As Dave Barger sat in the top row at Newport Stadium Friday, he hoped his grandson, Lloyd Memorial sophomore Colten Barger, would have a good game.
Barger the younger – and the rest of the Juggernauts – absolutely did, a 46-6 running-clock win over the Wildcats.
Deciding who the star of the game was a challenging choice.
It could’ve been senior quarterback Kaleb Evans’ 12-of-13 passing for 174 yards and three touchdowns.
“Everything was clicking (Friday),” Lloyd coach Kyle Niederman said.
It could’ve been Barger’s four catches for 110 yards, including touchdown receptions of 35, 29 and 19, or it might’ve been Lincon Tomlinson’s two rushing scores.
“I just want to thank my quarterback and my line for doing their job and working all summer and getting big,” Barger said.
Or it could’ve been Lloyd’s defense, which held Newport (1-1) to 61 total yards. Dominick Taylor recovered two fumbles, and Billy Lewis snatched one, and Braxton Miller and Brandon Carter each sacked Newport quarterback Kayveion Sharp.
Newport coach Paul Wiggins didn’t know what he could’ve done differently.
“We’re a pretty decent (Class) 1A school, but they’re a really good 3A school,” Wiggins said. “They pass the eye test when you watch them on film. We knew it was going to be a struggle if we didn’t come out and bang-bang, and I’m not even sure if we bang-banged it would’ve made much of a difference.”
After Lewis recovered a fumble on Newport’s third play, it look Lloyd (2-0) – or more specifically junior Avery Conrad – to open the scoring. He ran three times for nine yards and the score with 9:17 left in the first.
Newport had only four first downs for the night (the Juggernauts had 17), with two coming on Lloyd’s pair of 15-yard personal fouls.
On Lloyd’s next possession Evans’ completions to Barger, Conrad and Stanley Smith netted 44 yards. Tomlinson finished the touchdown drive with Smith’s five-yard score around right end – a play made possible by Smith kicking out a defender.
It only took Lloyd a little more than four minutes of the second quarter to balloon the lead to 25-0. Tomlinson scored on a five-yard run, and Barger’s 35-yarder could’ve been the play of the night – a one-handed, Odell Beckham Jr.-ish grab in the right corner of the end zone.
“A beautiful catch,” Evans said. “My receivers make me look good … It should be on ESPN Top 10 for sure.”
Evans-to-Barger was just getting started. Barger’s 29-yard score featured evading a would-be tackler at the 20, and his 19-yarder sent started the running clock with 1:20 before halftime.
To Evans, Friday was the latest example of quarterback-receiver camaraderie.
“Me and (Barger), you know, we’re hanging out all the time,” Evans said. “It’s like that for all our receivers, though. Outside of practice, outside of games, we do our own thing.”
The only quibbles Niederman had were the 15-yard penalties for grabbing a face mask and roughing the punter and an interception by Newport’s Kendall Buck-Barber.
“I’m going to be the head coach of nitpicking everybody right now,” Niederman said. “But I’m proud of them.”
Taylor’s one-yard run late in the third quarter completed Lloyd’s scoring. Newport avoided the shutout with three seconds left on Jaden Conley’s 78-yard run.
Lloyd takes on Conner (0-2) next Friday in Hebron. Newport hosts 0-1 Gallatin County.
JUGGERNAUTS 46, WILDCATS 6
LLOYD MEMORIAL — 13-26-7-0 — 46
NEWPORT — 0-0-0-6 — 0
Scoring Plays
First quarter
LM-Avery Conrad 2 run (Ryan Miller kick), 9:17
LM-Lincon Tomlinson 5 run (kick failed) 2:47
Second quarter
LM-Tomlinson 5 run (pass failed), 11:56
LM-Colten Barger 35 pass from Kaleb Evans (kick failed), 7:52
LM-Barger 29 pass from Evans (Miller kick), 5:43
LM-Barger 19 pass from Evans (Miller kick), 1:20
Third quarter
LM-Dominick Taylor 1 run (Nuno Gomes kick), 1:44
Fourth quarter
N-Jaden Conley 78 run, 0:03
Game Stats
Passing Yards: Lloyd (Evans 12-13-174-3 TD-1 INT; McClendon 0-1-0-0); Newport (Sharp 0-6-0-0 TD-0 INT), Conley 1-1-1-0 TD-0 INT)
Rushing Yards: Lloyd 99 (Tomlinson 5-23, Conrad 3-9, Evans 2-(minus-19), Campbell 4-22, Taylor 1-1, Garrett 2-31); Newport 60 (Buck-Barber 9-5, Sharp 6-(minus-32), Conley 2-74, Jackson 1-14, Fallies 1-(minus-1).
Receiving: Lloyd 174 (Barger 4-110, Griffin 2-14, Conrad 2-31, Smith 1-7, Larison 1-(minus-2)); Newport 1 (Jackson 1-1).
First downs: Lloyd 17, Newport 4.
Turnovers: Lloyd 1, Newport 3.
Penalties: Lloyd 2-30, Newport 1-5.
Records: Lloyd Memorial 2-0, Newport 1-1.