Final from Death Valley
Lincoln County 33
Wayne County 15
By Jonathan L. Smith
Summary
The Patriots win a decisive homecoming district game tonight winning their first district contest of the year. There are district games remaining with Boyle County and Russell County left in the four-team district.
The Homecoming Queen, Khira Board, and King, Kash Smith, were crowned at halftime.
The InterCounty Energy Lineman of the Game is A.J. Morgan. After the game, he said, “The offensive line has dominated all year, but we knew coming in that we’d have to amp it up against this Wayne County team. They’re probably the best line we’ve played against.”
The Guardian Exterminating and B-Green Lawn Care Co-Players of the Game are Tucker Foster and Bob Floyd.
Bob Floyd tied a 40-year-old record for touchdown receptions in a game with three. He tied Billy Harris who had three TD receptions in the 1985 Estill County game. Bob had 8 catches tonight for 118 yards, the most since Clayton Davis had 123 against Rockcastle County in 2021. He also blocked a field goal and two PAT kicks.
Bob Floyd commented about the blocked kicks, “Honestly, I figured out their snap count and I just took off and knew I could block it.”
Tucker Foster completed 17 of 25 passes for 251 yards and three touchdowns. That’s the most passing yards in a game since Sawyer Horton had 285 yards against Bell County in 2022. When asked about flipping the script from a rushing attack to airing it out, Tucker Foster said, “I have to give all the credit to Coach Rogers. We had a great scheme coming in and I just had to throw the ball.
The Lincoln County Daily News Dot Com Play of the Game is actually three plays—Bob Floyd’s three blocked kicks—one field goal and two PAT kicks. This is not a stat we track but this being done before cannot be remembered.
After the game, Coach Levi Rogers said, “I am proud of these guys. They fought hard tonight, and it was a good team win.”
Lincoln County (6-1 overall, 1-0 district) is off next week for Fall Break and resumes in two weeks at Boyle County. Wayne County (2-5 overall, 0-1 district) is off next week and hosts Russell County in two weeks.
Series-by-Series Report
Kash Smith fielded the opening squib kick and downed it at the Lincoln County 37-yard line. A 55-yard pass from Tucker Foster to Reed Curls got the Patriots to the Wayne County 8-yard. The Patriots were unable to score, giving the ball away with an interception on 4th down.
After Jayden Pendleton’s interception, Wayne County had it on their own 5-yard line but on the first play after that, a bad snap rolled out of the back of the endzone giving Lincoln County a safety. With 8:33 left in first quarter, Lincoln County led 2-0
Trevyon Echols returned the free kick after the safety to Wayne County 40-yard line. Three plays later, a scrambling Tucker Foster found an open Bob Floyd on a 40-yard touchdown pass with 6:40 left in the first quarter. Brody Baker added the PAT kick and Lincoln County’s lead grew to 9-0.
Brody Baker put the ensuing kickoff into the endzone for a touchback and Wayne County started from their own 20-yard-line. The Cardinals put together a long drive taking over seven minutes off the clock and got the ball to the Lincoln County 15-yard line where they bogged down on 4th down. From there, Brice Lefevers connected on a 32-yard field goal with 11:50 left in the first half, cutting the Lincoln County lead to 9-3.
On the ensuring kickoff, Brennin Hazlett had a six-yard return to the 41-yard line. Brycen Mullins got it across midfield on a 12-yard catch, and then Bob Floyd had a 13-yard catch to the Wayne County 35-yard line. From there, a Brycen Mullins 13-yard catch got it to the 22-yard line.
After the loss of a yard, Foster connected with Brennin Hazlett on a nine-yard pass to the 14-yard line. On the next play, Damon Spigle, back from injury, gave Lincoln County a first down at the 12-yard line, then Drake Willoughby ran for a yard to the 11-yard line. Tucker Foster connected with Bob Floyd for an 11-yard touchdown pass with 6:19 left in the half. Brody Baker added the PAT kick and Lincoln County led 16-3.
Wayne took the ensuing kickoff from their own 40-yard line and then a pass got them to the Lincoln County 43-yard line. From there, a pass interference call moved it to the Lincoln County 27-yard line. Then, quarterback Reese Garrett connected with Ian Tucker on a 27-yard touchdown pass with 4:04 left in the half. The PAT kick was blocked by Bob Floyd and Lincoln County led 16-9.
