Henderson County is the Class 6A District One champion going into the first round of the state playoffs. After opening the season with a 27-16 loss to Hopkinsville on Sept. 11, the Colonels won their next five games and made it six straight in Friday’s 51-21 win over Marshall County.
Henderson County has won nine straight over Marshall County, the Marshals last win over the Colonels coming in 2007, winning 42-25 in the first round of the Class 6A state playoffs. From 2015 to 2018, the two teams didn’t play when the Marshals moved to Class 5A.
Both teams will wait two weeks before the first playoff game after KHSAA announced on Saturday (Nov. 7) the playoffs will be delayed by one week. The Marshals will travel to Louisville to play top ranked Trinity in a realignment for the playoffs after Trinity’s District Six lost teams to COVID-19 related issues. Trinity is 6-0, losing three games on their schedule to COVID-19 including Friday’s final regular season game.
Friday’s game at Henderson County couldn’t have started any better for the Marshals, scoring on the very first play of the game on a 67 yard pass from Quinn Smith to Logan Reese. The PAT good by Logan Parker to lead 7-0.
The lead was short-lived with the Colonels going 62 yards in three plays, scoring on a five yard run by Jaheim Williams and extra point tacked on by Colton Evans to tie 7-7. Henderson County added a 30 yard field goal by Evans on their next possession to go up 10-7.
The Marshals turned the ball over on a fumble on their next possession giving the Colonels just 39 yards to find the end zone which they did on a 14 yard touchdown by quarterback Ben Dalton, the extra point good by Evans to lead 17-7.
Getting the ball back on downs, Henderson County made it 24-7 to end the first quarter, scoring on a 40 yard run by Williams. They opened the second quarter on a seven yard touchdown run by Layton Fletcher to lead 31-7 and Fletcher scored again on a two yard run to put the Colonels up 38-7.
Turning the ball over on downs again, the Marshals needed a break and it came in the way of an interception of Dalton by Chase Gibbs. Gibbs ran the pick down to the 33 yard line, setting up a 39 yard touchdown pass from Smith to Riley Smith to cut the Henderson County lead to 38-14.
Evans attempted a 49 yard field goal for the Colonels just before the half that was no good.
Henderson County scored twice in the third quarter, the first on a Dalton 14 yard run following a 90 yard drive, and the second from five yards out by Keyaaron Goines after a 75 yard drive to lead 51-14.
The fourth quarter ticked off quickly with a running clock but the Marshals found the end zone once more on another Smith to Smith combination, a 14 yard touchdown pass with 2:00 remaining.
Most all of the Marshals total yardage came in the air, Smith 15 of 25 for 220 yards and three touchdowns. Reese had seven receptions for 111 yards and Riley Smith five for 92 yards and two touchdowns.
The Colonels had over 450 total yards, most of theirs on the ground with 337 led by Williams with 170 on 13 carries.
Marshall 7 7 0 7 – 21
Henderson 24 14 13 0 – 51
Record:
Marshall 3-6
Henderson 6-1
