Published: October 21, 2008 03:18 pm      

Cards host Garrard County in must-win situation

Monticello — The Wayne County Cardinals, 5-2 on the season and coming off a 34-28

overtime home win over Pulaski County, host Garrard County this Friday night

at Jewell Field in the district final for both teams. The Cards enter the

18th meeting between the schools in a 3-way tie for the district top spot

with a 3-1 mark, while the Golden Lions own a 2-2 league tally with a 3-4

overall record. Garrard County owns a 9-8 all-time series advantage, which

includes a 21-14 playoff win at Jewell Field, in 2007.

³This is a huge game for our kids and program for a number of reasons,

the first ever district championship. A win puts us in a really good

situation to at least get a home playoff game, while a loss drops us to the

number four seed and a long road trip to the district champion in the

opposite direction. So we know what is at stake, we just have to go out and

play with a lot of intensity, ³said Cards head coach Shawn Thompson.

³I think that certainly has to be in our kids mind set that we have a

chance to play the team that ended our season, at our place. Hopefully our

focus and intensity will show that in practice, as Garrard County has a very

talented and dangerous football team,² said Thompson.

Garrard County, under the direction of first year head coach Mark

Scenters, has been up and down throughout the 2008 season. The squad has

looked good in wins over Bethlehem (45-6), Jackson County (67-16) and Casey

County (42-6).

³Typical Garrard in the fact they have good skill kids and are big

up-front,² said Thompson.

The Lions are coming off a disappointing 40-20 home loss to Lincoln

County and have also lost to Bell County (50-6), Somerset (44-27) and

Taylor County (65-56).

Garrard County¹s offense averages 37.6 points per game, led by a

talented and experienced offensive backfield. Senior running back Jamarious

Merritt leads all rushers with 608 yards and 7 touchdowns, while junior Fred

Hayes has tallied 445 yards with 4 scores.

³Garrard has a very good group of offensive backs that run hard to the

hole and they also can catch the football out of the backfield,² said

Thompson.

Senior Janson Penman also figures in the rotation with almost 300

rushing yards and 3 scores, while senior quarterback Cash Staley has rushed

for 3 touchdowns, plus completed 62 of 105 passes for 1,047 yards with 15

touchdowns, against 8 interceptions.

³They have multiple formations and do a very good job of getting

everybody involved in the offense, plus they may have as much experience at

the skill positions, as anyone we¹ll play, ³said Thompson.

Junior wide receiver Tyler Ray also plays a major role in the offense

with 23 catches for 591 yards with a team best 10 touchdowns.

³Tyler Ray is one of the best receivers in the district. He has good

speed with great hands and they also put him in the backfield at

quarterback, so defensively we have to be aware of him at all times,² said

Thompson.

Wayne County¹s offense will face a Garrard County defense that allows

32.4 points per contest. The Cards offense has put together three straight

solid efforts in wins over Russell County (35-27), Taylor County (41-36) and

Pulaski County (34-28).

³Garrard plays a very aggressive 4-4 defense that swarms the ball well

and really gets after it,² said Thompson.

The Cards used 53 plays to total 370 yards of offense last week, led by

the trio of D.J. Hall, Zack Stephenson and Dustin Denney. Hall rushed for 3

touchdowns and totaled 134 rushing yards on 17 attempts, while Stephenson

rushed for 46 yards with a score, plus connected on 11 of 19 passes for 187

yards. The junior signal-caller passed for 2 touchdowns, while Dustin Denney

grabbed 5 catches for 123 yards with a score, in last week¹s win.

³Offensively we¹ve been able to mix things up pretty well and get into a

nice rhythm. A big key in our improved offensive play has been our offensive

line. I think we¹re doing a better job of getting off the football, plus our

blocking downfield has improved as well,² said Thompson.

A key stat in the upset win over Pulaski County was 0 turnovers, in 53

plays.

³I think that was the difference in the ball game. We didn¹t force any

turnovers, but to play a team of Pulaski¹s caliber and not give up anything

cheap on turnovers was big,² said Thompson.

What must the Cards do to notch their fourth straight win of the season

and stay in the district championship hunt?

³All the little things in close games are always key, we must play

aggressive and focused on both sides of the bail. We need to take care of

the football, force some turnovers and be sound in special teams play,² said

Thompson.

Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday night at Jewell Field.

³This is one of the biggest regular season home games we¹ve had and we

need to have a big home field advantage. Hopefully everyone that can will

make the effort to come out and support these kids, it means a lot to them

and our program,² said Thompson.