Bears barely miss 4-0 start—District games start in Hodgenville

 

 

By Greg Moore

Banner Sports Editor

 

In his second season at the helm, BCHS Head Football Coach Josh Robins has his 2025 Bears off to their best start in four years. Sitting at 3-0 and favorites to knock off the Grayson County Cougars, who had lost their last two games, the coach still knew that winning in Leitchfield is never an easy task. Some uncertainty was abound whether running back Kadin Hanshaw or receiver Kayden Tyner were going to play for Coach Bryan Jones.

Jones’ junior standout back, who has torched the Bears the past two years with over 200 rushing yards in each game in addition to a total of six touchdowns, went down in week two’s loss at Anderson County. Neither he nor Tyner participated in the letdown to McLean County in week three, leaving the Cougars at 1-2; they beat Edmonson in the swamp bowl or tobacco bowl or whatever they like to call it.

Both players were back. Plus, the Bears were without junior Cainan Vincent, who went down with a knee injury in the Todd County win. Good news, it was not as serious as first thought and the big receiving target will be back in action soon. Vincent contributes on the defensive side of the ball for Coach Robins, also.

Coach Robins knew a 4-0 start would require the right execution. While Hanshaw was a focal point to stop defensively, Ethan Mudd, a senior back for the Cougars, proved a steady force all night, attacking on quick dives throughout the game.

The Cougars’ methodical approach churned out six first downs on their second drive, setting up the first score of the game from Hanshaw, who hauled it in from a yard out just after he cut one back to gain 23 yards. The back’s quick lateral movement to hit an open lane up field was just what the Bears could not allow.

After a failed onside kick, Brody Dockery found junior wide out Carson Davis for 22 yards for the Bears’ second first down of the night as they hoped to get something going during their second possession, down 7-0. Davis, the freshman’s favorite target, ran a tight wheel route to leap and snag a seven-yard bullet the first series in order to move the sticks on a gutsy 4^th-down play call by the Bears in their own territory.

 

 

After eventually turning it over on downs followed by a defensive pass interference by the Bears, Hanshaw converted another 4th down run for the homecoming celebrating hosts. With the Cougars running the ball effectively, it appeared they could possibly score again before the half.

However, the best defensive play of the night transpired next. Cougar quarterback, Jake Bratcher, left a pass hanging and Bears sophomore cornerback, Clayton Cardwell, snatched it out of the air for an interception. The 55-yard return by Cardwell set up the Bears first score of the night, which came on another 4^th-down call, a shuffle pass to junior back, Kevin Robins.

The senior, Bratcher, went right back to the air to end the half, but the Bears have their own Bratcher, Drake, another sophomore cornerback, who made a couple daunting deflections to dash any hopes of the Cougars scoring in the closing seconds of the half. Butler trailed 7-6, but in a good position to start the second half by receiving the ball.

The momentum was short lived as the second half started with an interception, only the second of the season by Dockery. And it set up a short field for the Cougars, who took full advantage of sucking the Bears in on three Mudd carries up the middle before Hanshaw bounced it outside for a 19-yard run for the pylon.

Tempers erupted as senior safety, Clay Steff, tried to corral the back going in for six. After the score, Steff held on a bit too long, which resulted in an unsportsmanlike. Hanshaw reacted and both players were ejected.

Coaches and players abruptly deescalated the situation and play resumed without any further incidents. Mudd converted the two-point conversion pitch, and the Cougars were up two scores, 15-6.

Bears punted on their next possession and Grayson County turned theirs over on downs. With the ball across midfield, Kaiden Richardson ripped a first down run and Dockery moved the chains on a run assisted by a helmet-to-helmet hit.

With the ball inside the twenty, the Bears had a touchdown run by Richardson called back for holding. Robins moved the chains on another fourth-down conversion run, setting up first and goal for the Bears at the five.

 

 

Unfortunately, the Bears could not get into the end zone as Dockery’s and Bratcher’s timing were off on the fourth down attempt after the home team stood tall on three run attempts. The Cougars moved the ball to eat some more time, but a huge fumble recovery by sophomore linebacker, Brock Henderson, gave it back to the Bears.

Coach Emmick wasted little time. He dialed up Dockery to Davis for a 27-yard touchdown, Dockery’s ninth TD pass of the season and fifth to the sticky-handed junior. Richardson was open for the conversion pass from Dockery to bring the score within a point, 15-14.

Will Amos and the kicking team could not catch the Cougars sleeping on the ensuing kickoff, but four and a half minutes still remained. The Bears’ defense held strong and got the ball back with two and half minutes remaining, starting at the 27.

 

 

Most of those 73 yards to the goal was obtained on the next play. Dockery flipped a jump pass over the middle to Robins, who raced over 60 of it for a first and goal. Richardson picked half of it, but the Cougars bowed their necks, once again. The Bears faced another fourth down.

A chip shot waited for the Bears kicker, junior Jonathan Portillo, who is in the beginning stages of honing his skill of kicking the pigskin versus a soccer ball, which he does exceptionally well. Portillo’s kick barely missed, and the Bears barely missed the 4-0 start, but like Portillo, these Bears will continue to live the by the “standard” to perfect their craft.

Butler County (3-1) travels to an unknown this week before getting the Edmonson County Wildcats in Morgantown next week. The birthplace of arguably one of the best presidents in US history is the destination. LaRue County, a new district opponent, has shown a great deal of improvement under a new regime this season.