Henderson County put up a fierce fight, but Owensboro made just enough plays to win their eighth game in a row, topping the Colonels 22-16 at home Friday night in the regular season finale.
The Red Devils (9-1) found themselves in an unusual position at halftime, as they trailed Henderson County 16-15 after struggling offensively and on special teams in the first two quarters. Head coach Jay Fallin said it was good for Owensboro to face some adversity.
“It’s been a long while since we’ve been down at halftime, and it’s been a long while since somebody was frustrating us that badly in all phases of the game,” he said. “To get ready for a playoff run you’ve got to have that.”
Quarterback Gavin Wimsatt had a tough night as a passer (9-for-24 with 50 yards), but his mobility proved vital as he rushed for all three of Owensboro’s touchdowns and finished with a game-high 149 yards on 16 carries.
“Gavin didn’t have his best night in the pocket throwing the ball, but he had three rushing touchdowns,” Fallin said. “Good players find a way to make contributions no matter the circumstances.”
Wimsatt started the night with a bang, taking a quarterback draw 63 yards for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage.
After the Colonels (7-3) responded with a 36-yard field goal, they recovered their own pooch kick and scored on a 50-yard touchdown pass. OHS blocked the extra point attempt but still trailed 9-7. Henderson County then recovered their own short kick for the second time in a row but weren’t able to score.
“Really disappointed in the execution of our kickoff return team tonight,” Fallin said. “I don’t think we’re in such a tight game if we don’t give them two possessions. That’s something we worked on all week because that’s not a surprise. That’s something they’ve done all year.”
Wimsatt scrambled for a 55-yard touchdown early in the second quarter and connected with Treyvon Tinsley for a 2-point conversion for a 15-9 advantage.
After the Red Devils later fumbled a punt, their defense forced a punt that was recovered by Austin Gough — making his first start since returning from injury — on the next play.
They couldn’t capitalize, though, and Henderson County added a 25-yard touchdown in the final minute before halftime.
Owensboro’s defense then kept the Colonels scoreless in the second half, while a 14-yard carry by Wimsatt with 6:09 to play proved to be the winning score.
“I’m proud of the way we buckled down in the second half and didn’t give up a point,” Fallin said. “The defense really had to battle in the first half. The offense really put them in some bad spots at times.”
Henderson County had one final possession with less than a minute to play, but Fallin was confident in his defense.
“Even there at the end I had a very calm feeling,” he said. “I felt that those guys were going to make plays. Those guys on that side of the ball are seniors and they’re winners.”
Owensboro will now prepare to host Muhlenberg County in the first week of the postseason. Fallin said the Red Devils just have to keep playing for each other and riding the momentum they’ve built since early in the season.
“To be a really good team you have to pick each other up when you’re not playing well because everybody can’t have their best game every night,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of momentum. We’re getting healthier all the time. We just have to get ready to play a little bit better than we did tonight.”
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2019 football coverage is presented in part by Drew Cunningham, agent at State Farm.
