For the second time this season, Gallatin’s defense failed to hold Putnam County out of the end zone in the fourth quarter.
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Big plays proved to be the Bulldogs’ downfall. The Midgets scored late on a 76-yard pass from Levi Fowler to Grant Sands, and added an 83-yard TD run from Carson Quint to close out Gallatin’s season at 6-4.
The two teams traded touchdowns throughout the first half, with Gallatin holding a 22-18 lead thanks to a two-point conversion and the return to action of place-kicker Adrian Hernandez.
Caleb Boyd scored on a 60-yard run and added the conversion to stake the Bulldogs to an 8-0 lead in the middle of the opening quarter. The Midgets answered with a TD but failed on the conversion attempt.
A Cole McBee to Gaven Gray pass covering 35 yards gave Gallatin a 15-6 cushion after the PAT from Hernandez. Putnam County got on the board again in the final minute of the first to cut the gap to 15-12.
Boyd’s second TD run of the night, this time from 18 yards out gave Gallatin a two-possession lead, 22-12, after the PAT. But the Midgets again answered quickly with a score to narrow the gap to 22-18 at the break.
Both teams struggled, offensively, in the third quarter until the Midgets broke through with the game-winning score with 10 minutes to play in the final period.
Highlighting GHS defensive efforts was a blocked punt by Graydee Rains that set up one Bulldog score. Rains, McBee and Noah Engel were kept busy on defense with all three registered double digit tackles.
Boyd finished with a team-high 129 yards on the ground on 17 carries. Corbin Toney added 82 yards for the Bulldogs on eight carries.
Putnam County runners also put up some big numbers. Quint finished with 204 yards rushing and teammate Torqe Brundage posted 127 yards on the ground. Fowler threw for 181 yards, including 174 to Sands.
In other Class 1, District 8 action on Friday, top-seeded Princeton manhandled Maysville, 55-8; #2 Hamilton played starters for one half before downing Milan, 35-0; and #4 South Harrison defeated Polo, 38-20.
South Harrison travels to Princeton this Friday and Putnam County heads to Hamilton for semifinal action.