Carbon leaves footprint on Apollo game, Owensboro grabs first win

August 28, 2021 | 12:05 am

Updated August 28, 2021 | 4:35 am

It was the Kenyatta Carbon show at Apollo under the Friday night lights, as the junior running back filled the state sheet up all night en route to a 44-7 win for Owensboro.

Carbon got the ball rolling to start the game, capping off a 95-yard drive with a 13-yard rushing touchdown to take a 7-0 lead.

Carbon then showed his defensive capabilities off, earning a pick-six. The pick counted, but a flag brought the touchdown back.

But Carbon was determined and he struck again five minutes later, as a three-yard rushing touchdown put them up 14-0 with 2:18 left in the first quarter.

After forcing Apollo to punta couple drives later, Owensboro continued to pour it on. Carbon found the endzone once again, taking one in for a 16-yard touchdown after a big gain from Tramel Barksdale. 

This sent the Red Devils into the second quarter up 21-0 and they weren’t done scoring yet. Less than two minutes into the second quarter Barksdale got in on the action, utilizing a slip screen to find the endzone 18 yards later to take a 28-0 lead.

The Red Devils were stalled for the vast majority of the quarter following the touchdown, something Head Coach Jayson Fallin said they have to fix going forward.

“We just gotta get better,” Fallin said. “We gotta do a better job blocking. We gotta do a better job moving our feet, get our hands inside and block them. This is something that’s plagued us through two games now. Untimely holding penalties. So we’re going to have to do a better job.”

They weren’t denied though, as Carbon earned his fourth rushing touchdown on the day to take a 34-0 lead into the locker room after the two-point conversion was unsuccessful.

Coming out of the half, senior quarterback Gavin Wimsatt took no time finding junior wide receiver Khalil Rogers downfield for a 44-yard touchdown. This gave the Red Devils a 41-0 lead and started the running clock.

Boone came in to replace Wimsatt the next drive as well as some other reserves and Owensboro was coasting the rest of the way.

Apollo did get one touchdown up on the board late, as sophomore running back Noah Rhinerson utilized a slip screen for a 40-yard touchdown. However, that was all the Eagles would get as time expired minutes later, giving the Red Devils a 44-7 victory.

Wimsatt finished the game with 222 passing yards on 14-27 attempts, while throwing two touchdowns in the process.

Rogers was the leading receiver on the night with 94 yards on three receptions to go along with the long second-half touchdown.

While they were successful through the air, the Red Devils ground game was their bread and butter.

Barksdale and Carbon were a powerful combo in the backfield. Barksdale led the way with 94 yards on 11 carries, while it was Carbon who came through with four touchdowns and 78 yards on seven carries.

Carbon credited the offensive line for the ability to find gaps in the defense all night. Meanwhile, Fallin praised the upperclassmen for his ability to see the field.

“He’s as dynamic as anyone we’ve got…” Fallin said. “It’s hard for us to take him off the field because of what he’s capable of doing in all three phases of the game. There’s athletes and then there’s football players. He’s both. He just gets it. He knows where to be and when to be there. He’s aggressive, tough, strong and he’s got great vision running the ball. He feels things in the secondary that some people can’t feel in terms of routes coming out and makes plays.”

With an impressive offensive performance, Owensboro’s defense followed suit, as the starters were able to keep the Eagles off the scoreboard.

“We had a good gameplan,” Fallin said. “The defensive coaches were prepared and I felt like our kids were able to anticipate everything…. Half the battle on defense is before the ball is snapped. [We have to] communicate with each other so that we know what we’re in from a coverage standpoint and then get lined up right and that’s half the battle. Then that makes everything else easier when you do that. They did that and when the ball was snapped they played hard and they fit their assignments and they tackled much better.”

The win is Owensboro’s first on the year and will have a big matchup with Daviess County next week, as senior quarterback Joe Humphreys and Wimsatt will face off at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 3. Meanwhile, Apollo moves to 1-1 overall and will hit the road to take on Central hardin at 8 p.m on Friday, Sept. 3.

Scoring plays

First Quarter:

7:00 (OHS) Carbon 13-yard rushing touchdown (PAT Good) 7-0

2:18 (OHS) Carbon three-yard rushing touchdown (PAT Good) 14-0

43.1 (OHS) Carbon 16-yard rushing touchdown (PAT Good) 21-0

Second quarter

10:03 (OHS) Barksdale 18-yard rushing touchdown (PAT Good) 28-0

1:19 (OHS) Carbon 16-yard rushing touchdown (two-point conversion no good) 34-0.

Third quarter

10:40 (OHS) Wimsatt to Rogers 44-yard touchdown pass (PAT good) 41-0.

44.1 (OHS) Lanz 27-yard field goal 44-0.

Fourth quarter

7:00 (AHS) Combs to Rhinerson 40-yard touchdown pass (PAT good) 44-7.

August 28, 2021 | 12:05 am

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