Late game penalty keeps Panthers winning scoring drive alive

Caden Idles on the give follows blockers Robert Kirby (left), 54 Logan Balew and 34 Keegon Cowan on Friday night at Barboursville. (PHOTO COURTESY OF ISAAC BROWN PHOTOGRAPHY)

BARBOURVILLE, KY (WLAF)- Coach said it would be this way, and it was. Last week, Campbell Football Coach Mark Pemberton said, “They’re gonna run it right at us, and you know, we’re gonna run it at them.” On Friday evening at Hampton Stadium, pass attempts were at a premium. You could count combined team passes on two hands as the scrimmage was a running game lovers delight.

Hot sunshine beat down on Alumni Field’s bright green turf as Campbell received the opening kick-off, no returns allowed on the night, and started its drive at the 25 driving west into the sun. The Cougars opening possession of three for the two quarter varsity contest lasted seven plays. The highlight of the drive was an eight yard first down run by Keegon Cowan. Six plays later, Nathan Massengill booted Campbell’s only punt for 35 yards.

Knox Central’s first of two possessions began at the Panthers 25. Cougar defensive highlights included a Jace Cloyd tackle for no gain along with a touchdown saving tackle by Timmy Gibson as he corralled Brandon Sizemore after a 4th and 1 run for 35 yards into Campbell territory.

Cougar Jed Carroll brings down Brandon Sizemore of Knox Central. (PHOTO COURTESY OF ISAAC BROWN PHOTOGRAPHY)

The Panthers continued that first drive to the Cougar 14. On a third and five play, Sam Sexton broke up a potential first down pass. That forced a Knox Central field goal attempt that fell far short of the east uprights.

“We had a lot of improvement technique-wise on both sides of the ball. We improved from scrimmage one to scrimmage two,” said Campbell Head Football Coach Mark Pemberton.

As the first quarter was winding down at the 1:14 mark, Campbell went back on offense at its 25. Cowan charged ahead for three yards before the Cougars attempted their first pass. Quarterback Luke Lindsay connected with Gavin Owens for a 37 yard pass, catch and run down to the Central 35. The play ended with a face masking call pushing the ball to the Panthers 20 making the pass play and penalty worth 52 yards.

At the Knox Central 20 yard line is where the second quarter began for Campbell. On the third play of the drive, Gibson sprinted almost 20 yards being tackled inches short of the goal line. Lindsay took the snap from Robert Kirby on the next play and sneaked into the west end zone. Rylan Sanders did not get to kick his point after touchdown due to a mis-exchange between the long snapper and the holder.

The Cougars scoring drive covered 75 yards on four plays taking 2:51. Campbell’s time of possession for the two quarter game came out to 8:51.

Campbell quarterback Luke Lindsay (2) calls the first play of Friday’s scrimmage. (PHOTO COURTESY OF ISAAC BROWN PHOTOGRAPHY)

“I also thought our effort improved. We need to keep working and improving the next two weeks,” said Coach Pemberton.

Campbell was ahead of the host Panthers 6-0 when Knox Central began its second possession at its 25 with 10:23 to go in the second quarter. The drive would take on a life of its own lasting eight minutes and twenty-five seconds over 17 plays. Along the course of the eventual scoring drive were big defensive plays by Cougars Cox, Caden Idles, Sexton and Noah Gaylor. Cox made a textbook body slam tackle on a Panther ball carrier while Idles broke up a third down pass as Central converted on fourth down. Sexton had his second pass break up of the night. Gaylor made what appeared to be the play of the game with a fourth down pass break up deep in Campbell territory. However, a roughing the passer penalty gave Central a fresh set of downs.

Rylan Sanders readies to kick-off following Campbell’s touchdown. (PHOTO COURTESY OF ISAAC BROWN PHOTOGRAPHY)

The Panthers ran back-to-back running plays with Luke Alvarez hustling 13 yards to pay dirt. Central’s PAT sailed across the east crossbar giving the Panthers a 7-6 lead with 1:58 to play.

Campbell was unable to muster any points on its final possession, and Knox Central claimed the varsity scrimmage win.

