BY BOO NEWSOME
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — Martin County dominated Pike Central 43-3 in the first round of the 2A playoffs Friday at The Rock.
The initial encounter between the two teams ended in an upset, as the Hawks defeated the Cardinals 9-6 in the Pike County Bowl in August. However, Martin County entered the playoffs determined to avenge.
The team’s excitement seemed to warm the chilly atmosphere while the band, cheerleaders and pep section helped to set the tone. As temperatures dropped, hand warmers and hot chocolate circulated among fans who huddled together waiting for the final score.
Martin County head coach Josh Muncy’s team won the coin toss and opted to receive the ball at the start of the second half.
The first quarter saw an explosive performance from the Martin County defense, with Bryston Wells notching a sack on Pike Central quarterback Jamere Knuckles just 35 seconds into the game. Wells is ranked ninth in Class 2A for defensive sacks. Shortly after, Noah Mollett added another sack to the Hawks QB.
The Cardinals took over on their own 26-yard line after the Hawks were forced to punt. With 7:09 remaining in the first quarter, the Cardinals went for it on fourth and 8 but failed to connect on a pass from quarterback Jackson Miller, resulting in the Hawks taking over on the Martin County 47-yard line.
After another Hawks punt, the Cardinals gained possession on their own 21-yard line with 5:34 left in the first quarter. The moment Cardinals fans had been waiting for arrived when senior running back Brock Messer took the handoff from Miller and sprinted 73 yards for a touchdown. Caleb Horn’s point-after made the score 7-0.
Following an unsuccessful fake punt by the Hawks, the Cardinals gained possession on the Pike Central 38-yard line with 1:45 left in the frame. The Cardinals wasted no time. Aiden Horn took the handoff from Miller and ran 37 yards to the house. Horn’s extra point stretched the Martin County lead to 14-0.
Messer continued his scoring ways in the second quarter with a 42-yard touchdown run on a first and 10 from the Pike Central 42-yard line. The extra point made the score 21-0.
With 9:15 left in the second quarter, the Hawks faced a third and 7 situation, but an interception by Cardinals #21 Julian Stafford turned the tide. Stafford, who leads the state in interceptions with nine for the season, provided the Cardinals with excellent field position on their 23-yard line.
Just 27 seconds later, the Cardinals capitalized on the turnover, as Messer scored his third touchdown on a spectacular 77-yard run. The extra point increased the lead to 28-0. Messer’s remarkable performance throughout the game reflected his season stats as the 9th-ranked Class 2A rushing stat leader with 1,116 yards and the 36th-ranked scorer with 74 points this season.
The second quarter was not without its share of drama. Both teams received unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, adding to the rivalry.
The Cardinals took over on the Pike Central 47-yard line with 6:37 left in the second quarter. Madden Miller carried the ball for 19 yards, earning the Cardinals a crucial first down. Moments later, Jackson Miller delivered a 38-yard touchdown pass to Devan Maynard, who caught the ball deep in the end zone. The Cardinals decided to go for a two-point conversion, successfully converted by Madden Miller to extend the lead to 36-0. The game would have a running clock on out.
The Dance Cards took the field for an electric halftime performance while fans kept a keen eye on the score of the Betsy Layne and Prestonsburg game, as the winner would face the Cardinals in the second round of the playoffs.
The Cardinals emerged from the halftime break and continued their momentum. In the third quarter, Madden Miller took the handoff from Jackson Miller and embarked on a 46-yard run to place the Cardinals in scoring territory.
A fumble briefly offered hope to the Hawks, but they could not capitalize on the opportunity, leading to a punt.
The fourth quarter saw the Cardinals stretch their lead, with Jack Cline taking the handoff from Jackson Miller on the 1-yard line and scoring a touchdown. Caleb Horn continued his flawless performance, making the extra point and stretching the lead to 43-0.
The Hawks managed a late field goal to set the final score.
“That was a great win and a dominating performance by our team,” Coach Muncy commented. “Ever since that Pike County Bowl loss to them, we have been hoping for a chance to play them in the playoffs. Luckily, we got what we wished for and got a chance to avenge a loss.”
He added, “That just shows how far we have come and how hard our guys have worked. Our goal is always to get better from week to week, and I think we are peaking at the right time.”
Martin County’s victory sets them up Friday against Betsy Layne at home. This will be the first meeting between the two teams this season.
“Next week will be a tough task,” remarked Coach Muncy. “Betsy Layne is playing some really good football this season, so we are excited for the opportunity to play another quality opponent at home.”
On the offensive side of the ball the Cardinals had 27 carries for 400 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
In the receiving department Devan Maynard had one reception for 28 yards and a touchdown.
QB Jackson Miller was 1 for 3, tallying 28 passing yards and a touchdown pass.
Messer stole the show. The senior amassed 199 yards on four carries and scored three touchdowns. Madden Miller carried the ball seven times for 75 yards, Aiden Horn had six carries for 68 yards and a touchdown, and Jack Cline had five carries for 42 yards and a touchdown. Jackson Miller had two carries for 6 rushing yards, Peyton Hamilton had one carry for 6 yards, Damien Cheek had two carries for 4 yards and Brayden Estep had one carry for 2 yards.
On the defensive side the Cardinals had 57 tackles, 10 for loss, five sacks, and an interception. Damien Cheek led with 10 tackles. Madden Miller had six tackles, Bryston Wells had six tackles, including one sack and 2.5 tackles for loss, Julian Stafford had five tackles and one interception, Noah Mollett had four tackles, including 1.5 sacks and 1.5 tackles for loss, Lafe Price had four tackles, including 1.5 sacks and 1.5 tackles for loss, and Aiden Horn had four tackles. Jerrod Haney had three tackles, and Mason McCoy, Caleb Robinson and Joey Robinson each had two. Brayden Estep, Caleb Horn, Devan Maynard, Chase Stacy, Johnathan Cline, Brock Messer, Peyton Hamilton, Ryan Smith, Corey Parsley and Jason Newsome each had one tackle.
Madden Miller is ranked seventh in Class 2A for tackles with 135 and an average of 12.3 per game. Rafe Price is ranked seventh in Class 2A for defensive sacks with 6.5 on the year.
On special teams, Caleb Horn was 5 for 5 on PATs. Horn is ranked sixth in class 2A for PATs with 28 makes on 31 attempts.
Martin County fans can see the Cardinals clash with Betsy Layne at 7:30 p.m. Friday at The Rock.
