In a high-stakes game with plenty of offensive fireworks, Henderson County and McCracken County traded punches for four quarters before the Mustangs prevailed 55–42 in a Class 6A district matchup shootout at Colonel Stadium.
The game marked the regular-season home finale for Henderson County (4-5, 1-2 district), which honored 17 seniors before kickoff.
The evening also featured a couple of familiar faces on the opposing sideline, including McCracken head coach Tyler Brooks, a 2012 Henderson County graduate and former all-state lineman, alongside defensive coordinator Jacob Dowdy, who held the same position for the Colonels just last season.
The first half was a track meet, featuring eight total touchdowns and 519 combined yards of offense.
McCracken (5-4, 2-1) jumped out to an early lead with a dynamic attack, mixing the punishing running of Landon Newman, who piled up three touchdowns and more than 200 yards, with the passing of Murray State commit Maddox O’Neal at QB. Sophomore receivers Jude Lanier and Jakari Matchem flashed their Division I potential, each making impact plays downfield.
Henderson County matched the Mustangs score for score early, showing one of its most balanced offensive efforts of the season.
Junior quarterback Brody Belt was sharp from the opening drive, finishing 12-of-23 for 213 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. Belt spread the ball around to six different receivers and added 44 yards on the ground. His touchdown passes went to Anzerion Marigny, Christian Haygan and Jack Ryan Reusch, the senior linebacker-turned-offensive weapon who delivered a breakout performance.
Reusch accounted for four total touchdowns, three rushing and one receiving, after entering the night with just one on the season.
“Coach (Andrew) Proctor drew me up some plays and I was open on every one of them,” Reusch said of his offensive success.
Jack Dalton continued his late-season surge, rushing for 74 yards and repeatedly flipping field position with kickoff returns surpassing 40 yards. Marigny added 78 total yards and a touchdown, while Avant Baxter, Hezekiah Harris, and Haygan combined for 71 receiving yards and key third-down conversions.
Henderson’s offense operated with balance, switching between explosive runs and timely passes to challenge McCracken’s defense.
Despite Henderson’s balanced attack, McCracken’s high-octane offense was relentless. O’Neal completed 12-of-17 passes for 245 yards and four touchdowns, three to Matchem and one to Reed Brookshire.
All the while, Newman’s physical running kept the chains moving and wore down the Colonel’s defensive front. The Mustangs finished with 504 total yards (259 rushing, 245 passing) and 23 first downs, keeping Henderson chasing the lead for much of the evening.
Henderson’s defense, led by Zarian Rideout, Myron Wright and Reusch, battled to disrupt the Mustangs’ offensive rhythm. Rideout tallied 12 tackles and recovered two onside kicks, both executed by kicker Miles Pryor, that gave the Colonels late-quarter life.
“Miles had some good kicks and we ended up with some lucky bounces,” Rideout said.
Wright added 11 tackles, with Baxter (7), Turner (7), and Marigny (6) also anchoring the team’s defensive effort.
“We’ve got to pick up the little mistakes—the defensive line, the secondary,” Wright said. “We just have to get to the ball. If we stop the run, we’ll be good.”
The back-and-forth contest featured drives that shifted the momentum, even when Henderson was trailing. After Belt found Haygan on an 11-yard diving touchdown catch in the fourth quarter, Henderson seemed poised to mount a comeback.
Immediately after, Rideout made his first onside recovery to give the Colonels a spark, but a turnover on downs stifled their momentum.
McCracken responded with five straight runs and a Newman touchdown to make the score 55-35 with under two minutes to play.
The game had a final twist as Henderson, using an unorthodox formation, had Belt connect with Reusch for a 42-yard touchdown late, closing the gap to 55-42.
Then, Rideout recovered a second onside kick, giving the Colonels one last glimpse of hope. But after just 4 plays, a turnover on downs sealed the outcome.
Despite the loss, Henderson’s effort showcased a well-rounded offensive attack. The 425 total yards underscored the Colonels’ ability to move the ball effectively and compete in a fast-paced game.
The Colonels’ loss locks them into a road game for the opening round of the Class 6A playoffs.
Before HCHS can look ahead, they will travel to Owensboro (7-2) to face the 17th-ranked team in the state, according to Kentucky Sports Radio. They are led by Evan Hampton, the state’s top-ranked running back per the 247Sports Composite.
Reusch highlighted the opportunity for the Colonels to rise to the occasion.
“We’ve got to buck up, up front,” Reusch said. “They have a really good running back committed to Vanderbilt. We have to get big and stand our ground next week.”
The Colonels wrap up their regular season with a 7 p.m. kickoff next Friday at Owensboro’s Rash Stadium.
BOX SCORE
McCracken Co. 55, Henderson Co. 42
McCracken Co. Henderson Co.
23 First Downs 22
38-259 Rushes-Yards 43-217
12-18-0 Comp-Att-Int 12-23-0
245 Passing Yards 213
504 Total Yards 430
1-0 Fumbles-Lost 2-1
10-86 Penalties-Yards 8-48
1-42.0 Punts-Avg. 2-27.5
McCracken Co. 7 27 14 7 — 55
Henderson Co. 7 14 7 14 — 42
MC – Jakari Matchem 22 pass from Maddox O’Neal (Brock Wilson kick)
HC – Jack Ryan Reusch 6 run (Miles Pryor kick) 8 plays, 61 yards
MC – Landon Newman 3 run (Wilson kick)
HC – Reusch 1 run (Pryor kick) 9 plays, 53 yards
MC – Matchem 78 pass from O’Neal (Wilson kick)
HC – Anzerion Marigny 36 pass from Brody Belt (Pryor kick), 5 plays, 80 yards
MC – Jude Lanier 60 pass from O’Neal (Kick failed)
MC – Newman 1 run (Wilson kick)
MC – Matchem 18 pass from O’Neal (Wilson kick)
HC – Reusch 2 run (Pryor kick), 12 plays, 80 yards
MC – Elijah Pullen 4 run (Wilson kick)
HC – Christian Haygan 11 pass from Belt (Pryor kick) 11 plays, 80 yards
MC – Newman 1 run (Wilson kick)
HC – Reusch 42 pass from Belt (Pryor kick) 2 plays, 47 yards
Individual Statistics
Rushing
McCracken Co. – Landon Newman 28-216, Elijah Pullen 3-40, Maddox O’Neal 4-12, Team 3-(-9).
Henderson Co. – Jack Dalton 15-79, Brody Belt 5-44, Anzerion Marigny 10-36, Jack Ryan Reusch 8-31, Kingston Shidler 4-23, Avant Baxter 1-4.
Passing
McCracken Co. — O’Neal 12-18-0 245.
Henderson Co. – Belt 12-23-0 213.
Receiving
McCracken Co. — Jakari Matchem 5-142, Jude Lanier 4-78, Reed Brookshire 2-23, Newman 1-2.
Henderson Co. – Reusch 3-83, Hezekiah Harris 3-25, Marigny 2-42, Baxter 2-35, Dalton 1-17, Christian Haygan 1-11.