On Thursday, August 15, the Cougars head to Jefferson City to the Carson- Newman campus to take on Greeneville in one quarter of action at the Knoxville Orthopaedic Clinic (KOC) Jamboree at Burke-Tarr Stadium. Campbell’s season opens at home in less than two weeks with Halls on August 23.

Les Martin and Brent Allen are set to bring you coverage of all the live radio and televised Cougar Football action over the WLAF Doyle’s Tire Sports Network. WLAF’s media platforms, AM 1450 and FM 100.9 along with telecasts on WLAF-TV 12, 1450wlaf.com, Roku TV,  Twitch.tv, Facebook, YouTube, your Smart TV and Amazon Fire, cover all the games.

Campbell County Cougar Football Roster

#NameGradeHT/WTPosition#NameGradeHT/WTPosition
0    50TREY WILSON11 OL/DL
1RYDER BUMGARDNER11 QB/DB51JOSH RAMSEY11 OL/DL
2AUSTIN JORDAN11 RB/DB52DORIAN CABLE12 OL/DL
3    53HAYDEN RICE10 OL/DL
4RYLAN SANDERS12 K/P54LOGAN BELEW11 OL/LB
5JED CARROLL12 WR/DB55ROBERT KIRBY12 OL/DL
6GAVIN OWENS12 RB/LB56HUNTER WALKER11 OL/LB
7    57    
8SILAS WEAVER10 QB/LB58    
9LUKE LINDSAY11 WR/DB59JULIEN REYES9 OL/DL
10GABRIEL SANDERS10 TE/LB60    
11TIMMY GIBSON11 DB/WR61CHARLES JONES11 OL/DL
12CADEN IDLES11 RB/LB62JUSTICE EVANS9 OL/DL
13NATHAN MASSENGILL12 K/P63    
14KEVIN MOORE11 WR/LB64WILL GOINS9 OL/DL
15MAX BOSHEARS9 QB/DB65DAVID WILSON9 OL/DL
16KADDEN HUCKABY11 RB/CB66TIMOTHY RUSSELL9 OL/DL
17MACLANE FRITTS11 WR/DB67    
18LANDON CHADWELL10 RB/LB68    
19SAM SEXTON10 WR/DB69    
20    70CADEN MILLER11 OL/DL
21NOAH GAYLOR10 WR/LB71    
22TYLER KETTLEHAKE10 WR/DB72JAKE LAWSON11 OL/DL
23    73GAVIN PETREE11 OL/DL
24BRAYDON GRAHAM9 RB/DB74GAVIN ULMER9 OL/DL
25JACK STOOKSBURY9 TE/LB75JACE CLOYD12 OL/DL
26KIREN ANDERSON10 RB/LB76    
27    77ISAAC ADKINS10 OL/DL
28JORDAN PERKINS9 RB/LB78BRAXTON RUSS9 OL/DL
29    79    
30    80LANDON JONES9 WR/DB
31    81LUCAS ORNELLAS10 WR/DB
32    82    
33    83    
34KEAGON COWAN12 RB/LB84    
35BENTLE GROSS9 RB/LB85    
36CADEN GARNER9 RB/DB86    
37ELI CURRIER9 WR/DB87    
38    88    
39    89    
40    90    
41    91    
42    92    
43    93    
44JACK NORMAN9 WR/DL94    
45ATTICUS DEMOTT9 RB/LB95    
46    96    
47    97    
48    98    
49    99    

Campbell Football 2024

Day   Date   Kick-offOpponent
 FriAug. 237:00 PMKnoxville Halls
 FriAug. 307:00 PMat Fulton
 FriSep. 67:00 PMThe King’s Academy
 FriSep. 137:00 PMat Clinton R
 FriSep. 207:00 PMLenoir CityR
 FriSep. 277:00 PMat Daniel Boone
 FriOct. 47:00 PMat Gibbs
 FriOct. 117:00 PMat Karns R
 FriOct. 257:00 PMMorristown East
 FriNov. 17:00 PMOak RidgeR

(WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 08/12/2024-6AM- (PHOTOS COURTESY OF ISAAC BROWN PHOTOGRAPHY))

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