If Christian County coach Zach Self had been told before Friday night’s matchup with Henderson County that quarterback Jordan Miles would run for three touchdowns and pass for a couple more, he probably would have felt good about his team’s chances to pick up a first district victory.
However, Henderson County used a one-two punch of quarterback Max Thompson and running back Anthony Burrus to blow the game open in the second quarter and cruised to a 64-32 win that completes a perfect district slate.
Christian County enjoyed a bright start, scoring on its opening possession when Miles ran for a 15-yard touchdown. But Henderson answered just 20 seconds later on a 37-yard TD connection from Thompson to Jackson Pendergraft to lead 8-6.
After a Christian County turnover on downs, Burrus found the endzone from five yards out to put Henderson in front for good. With just over a minute left in the first quarter, Christian County pulled to within three points on a 64-yard scoring run by Miles, but they wouldn’t get in the endzone again until the game was out of reach in the third quarter.
Three unanswered second-quarter touchdowns put Henderson in control. Jack Ryan Reusch scored from a yard out, Thompson hit Koien Banks for a 52-yard TD, and Banks made it 36-12 at the break when he took a screen pass 64 yards to the house.
Henderson looked to be on the verge of forcing a running clock after a 38-yard TD pass to Pendergraft with 6:26 left in the third quarter, but Miles responded with a 67-yard scoring run.
Burrus got his second touchdown of the night to put Henderson in front 50-18 before Prince Northington II took a pass from Miles for a 35-yard TD.
Banks scored on a 37-yard catch for his third touchdown to give Henderson a 57-24 advantage with six seconds played in the fourth quarter, and Burrus added another rushing TD to start a running clock with just over six minutes left.
Northington II’s second TD catch of the night went for 70 yards over the middle to cap the scoring.
Henderson County rushed for 215 yards on 37 carries, while Christian County gained 175 yards on the ground on 33 tries.
Thompson was 9/15 for 279 yards and five TDs, Burrus totaled 220 yards rushing, Banks finished with four catches for 157 yards and three scores, and Pendergraft got in the endzone on two of his three catches.
Miles accounted for five touchdowns for Christian County, completing 11 of 26 passes for 235 yards.
Christian County slipped to 2-7 with its fourth-straight defeat. The Colonels finished 0-3 in district play and will face Mayfield in the regular-season finale next week.
