BY BRITTNI MCCOY
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — Martin County shut out West Carter 48-0 in a district matchup Friday at Cardinal Stadium in Inez.
The Cardinals improved to 5-3 on the season, 3-1 in the district and 4-1 in Class 2A, while the Comets slipped to 1-7.
Martin County was slow out of the gate. With 2:50 remaining in the first quarter, Brock Messer got Cardinal fans on their feet as he broke loose on a carry from 40 yards out to put the Cards on the scoreboard.
Once Messer warmed up, he wasted no time before putting another touchdown in the scoring column. Quarterback Weston Jude faked a handoff to Ja Quan “Jay” Rufus. He delivered it to Messer, who fired up the engines again and raced downfield for 79 yards and his second TD. Maddox Johnson connected on the extra point to give the Cards a 13-0 lead.
West Carter managed a third-and-2 at the Cardinal 10-yard line with 47 seconds remaining in the first half. Junior Bryston Wells did what he does best: He busted through the line and sacked the quarterback for no gain.
An offsides penalty on fourth-and-2 set up a Comet first down. The Cardinal defense stepped up and forced two incomplete passes to end the half.
“The defense gave up some plays here and there, but we didn’t break,” Martin County coach Josh Muncy said. “They stuck with the game plan, and it worked.”
Messer kept the key in the ignition coming out of the locker room. He collected the kickoff at the 23-yard line and ran for 25 yards. On third-and-11, he saw the Red Sea part and bolted through untouched for a 49-yard rushing TD.
One of Aiden Horn’s six tackles came when West Carter received the kickoff. Horn made his way past the Comets and tripped up the runner at the 28-yard line.
West Carter was facing a third-and-10 and completed a pass for a first down, but Damian Cheek made them pay on the next throw.
The Cards rushed the QB, and Cheek poked through to intercept the pass, charged downfield and hit paydirt for a pick 6.
Martin County was hungry on West Carter’s third down. Julian Stafford intercepted a Comet pass at his own 28-yard line. On first-and-10, Madden Miller received the pigskin after a reverse and Caleb Costa had a beautiful block that allowed Miller to run it for 72 yards into the end zone.
West Carter went four-and-out, and the Cards regained possession.
Rufus had a pickup of 4 after being hit by four defenders that couldn’t bring him down and needed a whistle for the end of play. Messer converted a third down with a 14-yard carry. QB Jude ran the keeper for 38 yards before being brought down at the 4.
No one could stop Rufus as he barreled in for six more points.
Johnson kicked the point-after through the crossbars for a 41-0 lead and a running clock.
The Cardinal defense quickly went back to work as Cheek stripped the ball to force a fumble. He recovered it and ran it back to the West Carter 17-yard line.
“He was all over the field,” Martin County head coach Josh Muncy said of Cheek. “It’s the best defensive game I’ve seen him play. He was the utility guy and did it all. Big play out of a sophomore.”
Christopher Phillips received a handoff and danced with the defender for a 7-yard gain. He ran it again and up the middle for a 9-yard rushing TD. Johnson’s try was good for the final score.
Messer paved the way with 203 yards on eight attempts. He scored three TDs and had four total tackles on the other side of the ball.
Miller picked up 82 yards and a TD. On defense, he led the way with 12 tackles, four for a loss. Miller is ranked No. 3 in tackles and No. 4 in defensive fumbles in Class 2A.
QB Jude ran for 31 yards.
Rufus scored a TD and had 22 yards for the evening. He was a monster on the defensive side with nine tackles and one for loss.
Phillips ran for 16 yards on two carries with a TD and added two tackles.
Kicker Maddox Johnson went a perfect 6-for-6 on special teams.
Costa had three solo tackles and 12 total for the night.
Bryston Wells assisted on nine, four for a loss, and had 1.5 sacks.
Devan Maynard tackled five Comet players. Teammates Brayden Estep and Zachary Hamilton had two tackles, and Rafe Price, Greyden Proctor, Corey Parsley and Kaleb Robinson had one apiece.
Stafford had an interception to go with his two tackles.
The Cardinal defense had 77 tackles for the game.
Cheek seemed to make a difference in every play of the night. He returned an interception for 43 yards, forced and recovered a fumble, and had six solo tackles and eight total.
In the postgame huddle, steam was rolling off Cheek like a roof after a hot July rain. When asked how he manages to be everywhere, he responded, “Dedication.”
“It was one of my best games,” Cheek added. “But I’ve got two left, and we’ll see what they come out to.”
Messer, the No. 5-ranked rusher in Class 2A, was happy with the Cardinal blocking.
“The backs blocked like men. Madden [Miller] gave me a view of the field and Jay [Rufus] lured them out so I could run,” Messer said. “We could have come out hotter at the first of the game, but after the half, we had a little bit of grit to us and started to roll.”
The Cards have put up 226 points against their opponents’ 69 points in the last five games. They rank seventh in both scoring margin and scoring and No. 1 in rushing (328 yards in eight games for 2,621 total).
Martin County travels Friday to Prestonsburg (8-1) for possibly the biggest matchup of the regular season. A win would earn the Cards a home playoff game in the first round. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m.