Two light towers at Boone County’s Owen Hauck Stadium failed on Friday night forcing the Rebels home game against the visiting Scott Eagles to be pushed into Saturday morning. The game was stalled Friday with Scott leading 13-7, with the ball on third down and fifteen yards to go from its own 33-yard line.
It was determined that the game could be picked up in the daylight of Saturday morning, but even then the game was not without technical challenges. The scoreboard did not display the game time, so referees kept time on the field.
Boone Co. scored a touchdown on Saturday and held the Eagles scoreless to win, 14-13. The Rebels are now 2-0 while Scott falls to 0-2.
“We look for opportunities to improve our program and we have built tremendous character here and that resulted in what happened,” said Bryson Warner, Boone County Head Coach. “It’s not easy to do what we did and it’s not easy for Scott. We give a lot of credit to Scott. They came out here, fought and played a good game. (They’re) much improved. We have great coaches and were able to come out here and do our best.”
Scott outgained Boone County, 234-214 in total offense including 169-127 on the ground and had 17 first downs to nine for the Rebels. The Rebels displayed better balance passing the ball for 87 yards compared to 65 for the Eagles.
The slight difference in the score came on point-after touchdown attempts. The Rebels made both extra-point kicks while the Eagles made one and did not convert on a two-point conversion.
“That’s what it is – a play here and a play there,” said Eric Turner, Scott head coach. “They made more plays than we did. It was a little bit of a distraction for us to have to come back. But we felt like we were ready to play.”
The game-winning score came with 9:12 left in the game. Boone County senior Tyler Whipple took a screen pass from junior quarterback Jamarius Hocker to the left near the Boone County sideline, turned the corner and bolted 57 yards for the touchdown. Junior Ahmed Abdulahi booted the important extra-point kick for what turned out to be the final score.
“We were in twins on the left side and Jamar made a great read like the great quarterback he is,” Whipple said. “There was no one pressed up. There were only two safeties. The other wide receiver made a great contain block. All I had to do was make on stiff-arm and it was to the house.”
The Rebels have had success running the ball with multiple rushers so far this season. Senior running back Braden McCarty led Boone County with nine carries for 54 yards. Hocker scored from two yards out in the first quarter to trim the Scott lead to 13-7.
“We have an amazing skill group,” McCarty said. “Our athletic core just hammers the ball down the field and gets it done.”
Hocker also completed some big passes going 3 for 6 for 87 yards. Senior tight end James Graves had the other two catches for Boone County for 30 yards including an 18-yard slant in the third quarter to set the Rebels up at the Scott 10 on a 4th-and-7.
Boone County nearly scored on that drive. McCarty rushed eight yards to the Scott 2 before junior running back Seth Moran gained another yard on the next play. But the Eagles defense made a huge play when senior Nolan Hunter recovered a Boone County fumble on a high snap at the Scott 17 with about 4:14 left in the third quarter.
Scott had success out of its shotgun spread offense with senior running back Bennie Hill. Hill rushed for 137 yards on 22 carries and scored the game’s first touchdown from two yards out in the first quarter averaging just more than six yards per carry.
“We have to lean on Bennie Hill. He knows that and we know that as well,” Turner said. “He can really carry the rock and has done that the first couple games. We’re going to continue to do that and continue to work on our passing game buttoning some things up there. We feel like we’re really close. We’re just not there yet.”
The Eagles know the passing game needs to improve in order to earn wins. Senior quarterback Dasani Lane completed 4 of 11 passes for 65 yards and a 15-yard touchdown pass to junior Dylan Giffen in the first quarter to put the Eagles up 13-0. Giffen led Scott with three catches for 49 yards.
The untimely interceptions hurt the Eagles in this loss. The first came on the ensuing drive after the Boone County score in the fourth quarter.
The Rebels started the ensuing drive at their own 45 after a block in the back penalty moved the ball back. The Rebels drove to the Eagle 40. But on a 3rd-and-7, the Rebels lost the ball and Giffen recovered it at the Scott 42.
“Ball security is always the number one thing in the game of football as far as what decides the game,” Warner said. “Last week, we didn’t have any. We didn’t do so well this week. But Scott was flying around. (The Eagles) were energized. They’re a very good football team. They’re going to win a lot of games this year. They’re well-coached so it was exciting to win a game against another very good football program.”
Following a delay of game penalty and a tackle for a loss, Lane completed a 19-yard pass to Giffen for 33 yards to the Boone County 34. After an incompletion, senior running back Noah Haynes picked off a Lane pass with about 2:18 left in the game.
The Rebels had some key tackles for a loss on the two drives forcing the Eagles into 2nd-and-long situations. Junior defensive end Andrew Leibfarth had one on the last Scott possession and senior defensive lineman Kaden Tanner had one the play before Whipple’s interception.
“It’s all about hand work,” Leibfarth said. “It helped us get the ball back. It felt great to get this win.”
The Rebels ran out the clock behind their offensive line. Hocker broke free for a 27-yard run to the Scott 37 to seal the deal on a 2nd-and-10.
“The (offensive) line did a good job opening up holes,” Hocker said. “I just need some daylight. I’m not the fastest. But I get it done. I try my hardest to make sure our team wins the game at the end of the day no matter what happens.”
Boone County heads to Holmes (1-1) on Friday seeking its first 3-0 start since 2011. Scott faces Holy Cross (1-1) on Thursday at 7 p.m.