Bell County’s run at a Class 3A state championship came to end on Friday after dropping a 34-16 decision to Ashland.
The Bobcats’ (10-3) ground game never got on track as the Tomcats limited Daniel Thomas to 61 rushing yards while Dustin Woolum had 40.
Ashland outgained Bell County in total offense, 298-196 while limiting Dudley Hilton’s squad to 107 rushing yards. The Bobcats also turned the ball over three times in the loss.
Bell County’s offense couldn’t get on track during the first half, and Ashland was a big reason why.
The Tomcats limited the Bobcats rushing attack to only 59 yards during the first two quarters, including holding Daniel Thomas to 34 rushing yards on 13 carries.
Ashland totaled 119 offensive yards in the first half, led by Braxton Jennings’ 62 rushing yards.
LaBryant Strader scored the game’s first touchdown with a one-yard run to give the Tomcats an early 7-0 lead at the 3:29 mark of the first quarter.
Atayveon Thomas broke free for a seven-yard run that found the end zone with 10:23 left in the second quarter, pushing Ashland’s lead to 14-0.
Bell County managed to score with 5:01 left in the first half as Thomas connected with George Pace for an 18-yard touchdown pass. Ethan Raby added the two-point conversion, cutting the Bobcats’ deficit to 14-8.
The Tomcats managed to add cushion to their lead late in the third quarter as Jennings went over the century mark in rushing yards with a nine-yard touchdown run at the 2:26 mark of the third quarter, making the score, 21-8.
Ashland put the finishing touches on its win with 8:29 remaining regulation as Atayveon Thomas’ one-yard touchdown run increased the Tomcats’ lead to 28-8.
Atayveon Thomas added a 22-yard touchdown run with 4:03 left before Bell County’s Blake Burnett completed a 43-yard touchdown pass George Pace to make the score, 34-16.
