A week after seeing a second-half rally fall short in a district loss to Daviess County, the Christian County Colonels led for most of the first half on Friday at McCracken County. However, three touchdowns for the Mustangs Zeno Cornelius, including two in the fourth quarter, proved decisive in a 38-24 McCracken victory.
The Colonels slipped to 2-6, 0-2 in district play, with a trip to Henderson County coming up next week. McCracken ended a two-game skid to even its record at 4-4, 1-1 against district competition.
Jordan Miles hit Prince Northington II for an eight-yard touchdown pass to cap the Colonels’ first possession, with a pass to Joshua Bridges for a 1st down on 4th and 23 extending the drive. Northington II’s fifth receiving TD of the season was the team’s first in three weeks.
After Christian County turned the ball over on 4th and 8 from its own 44, Cornelius got his first touchdown of the night on a 16-yard run with 1:50 left in the first quarter. JaSean Riley blocked the extra point to keep the Colonels in front 8-6.
In the quarter’s final minutes, McCracken misplayed a punt, and Christian County recovered to set up a 1st and 10 from the Mustang 11. Miles did it himself on the first play of the second frame with an 11-yard scoring run up the middle, and Theo Quarles added his second two-point conversion run for a 16-6 Colonel advantage.
But momentum swung to the Mustangs over the last nine minutes of the half, beginning with a 25-yard TD connection on 4th and 9 from Maddox O’Neal to Cooper Falconite.
Then, with the Colonels looking to cushion their lead ahead of the break, McCracken’s Chase Dassing picked off Miles’ pass and returned it for a touchdown to give the Mustangs a 19-16 lead at halftime.
Christian County’s offense went quiet in the 3rd quarter, with McCracken’s Brock Wilson drilling a 35-yard field goal for the only points of the frame.
Trailing 22-16 and facing a 4th and 4 from the McCracken 22, Miles and Prince hooked up for their second TD to tie the game with 9:34 left to play. Quarles plowed through for another two-point conversion, and the Colonel defense took the field looking to seal the win.
However, McCracken turned to Cornelius for the answer, chewing up yards on the ground until he added his second touchdown on a three-yard plunge. O’Neal found Quinterious Bailey for the two-point play for a 30-24 score.
Forced to go for it on 4th and 14 from their own 13 on the next possession, the Colonels turned the ball over to set up Cornelius’ final touchdown. James Barragan added the two-point conversion with a run around the left side for a 14-point cushion.
Kenlin Thomas provided the exclamation point for the Mustangs, picking off Miles’ pass deep in Colonel territory with just over two minutes to play. Thomas’ second interception of the season gives McCracken nine in eight games.
