[16BBall Fan]

Final what a game. Congratulations to Mayfield!

[Granny Bear]

Final.

Congratulations Cards!!!!


Everybody needs to see the stats on this game!  WOW!!!!!!

What a great great game!!!!

[Patriot1]

Congratulations to Mayfield definitely a great game

[truebluefan89]

Congrats Cards!
A lot of people slept on you this year-

[DangerMouse]

I’m glad this trophy is going to Mayfield. The community has gone through a lot and they get to celebrate this one!

[Walt Longmire]

Congratulations Mayfield!

[BlackcatAlum]

Per Troy Howell:

O Cath stats tonight:
Atwell 4 rushing TD, 3 passing TD, 514 yards passing

Tutt Carrico 11 receptions for 332 yards and 3 touchdowns

[Granny Bear]

^^Most of what I heard on the live feed was "Atwell to Currico".

[Tailback44]

Atwell is a beast. Good size QB. He was fun to watch today. Congrats to Mayfield

[Shogun]

^^Most of what I heard on the live feed was "Atwell to Currico".

Hard to pick an offensive MVP in this one. Carrico couldn’t be stopped, and Starks wouldn’t be stopped. Just a gutsy, gritty performance from Juju. Just like the last three weeks, he simply would not let his team lose. He’s firmly cemented himself as a Cardinals legend with his play throughout these playoffs.

[Advicegiver74]

What were free throw percentages like lol

[Mayfieldsportsfan]

OCHS
23 1st downs
Brady Atwell - 24-48-514 yards. He had 3 passing and 4 rushing TD's
William Carrico of OCHS receiving-11 catches for 332 yards and 3 TD catches.
OCHS had 594 total yards

MAYFIELD
22 1st downs
Zane Cartwright - 23-33 for 322 yrds with 2 TD
JuJu Starks had 196 yards on 34 carries.
Mayfield had 510 total yards

[16BBall Fan]

Game Comparison
STATS              M                OC
Total Yds        510              594
Pass Yds        322               551
Rush Yds       188               43
Penalties       7-55            4-30
1st Downs      22               23
3rd Downs    5-15             0-8
4th Downs     3-4              2-4
Total Plays      73               64
Avg Yds/Play  7.0               9.3
Avg/Pass       14.0             22.0
Avg /Rush      4.7              3.1
TOP:           34:48           13:12

[mysonis55]

Whew, I’m beat down tired after that one. 64, where the heck were you?

[Silverback]

O Cath was as advertised. A very good football team led by a very talented QB in Atwell and Carrico was a beast as well. Just a Great Football game.

Mayfield had to really earn it this year going through a determined Murray team, followed by LCA, Beechwood, and finally O Cath. Very proud of our team and the way they fought through that gauntlet to EARN a 13th Title.

Glad that was the last one. Not sure my heart could take any more this year.

Congratulations Cardinals!!!! You made us all proud

[Jack Lambert]

Congrats Mayfield!!!

[Westside]

Congrats Mayfield.

[Glory_Days]

The best playoff run in Mayfield history? I'm sure there were some great ones back when there were only 2 classes (3A was all Louisville). This one is astonishing.

It felt like this win was veritably needed for Mayfield after the last two championship losses were heartbreaking in a run of losing four in a row. Add in a community still healing, a team heavy ladened with experience, and then throw in being 0-5 at Lexington. Sometimes life gives you hardships, making victories taste much sweeter and even more appreciable. Congratulations Cardinals!

Owensboro Catholic played like I thought. They deserve and earned all the respect of being one the best teams in the entire state for 2023. They got my attention last year when they upset Owensboro after taking a few lumps early in the season. They grew throughout the season and came merely yards from beating LCA in the playoffs. Their accomplishments show they put in the hard work in the offseason and came back motivated. The fashion in which they dominated Greenwood this year, I knew they were the real deal and continued rolling. This team will always be remembered by their fanbase and community as one of the greats and possibly the greatest. It's not for me to coronate. They could've packed it in down 20 while seemingly having no chance to stop Mayfield, at the time. They played through some adversity and had a shot at the end to win. Congrats to the Aces for a historical season. Tutt Carrico needs to add "King" to his moniker. His 29th receiving TD is a new state record breaking the 28-mark held by: (Jamarielle Brown - Lone Oak 2007) & (John Cole - Somerset 2006).

As for the game, we were treated with one of the most entertaining games in KHSAA championship history. The offenses spoke for themselves so I'm not going to dive into the pages it would take to do it justice. The most impressive stat to me: both QBs combined for 81 attempts without an INT.

The defenses didn't play poorly, the offenses were just incredibly good all night. It appeared Owensboro Catholic took several series to really get comfortable on the big stage. Mayfield took advantage and got more stops to build a scoring cushion. The deficit was 20, halftime was nearing the minute mark with Mayfield getting the ball first coming out of halftime. OC was moving the ball into scoring position when Atwell got sacked with grounding called. He lost his helmet and had to sit a play. So, on 4&forever the freshman backup QB came in and tossed a floater which got high pointed by the WR at the 2-yard line. Atwell punched it in from there. I thought that score put OC back in it and the halftime break gave them the chance to reset while gaining confidence. The final score was 53-48 and that's where it stood with 7:38 to play. Both defenses were gassed and ironically both got stops in the final gut-wrenching minutes. It felt like OC was going to score to take the lead and force Mayfield to overcome it. In the end the Cardinals defense got the last stop needed and Mayfield's offensive line and JuJu Starks pushed for a first down to secure victory formation.

