Mustangs outmatch Marshals in 42-7 district win

Landon Utley was the workhorse for the Marshals on both sides of the ball in Friday’s district game against McCracken County.

It’s been six years since the Marshals last won a district game and coming into Friday’s game against McCracken County, they hoped to end that streak of 20 straight district losses. The Marshals entered Friday’s district match-up with a 3-1 record, coming off a 56-14 win last week over Calloway County. The Mustangs came in 0-4, hungry for that first win after losing the first four to tough opponents – Paducah Tilghman, Bowling Green, Graves County and Mayfield.

Marshall County has lost all five games played against McCracken County since 2013 and the chase for that elusive win will have to wait after falling Friday to the Mustangs by a final score of 42-7.

“Physically they outmatched us all night on both sides of the ball”, Head Coach Steve Etheridge said in post-game comments. “We’re too good to be that inconsistent.”

After receiving the opening kickoff, the Marshals were forced to punt and it took McCracken County just two plays to find the endzone. A nice gain on a pass from quarterback Pryor Lamb to Jack Bradley set up a 34-yard touchdown run by Zeno Cornelius and the point after from Sebastian Hutchins gave the Mustangs a quick 7-0 lead.

A punt again by the Marshals gave the Mustangs another opportunity they turned into points, scoring on a 28-yard pass reception by Bradley after a 56-yard drive and the score was 14-0 with 5:36 left in the first quarter.

After scoring the touchdown, Bradley took the field on the defensive side and intercepted a Conner Nix pass and ran it in for the touchdown, only to be called back on a penalty on the Mustangs and with the start of the second quarter, were forced to punt.

Aiden Dunigan (27) gets wrapped up by McCracken County’s Frankie Nutt (45) in the Marshals 42-7 loss to the Mustangs.

The Marshals possession was short-lived, with Nix intercepted by Jonathan Venable. A pass from Lamb to Cornelius took the ball down to the three, Cornelius took it the final three yards into the endzone, and the Mustangs lead grew to 21-0 with 9:24 left in the half.

In need of a score on their next drive, Nix completed a pass to Parker Gibbs but they were one yard shy of the first down. On 4th-and-1, they drew the McCracken County defense offsides for the automatic first down. Another pass reception by Gibbs picked up 22 yards and from the 10, Aiden Dunigan ran it in. Logan Parker’s point after was good and the Marshals were on the board trailing 21-7.

The Mustangs scored once more before the half on a three-yard run by Cornelius that capped off a 65-yard drive to lead 28-7 at halftime.

McCracken County received the second half kick and ran it all the way back to the endzone, but the touchdown was called off on a holding penalty against the Mustangs. They would go on to score on that possession on a 32-yard pass from Lamb to Bradley to stretch their lead to 35-7.

McCracken County put their final points on the board in the fourth quarter on a 23-yard run by Venable following an interception for the 42-7 lead.

The Marshals finished with just under 200 yards in unofficial stats – 69 yards rushing on 35 carries and 120 yards in the air. Nix was 11-of-19 in passing with three interceptions. Utley led on the ground with 44 yards on 14 carries with Dunigan scoring the only touchdown.

The Mustangs amassed 351 yards. They rushed for 196 on 27 carries and Lamb was 13-of-18 in passing for 155 yards and two touchdowns. Cornelius had 13 carries for 139 yards and scored three touchdowns. McCracken County had no turnovers.

Marshall County will host another district opponent next Friday when Daviess County comes to town. The Panthers are 3-2 after Friday’s 28-13 win over Madisonville-North Hopkins.

Marshall County          0    7   0   0  –   7
McCracken County   14   14   7   7  –  42

Marshall Co. vs McCracken Co., 9-16-22