The Daviess County Panthers scored 30 points in the first 4:07 of the second half and blew open a close game on the way to a 60-7 rout of Christian County in a high school football game Friday night at the Stadium of Champions.
Christian County (0-4) had scored with 5 seconds left in the first half on an 18-yard pass from Tom Johnson to Zyon Wharton and a point-after kick by Jayleigh Campbell to draw within 18-7.
After a beautiful band performance for the homecoming contest by the Colonels’ marching band, Daviess County’s Hunter Corbin ran the second half opening kickoff back 77 yards for a score. The two-point conversion by Parker Higginbotham pushed the lead to 26-7 with 11:48 to go in the third.
Two plays later, the Colonels fumbled the ball and Daviess County’s Mason Crook recovered. That set up a 5-yard scoring run by Ridge Roberts with 9:41 to go in the quarter. Higginbotham’s two-point reception from Garrison Barker made it 34-7.
On the next Colonels’ play, Mason Cansler was intercepted by Josh Coffey, who returned the pick 50 yards for a score to push the lead to 40-7 with 9:32 to go in the third quarter.
The Colonels’ turned the ball over on downs on their next possession at their own 25-yard line and Roberts scored untouched on a 25-yard run on the Panthers’ first play. Corbin caught the two-point conversion pass from Barker to make it 48-7 at the 7:53 mark.
Another Colonels’ fumble three plays later set up Daviess (2-2) at the Christian County 39 and Barker hit Jace Hunt on a 39-yard scoring pass on the next play for a 54-7 lead with 5:05 to go in the third quarter.
Daviess ended the scoring on a late 28-yard run by Isaiah Irwin.
Christian County turned the ball over seven times on the night, including five interceptions.
The lone bright spot for the Colonels was the play of junior running back Deasian Harris, who ran 23 times for 100 yards.
Roberts scored three touchdowns for the Panthers and Hunt threw a 19-yard scoring pass to Treyson McRath in the first half. Daviess opened the scoring on a 25-yard field goal Asher Hendrix.
Before the game, Christian County chose its final football homecoming king and queen, with Dustin Bean and Shiloh Baker taking home the crowns.
The Colonels will have a bye Sept. 19 before hitting the road for the first time this season when they go to Caverna on Sept. 26.
Photos by Danny Vowell