Central Hardin received the top seed in Class 6A District 2 thanks to an administrative error by North Hardin that caused them to forfeit two district games.
However, the Bruins proved they belonged at the top with a 60-0 win over Christian County Friday in the first round of the Class 6A football playoffs.
Central Hardin, who came into the contest averaging 181 rushing yards a game, nearly had that in the first half as the Bruins exploded for 30 second-quarter points to build a 38-0 lead by halftime and trigger a running clock for the final 24 minutes.
Christian County could never establish a running game, finishing with 24 yards on 20 carries. Quarterback Jordan Miles ran for 55 yards but was sacked five times for a loss of 40 yards.
Colonels head coach Zach Self showed riverboat gambler tendencies to begin the game, going for it on fourth down in Christian County territory on their first three drives. While Christian County turned the ball over on downs each time, Central Hardin used up the clock to find the end zone, eventually taking a 16-0 lead with 9:40 left in the first half.
“It’s about trust and faith in our players and their athleticism. But our focus was to stop their main plays which for a quarter there or so I feel like we did it forcing the pass and they’re not as notable for their pass game,” Self said.
Central Hardin scored on its first possession when Zakery Spurrier, who has committed to play baseball at Kentucky, found Jaxon Engstand on a seven-yard scoring play on fourth down.
Spurrier was picked off by Prince Northington II on Central Hardin’s next drive so the Bruins kept it on the ground on their third possession. Mason Gardner capped an 11-play, 39-yard drive with a three-yard run. Gardner, Central Hardin’s leading rusher entering the game, had 35 yards on eight carries.
Christian County moved the football into Bruin territory for the first time on its next drive but failed to convert a 4th and 1 play at the 36-yard line. The walls caved in from there as Central Hardin scored three touchdowns in the final 7:22 of the half.
Walker Meredith scored on a 55-yard run with 1:52 left in the half to trigger the running clock, then opened the second half with an 85-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to continue the onslaught. Meredith finished with 112 rushing yards on eight carries, part of a 260-yard night on the ground for the Bruins.
Christian County would move into Bruin territory one final time when Northington took a pitch and then completed a pass to Joshua Bridges for a 23-yard gain. However, the Colonels fumbled on the next play – one of three turnovers.
Miles was 7-of-21 passing for 92 yards as Christian County had 139 total yards. Northington caught two passes for 37 yards, and Bridges had two for 33 yards.
The 60 points is the most Christian County has allowed in the postseason and the final margin was the worst for a Colonel team since a 50-0 loss to Highlands in the 2010 Class 5A state championship.
Christian County concludes its season with a 2-9 record, a tough end for a senior class that had three head coaches in four years in addition to program uncertainty due to the upcoming combination with Hopkinsville High School.
“It’s really, really tough for them because I know they’ve had a bunch of different guys telling them what to do as a head coach and I wish I could have given them more,” Self said. “I love each and every one of those guys. A lot of them may go to another sport or they may be trying to play in college. Whatever it may be, I want to make sure that they’re prepared as an adult to make positive decisions and work for what they want in life.”
