Apollo held on for as long as they could Friday in Paducah, but McCracken County used its high-powered offense to hand the Eagles their second loss of the season.
McCracken outscored Apollo 25-7 in the second half en route to the 45-21 victory as the Mustangs improve to 3-0 ahead of next week’s matchup with Daviess County.
“We played good for the first half,” AHS coach John Edge said. “The second half, kind of sputtered. Some little minute thing happens and we kind of got our head down but we’re going to be alright. We’re going to be a good football team. We still got a long way to go. Got a bye week, brushing everything up.”
Apollo trailed 14-0 before it found the end zone as Harold Patterson scored from eight yards out to make it 14-7.
After a Mustang score, Damian Lovinsky threw it to Patterson for the 37-yard throw-and-catch to cut the deficit to 20-14 at halftime.
Patteron’s two total touchdowns give him three scores after three weeks.
“I coached him back when he was at Catholic,” Edge said of Patterson. “Harold’s a tough guy. He’s always going to be a tough guy.”
McCracken struck three times in the third, with Apollo’s lone touchdown coming with 10:17 in the frame when Lovinsky found Ben Armour for the 68-yard touchdown to cut it to 26-21. A pair of Mustang touchdowns in the frame put the game away.
Edge said he’s been happy with what Lovinsky has done so far this season.
“Damian’s done a great job for us,” Edge said. “He makes the plays. He’s a backyard football player, that’s what he’s good at. When you’ve got someone like him, you let him make plays for you. Damian’s a great kid.”
Apollo readies for its bye week as the Eagles take on Henderson County Oct. 9 at home.
“We’ve got a lot of time to work on things,” Edge said. “That’s what the bye week’s for.”
McCracken County 45, Apollo 21
AHS (1-2) 0 14 7 0–21
MCHS (3-0) 6 14 18 7–45
Scoring Plays
First Quarter
1:36: (MC) Pryor Lamb 11-yard pass to Jeremiah Hughes (Two-point failed) 6-0
Second Quarter
10:42: (MC) Hunter Bradley 10-yard run (Two-point good) 14-0
7:49: (AHS) Harold Patterson 8-yard run (PAT good) 14-7
7:00: (MC) Lamb 28-yard pass to Hughes (PAT no good) 20-7
3:29: (AHS) Damian Lovinsky 37-yard pass to Patterson (PAT good) 20-14
Third Quarter
11:01: (MC) Bradley 1-yard run (Two-point failed) 26-14
10:17: (AHS) Lovinsky 68-yard pass to Ben Armour (PAT good) 26-21
8:18: (MC) Lamp 9-yard pass to Zach Mask (Two-point failed) 31-21
5:55: (MC) Hughes 7-yard rush (Two-point failed) 38-21
Fourth Quarter
11:55: (MC) Lamb 4-yard pass to Nick Masek (PAT good) 45-21