[Granny Bear]

Whew, I’m beat down tired after that one. 64, where the heck were you?

He had sinus surgery that morning; got hopped up on pain pills and had his brother drive him to the games!!!
So he was there; he just didn't know it.

This game exhausted me!!!

I am so impressed by both of these teams' tenacity and never quit attitude!

This was truly a state championship game!!!!

[Bull got out!]

Congratulations Mayfield. What a game!!!

[rookie57]

Well, had to wait till now to post, got home late then watched the game on NFHS. Probably the best football game I’ve ever witnessed. Normally with a score like this I’d ask if anyone believes in defense, but neither team had much success stopping the other teams offense, MHS was clicking on all cylinders, I’m not even gonna start mentioning names cause there were to many outstanding efforts for mayfield, several plays that could be called THE PLAY OF THE GAME. WE RAN THE GAUNTLET, and took out # 1, 3, and 4 to win it all. Proud to be a CARDINAL TODAY!
Now, as far as OC,
They WERE THE REAL DEAL
ATWELL IS THE BEST QB we faced all year( I’ll still take Cartwright over him) but he was the best we faced
TUT CARRICO WAS UNSTOPPABLE
ALL their recievers were really good, as good as beechwood’s
Their line in both sides of the ball were very physical, and the linebackers would pop u
I mean I can’t say enough about them, they played good enough to win, mayfield was just a little better, congrats to OC in an outstanding year

[pjdoug]

Way to go Cardinals!

[pjdoug]

Whew, I’m beat down tired after that one. 64, where the heck were you?

He had sinus surgery that morning; got hopped up on pain pills and had his brother drive him to the games!!!
So he was there; he just didn't know it.

This game exhausted me!!!

I am so impressed by both of these teams' tenacity and never quit attitude!

This was truly a state championship game!!!!

Does he ever know it?  lol

[Slic Ric]

Listened to this on the KHSAA Radio Stream. What a game! Like two prize fighters trading punches back & forth. Carrico was tough as nails & the Owensboro Catholic QB Atwell was lights out.
Is he being recruited by UK?

Congrats to Mayfield & rookie57 and the whole Mayfield Crew.
And to the Owensboro Catholic kids; you played a great game as well.

[rookie57]

Listened to this on the KHSAA Radio Stream. What a game! Like two prize fighters trading punches back & forth. Carrico was tough as nails & the Owensboro Catholic QB Atwell was lights out.
Is he being recruited by UK?

Congrats to Mayfield & rookie57 and the whole Mayfield Crew.
And to the Owensboro Catholic kids; you played a great game as well.

Thanks Slic Ric

[mysonis55]

The question as to whether this was the best playoff run by the Cards, I would have to say is still up for discussion. I can think of a few others. 1977, I believe it was, Mayfield had the #1 team in all classes. They had what I’ve always been told was a tough bunch of teams to play enroute and didn’t win the big one by much. Some of you old timers may be able to elaborate more. But 2002, Mayfield had one of the top 5 teams in 1a in their district with them, Ballard Memrial, led by coach Hack Haskins. They had to beat them for the second time in the playoffs. They then had to travel to their cryptonite, Danville. The Ads were defending champs and Mayfield had never beaten them. Then they had to beat Beechwood in the championship to remain undefeated. In 2010, Mayfield had to beat Beechwood and then an undefeated Hazard team that the year previous was state runners up. In 2015, the Cards had a very talented Owensboro Catholic team in the regionals. I can tell you our coaching staff was ultra concerned about them. Then we had the 2 time defending state champs, DeSales in the semis. Then we had a multiple time state champ in Newport Cent Cath at state.

[55RedDog]

The question as to whether this was the best playoff run by the Cards, I would have to say is still up for discussion. I can think of a few others. 1977, I believe it was, Mayfield had the #1 team in all classes. They had what I’ve always been told was a tough bunch of teams to play enroute and didn’t win the big one by much. Some of you old timers may be able to elaborate more. But 2002, Mayfield had one of the top 5 teams in 1a in their district with them, Ballard Memrial, led by coach Hack Haskins. They had to beat them for the second time in the playoffs. They then had to travel to their cryptonite, Danville. The Ads were defending champs and Mayfield had never beaten them. Then they had to beat Beechwood in the championship to remain undefeated. In 2010, Mayfield had to beat Beechwood and then an undefeated Hazard team that the year previous was state runners up. In 2015, the Cards had a very talented Owensboro Catholic team in the regionals. I can tell you our coaching staff was ultra concerned about them. Then we had the 2 time defending state champs, DeSales in the semis. Then we had a multiple time state champ in Newport Cent Cath at state.

Just ask Coach Joe. He has been there for all of them.
Also, did you get an answer about this team’s heart since you had your doubts a few weeks back?

[mysonis55]

Coach Joe normally doesn’t get into those types of thoughts. He still won’t say which team was the best team 13-0 from the 70’s, 2002 at 15-0 or 2010 at 15-0. I definitely would say this playoff run was tough. However, all I ever hear from the older guys is how they played stiffer competition back then. They had fewer classes which made it harder to get in and tougher to win. Now as for heart, they definitely showed they have it. I did have questions after the game against Christian County and Murray. But, they answered the bell 3 straight games. I am very impressed by what I saw. I think they self checked themselves and that is very impressive.