Boyle County left the Championship game for the first time holding the runners-up trophy in six years. The five previous years, the Rebels owned the show, as well as Class 2-A and 3-A football. Last year, the Highlands Bluebirds fell to Boyle County in the Championship game, but this year came away victorious, 22-6.
Turnovers and penalties plagued both teams from start to finish in the Class 3-A Title game. The first half alone saw 13 penalties for close to 100 yards. Boyle County was penalized seven times for 64 yards, but the offense seemed to penalize itself more. Quarterback Brandon Smith, a Mr. Football candidate, threw three interceptions and running back Quinn Givhan would fumble once, leading to two Justin Auton field goals. Smith, would however, find Seth Temme in the endzone in the second quarter. The score at the half was tied at six apiece.
The second half only got uglier for the defending champions, as 6 more penalties racked the offense and the clock-killing Highlands offense baffled the Rebel defense. In the third quarter, Highlands running back James Hubbard took a Chase Cecil pitch, ran right and threw the ball to a wide-open Chris Owens, who was chased down at the Boyle County two-yard line.
"I've wanted to throw that pass since little league," Hubbard said. "I asked coach all year long to let me throw it and he came to me before the game and said I would get the chance."
The half-back pass summarized the entire day for Boyle County as they tried to find anything to work, but could not even find 'Waldo.' Hubbard would go on to score from the one-yard line, putting the Bluebirds up 12-6.
The Hubbard touchdown would be all Highlands would need. Another Auton field goal in the third frame and a Jordan Kramer touchdown in the fourth put the game out of reach and put Boyle County out of its misery, 22-6.
The Rebels finished the game with 181 total yards of offense and 111 yards in penalties. Six turnovers, four by quarterback Brandon Smith, led to the destruction of the Rebel Empire and left the entire makeup of Class 3-A football altered.
Highlands Head Coach Dale Mueller beamed with joy when he spoke of his football team, "These guys have been what a high school football team is supposed to be for the last 365 days." Mueller would later reflect back on last year's Title game, saying, "They were like 11 Marines out there last year and we worked out, hit the weight room, practiced incredibly hard because we wanted to be like 70 Navy Seals. Today, these kids played like Navy Seals."
Hubbard finished the game with 132-yards of offense, 71 on the ground, and was named MVP of the Class 3-A State Championship.
Just hours before kickoff, Highlands star Running Back Michael Mitchell was declared ineligible to play by the KHSAA for a transfer violation.
Stay Tuned to KentuckyPrepReport.com for updates on Brandon Smith, Highlands Safety Jordan Nevels, and Highlands Linebacker Ben Guidugli.