The Henderson County Colonels opened the postseason Thursday night with their most complete performance of the year, defeating Meade County 42–7 in the first round of the KHSAA Class 6A Playoffs.
The game, originally scheduled for Friday but moved up due to the threat of inclement weather, was played on a crisp night in Brandenburg. The victory marked Henderson’s first road playoff win since 2021 and the first under head coach John Elliott in his inaugural season leading the program.
Henderson wasted no time setting the tone. On the opening drive, the Colonels moved 62 yards in five plays, capped by a three-yard touchdown run from senior Jack Ryan Reusch. After forcing a turnover on downs on Meade’s first possession, Henderson scored again, this time on a 19-yard scramble by junior quarterback Brody Belt to make it 14–0.
From there, the Colonels never looked back. Belt connected with senior receiver Avant Baxter for a 14-yard touchdown later in the first half, then found Hezekiah Harris on a 26-yard over-the-shoulder catch to push the lead to 28–0 in the third quarter.
Though Meade County entered with just two wins, the Green Wave ranked right behind Henderson in the KHSAA Class 6A RPI. What was expected to be an even matchup quickly turned one-sided as the Colonels outperformed every computer metric.
“I thought our kids executed the game plan,” Elliott said. “We had an excellent trip over. We came out early, ran the kids, and did a little warm-up this time that we usually don’t do when we travel. I think it really helped our kids focus, and we were able to come out with a win, which at this stage of the season is all that really matters.”
Henderson finished with 435 yards of total offense while holding Meade to 163. The Colonels’ attack was balanced and efficient, gaining 265 yards rushing and 170 passing while scoring six touchdowns on ten possessions and never punting.
Belt completed 11 of 14 passes for two touchdowns and added 46 yards and another touchdown on the ground.
“We just executed what we were supposed to do,” Belt said. “We did it all for the seniors.”
On the ground, Jack Dalton led with 68 yards on six carries, followed by Kingston Shidler with 62 yards on seven attempts. Kieran Cole added 40 yards on six carries, including a one-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Reusch finished with 28 yards and two scores, while Anzerion Marigny contributed 22 yards on ten carries.
Through the air, Harris caught six passes for 75 yards and a touchdown, while Baxter added four receptions for 89 yards and another score.
“I was just ready to score and get the clock running,” Baxter said. “Rely on our defense and win the game. This game is over and we can celebrate and all that, but at the end of the day, we have to be ready next week.”
The running clock went into effect in the second half once Henderson went up by 35 points, but even then, the Colonels continued to dominate on both sides of the ball.
While the offense rolled, Henderson’s defense smothered Meade from start to finish. The Green Wave managed just eight first downs and 98 rushing yards, and their quarterbacks combined for 65 passing yards and two interceptions. The defensive front lived in the backfield, recording five sacks.
Jack Ryan Reusch led the defense with 10 tackles, followed by Wright with eight. Jack Logan and Zarian Rideout each had seven stops, with Logan adding a sack and Rideout tallying two. Christian Haygan chipped in five tackles and a sack, while Preston Gogel also recorded one.
Logan delivered one of the night’s biggest highlights in the third quarter, intercepting a halfback trick pass to stop a Meade County drive.
Afterward, Logan said, “Football is a team game. Everybody did their part. Our preparation and game plan throughout the week led to a good performance.”
The near-perfect performance, however, wasn’t without its tense moments. Late in the third quarter, a brief scuffle broke out on the Henderson sideline after Meade County’s Kentrell Mayfield was tackled out of bounds by Rideout. A fight ensued, resulting in the ejection of two players—one from each team. Play resumed shortly thereafter, and the Colonels quickly regained their composure.
From there, Henderson’s offense put the game away. Reusch used his physical, downhill style to complement the elusiveness of the Colonels’ other backs, punching in his second touchdown midway through the third quarter to extend the lead to 35–7.
On the final scoring drive, Kieran Cole carried the ball several times on a 61-yard march and finished it himself with a one-yard plunge for the Colonels’ sixth touchdown of the night.
For Elliott, the execution was exactly what he wanted to see from his team in November, and he’s looking for the same focus next week. That mindset seems shared by his quarterback.
“We’re going to prepare like we did last week,” Belt said. “Do what we do—throw the ball, run the ball, and go out to get a win.”
The victory sends Henderson County (5–6) on to the second round. The Colonels will face McCracken County, a district foe that beat Central Hardin 46-7 in its first-round game. McCracken County (6-5) defeated HCHS in the regular season 55-42.
Game time is set for 7 p.m. Friday at McCracken County High School.
BOX SCORE
Henderson Co. 42, Meade Co. 7
Henderson Co. Meade Co.
23 First Downs 8
43-265 Rushes-Yards 27-98
11-15-0 Comp-Att-Int 8-19-2
170 Passing Yards 65
435 Total Yards 163
1-1 Fumbles-Lost 1-0
5-35 Penalties-Yards 5-50
0-0 Punts-Avg. 2-26.0
Henderson Co. 14 7 14 7 — 42
Meade Co. 0 0 7 0 — 7
HC – Jack Ryan Reusch 3 run (Miles Pryor kick), 5 plays, 62 yards
HC – Brody Belt 14 run (Pryor kick), 8 plays, 75 yards
HC – Avant Baxter 14 pass from Belt (Pryor kick), 6 plays, 47 yards
HC – Hezekiah Harris 26 pass from Belt (Pryor kick), 6 plays, 63 yards
MC – Wyatt Rainey 3 run (Mitchell Staples kick)
HC – Reusch 3 run (Pryor kick), 5 plays, 47 yards
HC – Kieran Cole 1 run (Pryor kick), 7 plays, 55 yards
Individual Statistics
Rushing
Henderson Co. – Jack Dalton 6-68, Kingston Shidler 7-62, Brody Belt 6-46, Kieran Cole 6-40, Jack Ryan Reusch 7-28, Anzerion Marigny 10-22, Team 1-(-1).
Meade Co. — Wyatt Raney 15-104, Kentrell Mayfield 3-9, Grayson Heiner 1-0, Ethan Jolly 7-(-13), Team 1-(-2).
Passing
Henderson Co. — Belt 11-14-0 170, Avant Baxter 0-1-0.
Meade Co. — Jolly 8-18-1 65, Raney 0-1-1.
Receiving
Henderson Co. — Hezekiah Harris 6-75, Baxter 4-89, Christian Haygan 1-6.
Meade Co. — Raney 4-11, Mayfield 2-39, Duncan Rogers 2-15.
