Owensboro was utterly dominant Friday night, throttling their way to a 43-6 victory over Fairdale at Rash Stadium and securing a spot in the football state semifinals for the first time since moving to Class 5A.
Using yet another standout performance by the defense, OHS (12-1) stuffed the Bulldogs (11-2) time and time again. Entering the game, Fairdale averaged 46 points per game, which led all Class 5A teams.
Though they had one promising drive in the first half, the Bulldogs’ only score came with 1:35 to play against the backup unit for the Red Devils.
OHS gave up only 148 yards total (51 passing, 97 rushing), and the varsity squad allowed less than 100 yards. Head coach Jay Fallin was confident his veterans would be able to pressure Fairdale’s quarterback often.
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For more photos from the game, click here.
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“We feel like that’s where we’re really strong, on the defensive front,” Fallin said. “We knew we were going to be able to get some pressure. We’ve got four seniors up there who we really feel we can rely on. We just practiced all week containing and we were able to do that tonight. When everybody plays assignment football and does their job, you’re going to keep the quarterback contained.”
Though the Owensboro offense had some miscues throughout the night, they pieced together an overall impressive outing and finished with 404 total yards.
Running back Ethan Avery helped them find their footing, grinding his way to 144 yards and a pair of scores on 23 carries.
Avery put the Red Devils on the board late in the first quarter when he broke free up the middle for a 22-yard score, then added an 11-yard touchdown run for a 21-0 lead just before halftime.
“He had a great night,” Fallin said. “We felt like we had some designs in the run game where we could get him past the line of scrimmage. When he can get a cut and get past the line of scrimmage, he’s extremely difficult to deal with.
“From the sideline, it seems like the offensive line did a really nice job in run blocking tonight. We were able to get some two-back sets. Cameron Thompson came in and did a lot of blocking from the backfield.”
Other rushing touchdowns came on a two-yard push by Javius Taylor for a 14-0 lead in the second quarter and a 27-yard carry by Thompson that started a running clock at 41-0 early in the fourth.
Both passing touchdowns by Gavin Wimsatt came in the third quarter, and both went to leading receiver Treyvon Tinsley — a 16-yard slant and a 55-yard streak up the left sideline. Tinsley caught seven passes for 114 yards.
Wimsatt finished 18-for-31 with 204 yards through the air, adding eight rushes for 52 yards — including a scramble for a first down on a fake punt.
Wimsatt did fumble twice and there were a couple overthrows and dropped balls, but Fallin said the offense bounced back well from their mistakes.
“In a big, emotional game, it’s difficult to come out and be really efficient on offense early,” he said. “Being really juiced up doesn’t necessarily lend itself well to executing on offense as much as it does on defense. You kind of have to weather the storm on that. I thought as the game went on we settled down and executed well on offense.”
With the win, Owensboro makes their first trip to the 5A state semifinals since being reclassified in 2015.
They will travel to Lexington on Friday to play at Frederick Douglass (13-0), who rolled past Southwestern 44-8 in their quarterfinal.
The winner will advance to play against the victor of Covington Catholic-Bowling Green in the state championship on Dec. 7 at the University of Kentucky’s Kroger Field.
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