Lincoln County then took over from their own 36-yard line. They moved the ball down the field with short passes and outside runs. The Patriots stalled out, facing a 4th down at the Wayne County 10-yard line. From there, Brody Baker connected on a 27-yard OK Mobile Home field goal with 19.1 seconds left in the half. Lincoln County led 19-9 after one play by Wayne County.
Halftime.
Ian Tucker returned the second half kickoff to Wayne’s own 23-yard line. The drive was marred by penalties and Wayne County was forced to punt from their own 39-yard line.
Lincoln County had no return of the 39-yard pun and started from their own 23-yard line. Damon Spigle had a 19-yard run to the 42-yard line. Brycen Mullins had a short pass to the 46-yard line. Two runs by Reed Curlis got the ball to the 36-yard line. From there, Tucker Foster dropped back to pass, pump faked and hit Boby Floyd in stride for a 36-yard touchdown pass with 6:58 left in the third quarter. Brody Baker added the PAT and Lincoln County’s lead increased to 26-9.
Lincoln County attempted an on-side kick, but Wayne County recovered it at their own 46-yard line. They managed to gain four yards in three plays and faced a 4th down at midfield. The Cardinals went for it from there and Tucker Foster intercepted the 4th down pass returning it to Lincoln County 44-yard line. The Patriots could not move the ball and punted from their own 42-yard line. Tucker Foster punted it to the Wayne County 30-yard line where Wayne County got it back.
The Cardinals had a one-yard pass on first down, then Weston Hancock picked up fourteen yards to the 45-yard line. From there, they had two big runs into Lincoln County territory, and then a 33-yard pass from Garrett to Ian Tucker to the Lincoln County 8-yard line. On first down, Sean Brown had a tackle for loss. On second down, the pass to the endzone was incomplete. On third down, Nathaniel Wright had a short run setting up a fourth down and goal to go at the 8-yard line as the third quarter ended. On the first play of the 4th quarter, Brice Lefever attempted a 25-yard field goal that was blocked by Bob Floyd.
Lincoln County took over at their own 20-yard line. On the first play, Damon Spigle exploded on a 29-yard bruising run as he broke tackles and bounded off defenders out to the 49-yard line. Lincoln then had a run for a loss and an incomplete pass. On 3rd down and 14 to go, Tucker Foster hit Brennin Hazlett on a 28-yard pass to the twenty-seven yard line.
On first down from there, Reed Curlis had a five-yard run to the 22-yard line. On second down, Damon Spigle picked up a first down with an 8-yard run to the fourteen-yard line. Runs by Spigle and Curlis got it to the three-yard line. One first and goal to go from there, Reed Curlis got stood up at the line of scrimmage. On the next play, Tucker Foster kept the ball himself and scored from three yards out with 5:36 left in the game. Brody Baker kicked the PAT and Lincoln County led 33-9.
Wayne County started their next drive at their own 25-yard line and marched the ball down the field, finishing the 75-yard drive with a 20-yard touchdown run by Ian Tucker with 1:06 left in the game. Bob Floyd blocked the PAT kick. The Lincoln lead was cut to 33-15.
On the ensuing onside kick, Bob Floyd covered the attempt at the Wayne County 49-yard line and the Patriots ended the game in the victory formation.
Scoring
LC 1Q 8:33 Team Safety, bad snap through endzone (LC 2-0)
LC 1Q 6:40 Bob Floyd, 40-yard pass from Tucker Foster, Brody Baker kick (LC 9-0)
WC 2Q 11:50 Brice Lafevers, 32-yard field goal (LC 9-3)
LC 2Q 6:19 Bob Floyd, 11-yard pass from Tucker Foster, Baker kick (LC 16-3)
WC 2Q 4:04 Ian Tucker, 27-yard pass from Reese Garrett, kick blocked (LC 16-9)
LC 2Q 0:19.1 Brody Baker, 27-yard field goal (LC 19-9)
LC 3Q 6:58 Bob Floyd, 36-yard pass from Foster, Baker kick (LC 26-9)
LC 4Q 5:36 Tucker Foster, 3-yard run, Baker kick (LC 33-9)
WC 4Q 1:06 Ian Tucker, 20-yard run, PAT blocked (LC 33-15)
