Christian County overcame a bit of a slow start to pull to within one score of hosts Henderson County in the second half Friday night, but penalties and momentum-crushing mistakes cost Christian County in a 26-14 loss.
The 0-3 start is the first for Christian County since 2014 when it won three of four after a rough start on the way to a 4-8 season. Henderson starts the season 3-0 for the first time since 2013.
The teams traded turnovers before Henderson opened the scoring on a 67-yard strike from Sam Elliot to Edmund Brooks with :22 left in the first quarter. They wasted little time doubling the advantage when Elliott connected with Myekel Sanners for a 28-yard touchdown.
Needing a big play, Christian County got it from its defense when Ty-Darius Kelly tipped an Elliott pass and AJ Harvey came up with the interception at the Henderson 2-yard line. L’Ray Coleman found the endzone on the first play after the turnover and the score was 14-7 with 3:26 left in the first half.
But any momentum Christian County created was gone just twenty seconds later after Logan Green broke a 73-yard scoring run to restore the two-touchdown advantage.
Christian County would strike first out of halftime when Donta Abren hit Coleman for his second score of the night, pulling to within 6 at 20-14. However, that would be the last time they would find the endzone, with Elliott throwing his third touchdown to a third different receiver on a 21-yard connection with Isaiah Fallen with 3:33 to play in the third for the final points of the game.
It doesn’t get any easier for Christian County next week when it goes on the road to face a Madisonville-North Hopkins team looking to go 4-0 while outscoring opponents 136-21 so far.