VANCEBURG – Mason County needed a “get right” game.

They found it Friday night in Vanceburg.

The Royals, coming off an emotional loss to Fleming County last week, put up 53 first half points on their way to a 59-6 rout over Lewis County.

Carson Brammer connected with Jeremiah Jones for three scores, Caden Clark-Roberts ran in for two more and the Royals defense also got in on the fun, forcing four turnovers and converting three of them into scores.

The win sets up a game to decide home field advantage in the first round of the Class 3A playoffs with Powell County in Maysville next week. Both teams enter at 2-1 in district play with the winner earning the No. 2 seed in the Class 3A, 6th District. Fleming County wrapped up the No. 1 seed on Friday with a 41-0 victory over Pendleton County.

Royals coach Jonathan Thomas wanted his guys to come out and do what they were capable of and they delivered.

“I told the kids to make sure we are who we’re supposed to be this week. We talked pregame and that was our thing. If we were supposed to come out and execute and play really well and win in the fashion that we did, then that’s who we need to be,” Thomas said.

After Brammer hit Colton Riggs on a forward pitch that was lateraled to the Jones, the junior playmaker did the rest from 39 yards out on the Royals first play from scrimmage to start the scoring off on the night.

Clark-Roberts followed with the first of his two touchdowns on the evening, running one in from four yards out to give the Royals a 14-0 lead less than four minutes into the game.

Brammer then found Jones on a deep ball from 32 yards out to make it 20-0 with 3:35 left in the first.

After Clark-Roberts and Jones found paydirt once again, it was the Royals defense that has been opportunisitc all season to keep with that trend of turning the opponent over. Tyler Sitce turned two interceptions into touchdowns in a four play span to make it 46-0 with 2:20 to play in the half. Stice has been one of the leading defenders for the Royals this season, leading the team in tackles and was rewarded on Friday with the two scores. Even he was surprised he found the end zone twice.

“I can’t put it into words. I couldn’t think when I caught those. They were kind of the same plays, I saw the same thing. The second one they kind of just lobbed it up and I was there,” Stice said, as the Royals have now forced 22 turnovers on the year. “I think it has a lot to do with experience and the drills we do and it’s on our mind to go out there and create turnovers,” the junior linebacker added.

Dravin Routt continued to show his progression off the edge, already with a couple of sacks in the half, Routt scooped and scored a fumble from 10 yards out in the closing seconds of the half to get the Royals to a 53-0 lead by the break.

“It was good to be clicking on all cylinders. We needed to put a good game in defensively and needed a game for our staff to feel like we’re taking another step in the right direction and building,” Thomas said. “Our goal has always been to have a home playoff game and we’re right in the driver’s seat to make that happen if we can take care of Powell.”

The second half went quickly with a running clock, the Royals getting their JV players some action as Marcellio Beard scored the Royals final touchdown of the night on a 54-yard run.

Lewis County was able to find a positive in the closing minute of the contest as Dalton Fry ran one in from a yard out to avoid the Lions getting shut out for a third time this season.

“Even though they had their JV in, we did too for the most part. It was good for the team and think we did some things there in the second half and hopefully build off those things going forward,” Lions coach Josh Hughes said.

The Lions are now without a postseason game for the sixth straight season, eliminated from playoff contention with Friday night’s loss. They’ll have two more chances to get a win this season, next Friday at Fleming County and the final week at Fairview.

Mason County knows what’s at stake come next week.

“This was something we’ve been talking about all season. We knew how it was going to play out. We didn’t get it done last week with Fleming and knew it was going to come down with us and Powell and who was going to be the No. 2. We’re going to play twice no matter what, so now it’s a matter of playing that second game at their place or at our place. Our goal for this season is to have a game under our lights. That’s what our motto ‘FNUOL’ means, that’s what our goal was coming into the season. Friday Night Under Our Lights. We haven’t had a home playoff game in almost 10 years,” Thomas said.

Brammer ended the night with 172 passing yards and the three touchdowns to get him to 22 on the year. Jones now has 12 receiving touchdowns on the year.

The Royals outgained the Lions 330-122 in the contest.

ROYALS 59, LIONS 6

MASON COUNTY—20-33-0-6—59

LEWIS COUNTY—0-0-0-6—6

Scoring Plays:

1st Quarter:

(MC) Brammer 39-yd pass to Jones (Adams kick) 9:38

(MC) Clark-Roberts 4-yd run (Adams kick) 8:05

(MC) Brammer 32-yard pass to Jones (pass failed) 3:35

2nd Quarter:

(MC) Clark-Roberts 5-yd run (run failed) 11:01

(MC) Brammer 30-yd pass to Jones (Adams kick) 6:22

(MC) Stice 25-yd INT return (Adams kick) 6:04

(MC) Stice 30-yd INT return (pass failed) 2:06

(MC) Routt 10-yd fumble return (Adams kick) :11

4th Quarter:

(MC) Beard 54-yard run (pass failed) 9:58

(LC) Fry 1-yd run (kick failed) :11

Game Stats

Passing Yards: Mason 172 (Brammer 9/12, 3 TD), Lewis 85 (Hardy 8/17, 3 INT, Jackson 1/1)

Rushing Yards: Mason 158 (Beard 1-54, Clark-Roberts 7-46, Dearing 7-37, Adams 2-15, Sanders 1-6), Lewis 37 (Sizemore 8-28, Jackson 3-25, Keen 1-7, Potter 1-4, Fry 3-1, Howard 6-(minus) 12, Hardy 5-(minus) 16)

Receiving: Mason (Jones 3-101, Riggs 3-41, Swolsky 1-21, Baxter 1-13, Clark-Roberts 1-(minus) 4), Lewis (Jackson 4-31, Fry 1-24, Howard 1-14, Switzer 2-10, Keen 1-6)

Turnovers: Mason 1, Lewis 4

Penalties: Mason 4-35, Lewis 1-12

Records: Mason County (4-4, 2-1), Lewis County (0-8, 0-3)

Mason County’s Ashton Adams looks upfield for a running lane during their game with Lewis County, Friday, in Vanceburg. (Evan Dennison, The Ledger Independent)
https://maysville-online.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_Adams.jpgMason County’s Ashton Adams looks upfield for a running lane during their game with Lewis County, Friday, in Vanceburg. (Evan Dennison, The Ledger Independent)

Evan Dennison

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