Mason County’s Terrell Henry intercepts a pass during the first quarter against Pendleton County Friday night. (Evan Dennison, The Ledger Independent)
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
Mason County’s Chad Clark-Roberts brings down Pendleton County ball carrier Chance Pollard during Friday night’s game in Maysville. (Evan Dennison, The Ledger Independent)
A brand new field, a line of people waiting to get in an hour and a half before kickoff, a ribbon cutting ceremony and a buzz around town for Mason County’s football team.
The Royals continued to show what they’re about on Friday night, moving to 5-0 for the first time since 2014 with a 49-12 victory over Pendleton County.
“When you’re looking in the stands at seven o’clock and it’s full across the board, and then you go in you notice people just flowing in, it should only get bigger,” Royals coach Joe Wynn said. “Next week we’ll get homecoming and then obviously the week after you know what’s coming. The more you win, the bigger it gets and we’re here for it.”
After four road/neutral games and over 500 miles traveled, the Royals home opener five games into the season was much anticipated, thanks to the new artificial turf that was laid on the field and they didn’t waste much time getting accustomed to it.
They scored on all six of their first half possessions in building a 43-0 lead and getting the game to a running clock with 7:24 remaining in the first half.
“We started fast and that’s what we kind of preached all week. Last year we started slow against them and it was like 7-0 in the second quarter. So we wanted to come out and start fast and and do we should have done and we did that and that’s what I’m happy to see,” Royals coach Joe Wynn said.
They were able to spread the ball around, play pretty much all the junior varsity in the second half and get some guys some touches that may normally not on Friday night.
Jonathon Jones was one of them, his nine-yard reception as time expired going into the half his first career touchdown.
“I don’t really play much offense. Felt good to have the guys having my back. Wasn’t much time left in the half, had a couple runs and knew I had to get in so Coach Wynn said to run to the back corner of the end zone and it worked out,” Jones said.
The usual suspects also found paydirt, Terrell Henry’s two catches both going for scores on receptions of 22 and 62 yards, Brady Sanders on a 16-yard dash and quarterback Keshaun Thomas running for two touchdowns, one from 30 yards out, the other from six.
With the game well at hand, Thomas’ day was done early in the second quarter with the two rushing touchdowns and another one passing as Teegin Routt spelled him and made the most of his opportunity, completing all six of his passes for 144 yards and two touchdowns.
“When my number is called I’m just going to go in there and do what I have to do. Execute all the plays that we have, listen to coach and then that’s where we go from there,” Routt said. “I learn a lot from Keshaun’s mentality. He’s different, if he makes a bad play he comes back and makes an even better play the next play. He’s always doing what we need to do to win until the final horn sounds.”
Trey Walker finished off the scoring for the Royals on a three-yard run, Walker utilized to the tune of three catches for 64 yards and two carries for seven yards and the score on the night.
Then it was time for the junior varsity to play the entirety in the second half, the Wildcats able to get two Chance Pollard rushing touchdowns in the fourth quarter to get the game to the 49-12 final.
It’s now 5-0 for the Royals and with each passing win will continue to be the talk of a possible undefeated regular season. They’re halfway there.
“As seniors we kind of have to be in the mood where we can’t have our heads too blown up about going 5-0. We have to keep, especially the underclassmen in check who may get a little excited when it’s their earlier years in football, going 5-0. So we have to kind of keep our down and keep on grinding week to week,” Royals senior lineman Jackson Jones said.
Ludlow comes to Maysville next week for Homecoming before the big showdown on October 7 in Flemingsburg against Fleming County.
The Royals finished with 423 yards on the night and held Pendleton to nine yards at halftime before they finished with 182.
Prior to Friday’s contest, anyone who will use the field in the future was invited on for a ribbon cutting as Mason County school board member Vicky Lowe got the honors of cutting the ribbon.
The new surface will be able to support football all the way down to the youth programs, marching band, cheerleaders and other sports.
ROYALS 49, WILDCATS 12
PENDLETON COUNTY – 0-0-0-12 — 12
MASON COUNTY – 23-20-6-0 — 49
Scoring
1st Quarter
(MC) Thomas 22-yard pass to Henry (10:28) Marshall run
(MC) Thomas 30-yard run (7:11) Pugh run
(MC) Sanders 16-yard run (4:04) Moreland kick
2nd Quarter
(MC) Thomas 6-yard run (11:33) Moreland kick
(MC) Routt 62-yard pass to Henry (7:24) Moreland kick
(MC) Routt 9-yard pass to Jones (0:00) Pass failed
3rd Quarter
(MC) Walker 3-yard run (4:32) Run failed
4th Quarter
(PC) Pollard 3-yard run (11:55) Run failed
(PC) Pollard 34-yard run (:56) Run failed
Game Stats
Passing Yards: Pendleton 19 (Verst 2/9), Mason 220 (Routt 6/6, 144 yds, Thomas 4/6, 76 yds)
Rushing Yards: Pendleton 163 (Pollard 4-76, Verst 10-50, Morgan 8-21, Redden 9-21, Nocero 1-(minus) 5), Mason 203 (Johnson 6-48, Thomas 4-36, Sanders 3-32, Walton 2-27, Moran 1-20, Jones 3-17, Arthur 1-12, Walker 2-7, Caden Clark-Roberts 1-4)
Receiving: Pendleton (Nocero 1-10, Redden 1-9), Mason (Henry 2-84, Walker 3-64, Arthur 1-21, Walton 1-17, McClain 1-13, Scilley 1-12, Jones 1-9)
Turnovers: Pendleton 2, Mason 1
Penalties: Pendleton 5-25, Mason 8-80
Records: Pendleton County 0-6, Mason County 5-0
