In a back-and-forth battle that saw nearly every drive end with a score, Owensboro’s offense came up short in the final minutes as the Red Devils lost 45-38 on the road to Madisonville-North Hopkins.
With the loss, OHS (5-4), Madisonville (7-2), and Graves County (6-3) are in a three-way tie for first place in the district. They are neck-and-neck in the RPI standings, meaning there will be plenty at stake in the regular season finale.
Markezz Hightower was the star of the night, reaching the end zone five times for Madisonville. The Maroons marched down the field on the first drive to set the tone for how the entire game would play out. They scored on a 2-yard run by Hightower, but the PAT was no good.
Like happened all night, Owensboro answered at the other end. The first score came courtesy of a 10-yard carry by Dereon Crowe for a 7-6 lead with 4:07 left in the first quarter.
MNH went 3-and-out on the next drive but got the ball back on a muffed punt. A few plays later, after a 3-yard score by Tavion Stafford and another missed PAT, they were up 12-7.
OHS took two plays to score on a 42-yard pass from Trevor DeLacey to Evan Hampton. That put them in front 14-12 midway through the second quarter.
They traded scores again over the next 5 minutes. MNH got a 9-yard run by Hightower, while OHS got a 13-yard catch from Deion Winstead. With another Maroons’ missed PAT, the Red Devils were in front 21-18.
With 20 seconds to go until halftime, MNH quarterback Kanyon Johnson scrambled right and threw to the left side of the field to Hightower for a 20-yard touchdown. The kick finally went through the uprights, putting the Maroons up 25-21 at the half.
The second half was more of the same.
First came a 33-yard touchdown run by Hampton for OHS. Then it was a 6-yard carry to paydirt by Hightower for MNH (and another missed PAT). The Maroons led 31-28 with 4:10 left in the third quarter.
Delacey to Blake Kimbrell for a 14-yard score. Johnson to Hightower for a 64-yard touchdown. Maroons back on top, 38-35, heading to the fourth quarter.
Things got all-square again with 9:58 to play when Peter Saang nailed a 22-yard field goal for a 38-38 score.
The winning score came with 7:30 to play, when Johnson found Hightower for a 31-yard touchdown.
OHS showed promise on the next drive with a 44-yard carry from Kimbrell, but they turned the ball over on downs four plays later.
The Red Devils forced a 3-and-out to get one last shot from their own 37-yard-line. They made it to the MNH 24 before a hold backed them up 10 yards, and DeLacey threw an interception on 3rd down with 1:59 to play.
The Maroons got just enough yards on 3rd-and-long to pick up the first down in order to run out the clock.
Owensboro returns home next week to take on Henderson County. The Maroons play at Murray, and Graves County hosts McCracken County.
