Simon Kenton football coach Jeff Marksberry was not happy with the statistics that were handed to him during halftime of his team’s Class 6A playoff game against Louisville Manual on Friday in Independence.
At that point, the Pioneers had 106 yards in total offense and senior running back Miles Simpson had a net total of just nine yards on eight carries.
“We got after the offensive line a little bit at halftime and just told them they were going to have to play better than they did the first half,” Marksberry said.
It’s safe to say the offensive linemen got the message.
Simon Kenton scored on four consecutive offensive possessions in the second half with Simpson leading the way and knocked off Manual, 39-29, to advance to the regional finals.
The Pioneers (11-1) will take on top-ranked Louisville St. Xavier (11-1) on Friday with the winner advancing to the semifinal round of the state playoffs.
Simpson rushed for 122 yards on 17 carries and scored three touchdowns in the second half of Friday’s game. He also picked up 44 yards on a kickoff return.
His second touchdown tied the game at 29-29 early in the fourth quarter and his third one put the Pioneers ahead to stay at 36-29 with 5:32 left on the clock.
“When we were down I was like, ‘I’m not doing as much as I should,’’’ Simpson said. “After I came out in the second half and got that kickoff return, I was like, ‘I have to do this for my team.’’’
Marksberry must have known Simpson would react that way. The coach said he changed his offensive scheme in the second half to give the talented running back more carries.
“We just got back in the I (formation) and started running him downhill and giving him some seams (in the defense),” Marksberry said.
“When you’ve got a thoroughbred like that, you’ve got to ride him. I told him after the game I’m glad he’s on our team because he’s just unbelievable.”
Simon Kenton defensive back Zach Kaiser scored the game’s first touchdown on a 90-yard interception return in the final seconds of the first quarter. But Manual put together scoring drives on its next two offensive possessions to take a 14-7 lead with 5:59 left in the second quarter.
Simon Kenton got back on top with a 60-yard drive led by junior quarterback Chad Lawrence. On the last three plays of the series, Lawrence completed an 18-yard pass to Jacob Krummen, a 22-yard pass to Zach Carroll and scored on a 7-yard run.
Carroll also ran in the two-point conversion that gave the Pioneers a 15-14 halftime lead.
The lead changed hands three times in the third quarter before Simpson scored his last two touchdowns to put it away for the Pioneers.
“We sort of contained him a little bit in the first half,” said Manual coach Joe Nichols. “But in the second half he did what he’s supposed to do and lived up to the hype.”
Simpson, a candidate for Mr. Kentucky Football, finished the game with 131 yards on 25 carries to push his season rushing total over the 2,000 mark.
The Pioneers will be relying on him again next week when they take on top-ranked Louisville St. Xavier in the regional final.
“I know they have a tough team,” Simpson said “Hopefully, we can take it to them just like we did to Manual.” MANUAL 0-14-25-0--29
at S. KENTON 7-8-7-17–-39
SK-Kaiser 90 intercpetion return (Repka kick)
LM-Helm 19 run (Dunn kick)
LM-Sutton 20 pass from Woodmore (Dunn kick)
SK-Lawrence 7 run (Carroll run)
LM-Helm 18 run (Dunn kick)
SK-Simpson 3 run (Repka kick)
LM-Minor 13 run (Dunn kick)
SK-Simpson 7 run (Repka kick)
SK-Simpson 1 run (Repka kick)
SK-Repka 25 FG
RECORDS: Simon Kenton 11-1, Manual 5-7.
