Graves County has won the last 13 games over Marshall County but the Marshals came close to ending the Eagles streak Friday in the final regular season game at home on Senior Night. Opportunities were there to put points on the board for the Marshals, but still within a touchdown in the final two minutes, the last second throw into the end zone fell incomplete.
Marshall County received the opening kick and turned the ball over on an interception, but would hold the Eagles on fourth down and get the ball back. Unable to put a drive together, the Marshals punted and Graves County turned the possession into points to start the second quarter, scoring on a 48 yard run by Clint McKee. The point after good by Conner Thomas for a 7-0 lead.
The Marshals answered on their next drive, going 67 yards for a touchdown on a 13 yard keeper by quarterback Quinn Smith. The PAT good from Talon Smothers to tie 7-7 with 5:28 left in the second quarter.
Graves County’s next drive stalled out and on fourth and 11, choose to attempt a 25 yard field goal. An off-sides on the Marshals changed the Eagles game-plan and they went for it on 4th and six, getting the first down then scoring on a three yard run by McKee for a 14-7 lead with 1:48 to go until halftime.
A final drive before halftime for the Marshals made it down to the eight yard line but a holding penalty brought it back to the 25, and with one second left on the clock, Kyler Madding intercepted Smith.
Madding opened the second half like he ended the first, with another great play for Graves County, taking the opening kick 85 yards into the end zone to put the Eagles up 21-7. The on-side kick was successful with the Eagles recovering but the Marshals would force a punt on the drive.
Starting at their own 12, no first down forced the Marshals to punt and the Eagles blocked it and their 19 yard drive produced a touchdown on a nine yard run by Madding for a 28-7 lead at 8:50 in the third quarter.
Marshall County opened the fourth quarter on a Dawson Smothers sack of quarterback John Brown, forcing a fumble that was recovered by Gavin Miller at the nine yard line. Smith took it in from the nine and with the extra point tacked on by Talon Smothers, the Marshals cut it to 28-14.
The Eagles punted on their next drive but the Marshals turned it back over on a Riley Thompson interception of Smith at midfield. Graves County faced fourth down at the Marshals 35 yard line and with a Talon Smothers interception of Brown, they had another opportunity to put points on the board, and did so on a 15 yard pass from Smith to Dawson Bradford – now within a touchdown of the Eagles.
Forcing the Eagles to punt on their next drive, the Marshals had 1:59 to go 55 yards to the end zone. Facing fourth and 10 with 43 seconds left, Rayburn caught a Smith pass for a first down at the Graves County 44 yard line. Smith got to the 36 and the Marshals used their final time out with 21 seconds left.
A complete pass to Bryce Flatt who got out-of-bounds at the 28, stopped the clock at 14 seconds. Smith connected with Flatt for another five yards and the Marshals scrambled back to the line, a spike from Smith stopping the clock with one second left. The final throw into the end zone falling incomplete.
The Marshals finish the regular season with a record of 2-8 and will play Trinity (Louisville) next Friday at Trinity in the opening round of the Class 6A KHSAA Commonwealth Gridiron Bowl. Graves County improves to 6-4, the #2 seed in District 1, Class 5A and will play Grayson County at home on Friday.
Graves 7 7 14 0 – 28
Marshall 0 7 0 14 – 21
