Photo - Ava Roberts
Christian County might have landed the first punch Friday but it was Mayfield that quickly countered with a knockout blow. After the Colonels opened the game with an 85-yard scoring drive at the Stadium of Champions, the visiting Cardinals dominated the rest of the way to win 72-8 in the regular-season finale for both teams.
Jordan Miles hit Zyon Wharton for a 12-yard touchdown and ran for the two-point conversion just over five minutes into the contest, capping an impressive opening series and temporarily stunning Class 2A’s No. 4-ranked Cards out of the gate. But the perennial powerhouse proceeded to answer back in a big way, scoring 72 unanswered points to run away with the decision.
It was the first time the Colonels and Cardinals have played each other since 1990. Mayfield won for the third straight time over CCHS and now owns a 7-3 lead in the all-time series. It was also the first time Christian County has given up 70 points or more in a game since a 74-57 loss to Caldwell County in the 2014 season opener in Hopkinsville.
After Wharton caught his first TD of the season to put his squad ahead, the Cardinals flashed their trademark speed to reclaim control. And on its first offensive play from scrimmage, sophomore Mak Hoover took a pass from quarterback Zane Cartwright and scooted 71 yards to pull MHS within 8-7 of the Colonels. Hoover had a monster night, adding an interception on defense.
Mayfield then thwarted another long CCHS drive when Diego Torres grabbed his second interception of the season, setting up a 12-yard TD run by Jutoriaus Starks that put the Cardinals up 14-8 — a lead they would not relinquish the rest of the way. Starks ended the night with a pair of touchdown runs, giving him 18 for the season.
The Cardinals, who were seeking their sixth straight victory Friday, did not take their foot off the accelerator in the second quarter. Mayfield used a 74-yard pass play from Cartwright to Malik Kirby to go up 21-8 with 10:59 left in the first half. It ended up being one of three scoring plays of 70-plus yards for MHS, which outscored Christian County 38-0 in the second quarter.
Starks and Hoover respectively picked up their second TDs of the game during a three-minute span to make it 36-8. The Starks score was set up when Tre Jackson blocked and recovered a CCHS quick punt attempt near the goal line. Xavier Biggers got wide open for a 22-yard TD catch, Mack Whiteside tackled Miles in the end zone for a sack, and Mehki Dumas had a five-yard TD run to give Mayfield a commanding 52-8 lead at halftime.
The Cardinals (8-1) ended up with touchdowns from eight different players, including four separate rushers. Cartwright threw four TDs, giving him 23 in 2023. Josiah England’s 78-yard run was the highlight of the second half. Mayfield is now outscoring opponents 445-121 in nine games this season.
Despite the lopsided loss, Christian County showed flashes of brilliance it can use to build on during next week’s KHSAA Class 6A playoff opener at Central Hardin. The Colonels (2-8) had nine first downs in the first half and used a pass-heavy approach to keep the Mayfield defense on its toes. Wharton and Prince Northington II combined for nearly 100 yards through the air. The Miles passing TD gives him a dozen this season and a total of 19 in the regular season.
Next week’s trip to Elizabethtown to face the Bruins (5-5) will mark County’s first matchup with Central Hardin since 2002. The programs have met a total of three times. Their only playoff meeting came in 1993, when the Dan Goble-led Colonels lost a 36-30 heartbreaker to CHHS in the first round of the postseason.
1Q 2Q 3Q 4Q
MHS (8-1) 14 38 13 7 — 72
CCHS (2-8) 8 0 0 0 — 8
SCORING PLAYS
CCHS: Zyon Wharton 12-yard catch from Jordan Miles; Miles two-point conversion run (1Q, 7:30)
MHS: Mak Hoover 71-yard catch from Zane Cartwright; Lincoln Suiter PAT (1Q, 7:14)
MHS: Jutoriaus Starks 12-yard run; Suiter PAT (1Q, 4:13)
MHS: Malik Kirby 74-yard catch from Cartwright; Suiter PAT (2Q, 10:59)
MHS: Starks 6-yard run; Suiter PAT
MHS: Hoover 16-yard catch from Cartwright; Ian Williams two-point conversion run (2Q, 6:02)
MHS: Xavier Biggers 22-yard catch from Cartwright; Suiter PAT (2Q, 5:33)
MHS: Safety (Mack Whiteside tackle and sack) (2Q, 5:27)
MHS: Mehki Dumas 5-yard run; Suiter PAT (2Q, 1:44)
MHS: Josiah England 78-yard run; Suiter PAT (3Q, 10:26)
MHS: Reggie Dowell 22-yard run; PAT no good (3Q, 5:32)
MHS: Ken Shelley 8-yard run; Suiter PAT (4Q, 6:15)
