Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
St. Xavier 26 Fern Creek 0
#1
Final
#2
The X factor in 6A.
#3
St. Xavier, with second-team running backs Cedric Miller and Taijoa Smith sharing the duties, overpowered Fern Creek 26-0 in the first round of the Class 6-A football playoffs Friday night at Fern Creek.

Charles Walker and Austin Davis, the team's usual starters at running back, watched from the sideline as St. X (7-4) scored on its first two possessions and rolled to victory in a battle of Tigers. It set up a rematch with Male next Friday night on the Bulldogs' field.

Male won 44-40 at St. X in the regular season.

"We wanted to rest up Charles and Austin for a week," Smith said after running for 37 yards on 14 carries and scoring his team's second touchdown. He also caught two passes for 26 yards.

"I just did what they told me to do," Smith said. "I did have more carries than I have in any game this season. It was a fun experience. I love carrying the ball for my team."

"I wouldn't have been able to run like that if it wasn't for my offensive line," Miller said after scoring two TDs and gaining 104 yards on 22 carries.

St. X coach Will Wolford, a former NFL offensive lineman, liked what Miller said about his big teammates up front. He also said Walker's absence from the lineup was a "game-time decision" and that Davis has a banged-up leg. Walker has rushed for 810 yards and 10 TDs this season, Davis for 756 yards and eight TDs.

St. X took the opening kickoff and drove 80 yards in 15 plays before Miller capped the march with a 2-yard run with 4:55 left in the first quarter.

Quarterback B.J. Nagle, who completed 7 of 14 passes for 72 yards with one interception, hit on 3 of 4 throws in that opening drive. He hit Nick King for 12 yards, Luke Hayden for 13 and Smith for 12.

Nagle's lone interception came on St. X's third possession when Von Brown picked off his pass in the end zone.

Michael Ackerman's 51-yard punt return to the Fern Creek 9 set up St. X's second score. Miller gained 6 yards on first down, and Chase Rowan, another reserve, finished it with a 3-yard TD run with 55 seconds remaining in the first period.

St. X's defense, which limited Fern Creek to 51 yards on 31 carries, picked up a safety when Fern Creek quarterback Lamarius Kinslow was called for intentional grounding in the end zone. That made it 16-0 with 8:18 left before halftime.

Blake Isaacs' interception of a Kinslow pass put St. X on the Fern Creek 12. Three plays later, Jake Collins kicked a 27-yard field goal for a 19-0 cushion at halftime.

St. X scored on its first possession of the second half, driving only 34 yards to end with Miller's 2-yard TD run with 5:38 left in the third quarter. Smith's 16-yard run to the Fern Creek 4 highlighted that march.

Fern Creek coach Joe Nichols, whose team finished 6-5, cited St. X's size as a key factor.

"They were a lot bigger than us," he said. "They were just big across the line. No excuses, though. Our defense played well. We couldn't get any first downs on offense."

http://lms.usatodayhss.com/louisville/ar...creek-26-0
#4
Not as big of margin a as I would have thought.
#5
Fern creek is a very young team but still it's hard to beat the two catholic powers in louisville. Congrats to all the winners and good luck next week
#6
mysonis55 Wrote:Not as big of margin a as I would have thought.

Wonder if McCracken sat their starting backfield so they could "rest up?"

A nice position for X to be in!
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]


"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever."

-Mahatma Gandhi

Forum Jump:

Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)