By Ben Miller
NKyTribune sports reporter
Simon Kenton was trailing, 12-7, late in the fourth quarter when starting quarterback Grant Webb left the game with an injury, but his replacement found a way to win the Class 6A district game at Campbell County on Friday.
Freshman quarterback Ethan Hopkins connected with junior Forest Hughes for a 30-yard touchdown to put the Pioneers ahead, 13-12, and two interceptions by sophomore Jackson Ober sealed the crucial comeback victory.
The district winner will be decided next Friday when Ryle visits Simon Kenton. The Raiders have a three-game win streak in that series.
“Ryle is our biggest rival,” Webb said. “It’s been a while since we won a district championship and we have been beaten by Ryle the past year. This week, we got to go all out and got to go hard … to do the best of our ability and have the right mindset going into it.”
Simon Kenton took a 7-0 halftime lead Friday when Webb engineered an 98-yard touchdown drive. It ended with his 3-yard run into the end zone and Gavin McCulley’s extra-point kick with 25 seconds left on the clock.
“We have struggled offensively as of late, but Grant is the hardest coached kid on the team because he’s the quarterback and he’s got to be the leader of our team,” said Simon Kenton coach Joe Wynn. “He rebounded this week and I told him today I got your back, were going to do it and were going to take care of it.”
In the third quarter, Campbell County took advantage of a pass interference penalty and junior running back Alex Riedinger scored a 3-yard rushing touchdown to put the home team on the board. But Simon Kenton blocked the point-after kick.
After Simon Kenton came up short on a fourth down play, Campbell County junior quarterback Xander Guy connected with running back Lucus Depperschmidt for 43 yards to put the ball at the Simon Kenton 23.
That led to a 4-yard touchdown run by Depperschmidt to give the Camels their first lead, 12-7, with 9:38 left in the 4th quarter, but their two-point conversion attempt failed.
After Campbell County got the ball back, Xander Guy’s pass on the first play was intercepted by Ober.
The Camels’ defense got a huge stop on 4th-and-5, setting up one last chance with 2:22 left. But a bad snap put them 21 yards behind the first down marker and then Ober got his second interception to give Simon Kenton the victory.
“Jackson is just a sophomore kind of finding his way through there and made two big plays,” coach Wynn said. “He is a guy that just works his tail off … and he was a big piece for us to win tonight.”
“We had to go down there and fight, ” Ober said. “Defense answered and I got the pick and I went down the sideline and did my best until I got tackled.”
SIMON KENTON 0 7 0 6 — 13
CAMPBELL COUNTY 0 0 6 6 — 12
SK — Grant Webb 3 run (Gavin McCulley kick)
CC — Riedinger 3 run (kick blocked)
CC — Lucas Depperschmidt 4 run (conversion failed)
SK — Forest Hughes 30 pass from Ethan Hopkins (conversion failed)
RECORDS: Simon Kenton 4-4, 1-1; Campbell County 3-5, 0-2.