South Harrison wins muddy  battle for GRC top spot, 22-14

Landon Corwin pulls down South Harrison quarterback Austin Lasher in the open field.

A frustrating night for Gallatin’s Bulldogs ended with South Harrison running out the clock to preserve a 22-14 victory in Bethany.

The two elite GRC teams (along with 4-0 Princeton) traded scores in the first quarter. South Harrison quarterback Austin Lasher ripped off a 45-yard scoring run on third and long but the conversion attempt failed.

Gallatin answered with under 3 minutes to play in the period when Brinley Vandiver rolled out on fourth and goal and hit JJ Waters, who out-leaped man coverage for the ball and stretched into the end zone for the score. Tristen Gibson kicked the extra point to give Gallatin a 7-6 lead.

A first down completion to Ross Critten on a scoop pass reception, long run by Aidan Adkison and completion to Waters to the 9 yard line set up the scoring play.

South Harrison’s running game continued to pay dividends when Andrew Sweat raced down the sideline before being tackled just outside the end zone. Gradyn Linthacum took scoring honors to put his team ahead, 14-7, following teammate Collin Haffey’s conversion run.

Scoring went back and forth … that is until South Harrison’s good fortune right before the end of the first half. A Gallatin drive stalled out on South Harrison’s 32. Tristen Gibson’s punt penned the home Bulldogs inside their five yard line.

With 1:01 on the clock, quarterback Austin Lasher ripped off a 68 run to Gallatin’s 17 yard line, but his team would face fourth and goal with 11.9 seconds left. Lasher rolled right toward the Gallatin sideline with Gallatin defenders in pursuit. Lasher found a receiver in the back corner who stepped out of the back corner of the end zone and back in to make the grab. The touchdown was allowed to stand and Gallatin trailed by a two-score margin for the first time this season.

Gallatin would chalk up the only score of the second half. Vandiver converted a third and long with a pass to Waters, who ran after the catch to South Harrison’s 29. Adkison took a counter handoff to the 11. Haden Bradford moved the ball to the 7 with a carry. Adkison took the handoff again and ran left, successfully reaching the pylon with a pair of defenders in tow.

Gibson’s extra point kick closed the gap to 22-14.

Gallatin appeared poised toward a chance to tie the game early in the fourth quarter when Ross Critten ran a reverse from mid-field to South Harrison’s 13, but a subsequent fourth down pass sailed over his head in the end zone.

The visiting Bulldogs got one more shot at a possible tie when they took over on South Harrison’s 42 after a defender pulled down Critten with a horse collar tackle on the punt return. Three incomplete passes brought on fourth and 10 for Gallatin. Vandiver rolled out to his right and slipped on the muddy turf as South Harrison defenders closed in.

South Harrison was able to run out the clock and claim its share of the GRC lead along with Princeton.

Gallatin’s schedule doesn’t get easier this week when defending conference champion Milan comes in at 2-2 in the league and 3-3 overall.

SOUTH HARRISON 22, GALLATIN 14

Gallatin                 7              0              7              0              14

S. Harrison           6               16            0              0              22

GHS STATISTICS

Passing: Vandiver 10-19-99, TD, INT.

Rushing: Adkison 15-86, Critten 4-50, Bradford 8-27, Vandiver 1-(-9).

Receiving: Waters 3-51, TD; Critten 4-26; Adkison 2-18; Harris 1-4.

Leading tacklers: Corwin 7/5, Crouse 7/4, Waters 6/1, Bradford 5/4, Sperry 5/1, Wright 3/5, Harris 3/3, Critten 2 /3, Carder 2/2, Gibson 2/0, Adkison 1 /2.

GRC Standings — Week 6

GRC       ALL

South Harrison  4-0          6-0

Princeton            4-0          5-1

Gallatin                4-0          5-1

Milan                   2-2          3-3

Putnam Co.         2-2          3-3

Maysville             1-3          1-5

Polo                     0-4          0-6

Trenton                0-4          0-6

Oct. 4 Results

South Harrison 22, Gallatin 14

Maysville 49, Polo 0

Milan 30, Trenton 14

Princeton 19, Putnam Co. 4

Oct. 11 Schedule

Milan at Gallatin

Princeton at Maysville

Putnam County at Polo

South Harrison at Trenton

Class 1 State Rankings

1. Lincoln 6-0
2. Thayer 6-0
3. Pierce City 6-0
4. Mid-Buchanan 5-1
5. Hayti 5-1
6. Valle Catholic 5-1
7. Marceline 5-1
8. Miller 8-0
9. Adrian 5-1
10. South Harrison 6-0

Receiving votes: Scotland County (5-1), Gallatin (5-1)