Season Pass

by Dennis Cox

Re venge’: v. 1. to inflict damage, injury, or punishment in return for (an injury, insult, etc.); n. 1. the act of revenging; vengeance; 2. what is done in revenging; 3. a chance to retaliate or get satisfaction, as by a return match after defeat in a previous one.

Okay, the Gallatin Bulldogs don’t need Mr. Webster to advise them as to what to do to the Maysville Wolverines. When you don’t lose football games very often (twice in the last 28), you tend to remember the ones you lose, particularly the ones that somehow seemed to get away from you. In terms of the 1999 regular season, Friday night’s Gallatin vs. Maysville clash is just another game. Yeah, and the Grand Canyon is just a ditch with water running through it.

But first, other matters. For the remainder of the season, Gallatin must guard against the “kiss of death” that has come with being ranked the #1 team in Class 1A. Cass-Midway, and now St. Vincent of Perryville, have enjoyed #1 status, only to fall from their lofty perches. St. Vincent entered last Friday as the state’s top-ranked team in 1A in all 3 polls but the Indians fell, 20-14, to Class 3A Herculaneum. Gallatin enters Friday night ranked #1 for the first time in school history.

Gallatin’s season ended last Nov. 11 when the Maysville Wolverines clipped Gallatin, 13-12, in a Class 1A sectional played at Maysville. The Bulldogs had ventured to Maysville on Oct. 2 and came away with a one-touchdown (21-14) victory but it is memories of the last meeting between the two teams that fuel emotions on both sides heading into this week’s confrontation. The Bulldogs took no satisfaction from the fact that Maysville lost the following week to eventual state champion North Platte in the quarterfinal round. Gallatin’s chance to wipe the slate clean has been reserved for this Friday night.

Maysville comes into the game riding an up-and-down wave. I’m talking about a team 11 points shy of a 4-0 record and 13 points short the other way of being 0-4. The Wolverines fell in overtime to South Harrison last Friday, 21-18, after having beaten Princeton one week earlier in what will go down in the books as one of their most inspired games of the season. The Wolverines led by a 20-18 margin late in the contest, only to see the Tigers take a 24-18 lead with :56 remaining. Not to be outdone, Maysville climbed the mountain with a game-saving touchdown with :07 left, thanks to a 53-yard reception by James Rider on a split end screen pass.

Maysville’s trouble last Friday night came in the form of South Harrison’s Cole Leazenby, who threw 3 touchdown passes, including the clincher in overtime. Leazenby connected with Matt Griffin for a 3-yard strike that tied the game late in the 4th quarter. The Bulldogs could have won the contest in regulation but missed the extra point attempt. Damien Browning kicked a 33-yard field goal for the Wolverines after the offense failed to move the ball in OT. Griffin caught the winning TD pass in overtime.

Eddie Littrell gained 108 yards for Maysville on 26 carries after only gaining 7 yards the week before against Princeton. David Chamberlain, with 121 yards, was the big gainer against Princeton.

Granted, the Wolverines miss their premier players from a year ago, Bo Rinehart, Jerry McFee, Brad Hargrave and Wade Harms, but they’ve found their go-to players. Maysville has a solid nucleus of athletes, James Rider, Chamberlain, Blair Smith, Brian Stark, Browning and Littrell, who are getting things done on both sides of the ball.

None of Maysville’s 4 games have been decided by more than an 8 point spread, so the Wolverines will know how to react if they can stay with Gallatin until the 4th quarter.