16 if you take the Metcalfe game out of the mix.
At Hancock, the Rocket "D" was solid, never allowing the Hornets into the red zone and rarely letting the Hornets past midfield. In fact, on Hancock's deepest penetration into Rocket territory, Crittenden defensive end Jacob Courtney stripped the ball away and the Rockets recovered the fumble at their own 33.
"The defense played well. I think it was our best defensive effort of the year," said Rocket coach Al Starnes whose team has recorded shutouts in two of the last three games. "Other than some dropped passes, we played a solid game all around. Defensively, though, we just really got after them and beat them up front."
Some big punts by Daniel Farmer and plays by Gardner, Courtney and a host of others made the difference. Tackles for loss, sacks and defensive stops in crucial situations made Crittenden's 16-point cushion late in the game seem greater than it actually was.
"Blake played like a man," Starnes said about the linebacker who has virtually taken the team on his shoulders since playmaker T.K. Guess hurt his shoulder in the Metcalfe contest.
Hancock was puzzled by its inability to move the football against the much-improved Rocket curtain.
"I don't know, maybe we got spoiled last year making so many big plays," Hancock County coach Brock Shoulders said. "It just seems like we get something going, then the drive stalls ­ or we shoot ourselves in the foot with turnovers."
Hancock lost three fumbles and threw a pair of interceptions in the game.
Starnes said his team has gotten better on defense by going back to the basics.
"Defensive coordinator Vince Clark has turned the defense around by concentrating on tackling and turnovers," Starnes said. "Every time we start our defensive practice, we work on dummy tackling and stripping the ball. And those techniques are making a big difference.
"Plus, I think our kids have just gotten more aggressive on defense and they're getting to the ball better," he added.
The Hornets limited the Rockets to 197 yards of total offense, quite a feat considering Crittenden has been piling up the yardage lately and scoring a beaucoup of points.
Guess, still smarting from that shoulder injury, had five catches for 25 yards. But the Hornets weren't as successful at stopping Gardner on offense. The running back rushed for 134 yards on 21 carries and scored the team's first touchdown.
"I told Gardner after the game that he was as good a football player as we've played against this year," said Chris Morris, Hancock's defensive coach.
Gardner's power running keyed Crittenden County's first scoring drive. He had six carries for 46 yards ­ including a four-yard scoring run ­ during the 10-play, 66-yard drive that put the Rockets ahead 8-0 in the second quarter.
Hancock County's three remaining first-half possessions ended with a punt, a three-and-out and it letting the clock run out while facing a third down.
"We saw at halftime that we were hurting them with jet sweep, but when it didn't hit we got dropped for losses," Shoulders said. "And we started hurting them with traps. But then something would go wrong."
Still searching for a spark in the third period, Hancock County, faced with a fourth-and-six from its own 38 yard line, ran a punt fake that only gained two yards. Two plays later, Gardner busted loose on a 34-yard gain that set up Guess' 2-yard scoring plunge, which put the Rockets up 16-0 to start the final period.
Hancock County never mounted a serious threat thereafter, as it committed a turnover on two of its last three possessions.
Hancock County gained 203 yards of total offense ­ 144 rushing. Jared Lindsey gained 61 yards on 11 carries, and Jarrad McCormick rushed for 51 yards on 19 carries.
The Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer
contributed to this article.

SCORING PLAYS
CC-Blake Gardner 4 run (T.K. Guess pass from Austin Berry) 5:52, 2nd
CC-Guess 2 run (George Congenie run) 11:56, 4th

TEAM TOTALS
First Downs: Crittenden 9, Hancock 10
Penalties: Crittenden 6-55, Hancock 4-20
Rushing: Crittenden 36-147, Hancock 37-144
Passing: Crittenden 7-14-0, 50 yds. Hancock 9-12-2, 59 yds.
Total Yards: Crittenden 197, Hancock 203
Fumbles/Lost Crittenden: 0-0, 4-3.

INDIVIDUAL STATS
Rushing
Crittenden-Gardner 21-134, Josh Franklin 3-9, T.K. Guess 8-7, Austin Berry 4-(-7). Hancock-Jared Lindsey 11-61, McCormick 19-51.
Passing
Crittenden-Berry 6-13-0, 48 yds.
Receiving
Crittenden-Guess 5-25, Cory Hamby 1-20, Gardner 1-5.
Defense
Congenie 3 solos, 2 assists, TFL, caused fumble: S.Farmer 6 solos, 2 assists, caused fumble, 2 TFL; Franklin 4 solos, 2 TFL; Gardner 7 solos, 7 assists, caused fumble, recovery, sack; Guess 4 solos, 2 assists, interception; Hamby 4 solos, assist; Sherer 2 solos, fumble recovery; Lanham 2 solos, assist; Watson assist; Thompson 4 solos, 2 assists, TFL; G.Courtney 3 solos, 2 assists; J.Courtney 4 solos, assist, caused fumble, interception; J.Sorina solo; Stone solo, assist.
Players of the Game Offense Blake Gardner. Defense Blake Gardner. Lineman A.J. Thompson.
Records
Crittenden County 7-2 (3-1); Hancock County 3-6 (1-3).