BY BOO NEWSOME
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — Martin County will pursue the East Region Class 2A championship Friday night at Beechwood in Fort Mitchell. The battle of these two powerhouses begins at 7 p.m.
The only prior encounter between the Cardinals and Tigers was in the 2000 Champions Bowl, where Beechwood emerged victorious over the former Sheldon Clark.
The Cardinals, crowned 2023 District 7-2A champion, enter the contest with a rich history, having secured regional football championships in 1998 and 2009 at Sheldon Clark. However, this marks the first regional final appearance for the Cardinals at the new Martin County High School.
The upcoming match presents a formidable challenge for Martin County: Beechwood, District 5-2A champion, has clinched the last three consecutive state championships—and six of the last eight.
The two teams have opposing styles, with the Cardinals relying on a grind-it-out running game while the Tigers favor an aerial assault.
The Cardinals, with a 7-5 record, boast a potent rushing offense, accumulating 3,163 yards with an average of 263.5 yards per game. Senior running back Brock Messer leads Martin County with 1,320 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns.
On the other side, the Beechwood Tigers, standing at 11-1, suffered their lone loss this season against Covington Catholic (35-31). Beechwood is known for its balanced approach and is led by junior quarterback Clay Hayden, who has accumulated 3,190 passing yards with 40 touchdown completions. Junior wide receiver Luke Erdman leads in receptions with 40 for 893 receiving yards and 14 touchdown pass receptions.
Defensively, the Cardinals face a setback with the absence of senior linebacker Madden Miller due to a knee injury in the Betsy Layne game. Miller, the team’s tackle leader with 149, will not return for the championship game.
The Beechwood defense has allowed 173 points this season, while Martin County has allowed 152.
Regarding special teams, Caleb Horn boasts a 91.7% PAT success rate for Martin County vs. Lair Coison’s 98.6% PAT success rate for Beechwood.
The victor Friday will advance to the state semifinals Nov. 24 against the winner of the Somerset (District 6) vs. Shelby Valley (District 8) game. The Class 2A state championship game will take place Dec. 1 at Kroger Field in Lexington.