Somerset — Somerset’s week three matchup against Russell County had several ominous signs leading up to it. First was the fact that the visiting team had won the three previous meetings, and this one was at the Briar patch. Second was the real possibility that this game, sandwiched between the huge rivalry games against Southwestern and Danville, would find the Briar Jumpers overlooking the Lakers and laying an egg. Third, well, it looked like rain all day.

So, of course, given all that cause for concern, something bad was bound to happen. And it did. For Russell County.

Somerset executed with an offensive efficiency that was almost scary, finding the end zone in their first eight drives on the way to a 63-19 blasting of Russell County.

“Offensively, we executed much better this week,” said Lucas. “But you have to give Russell County credit. They’re a very young team. You can look at them and see that they have some great talent, but we’re a senior dominated team. So what you have is a group of 18 and 19-year-old kids against 15 and 16-year-olds, and that was a huge advantage for us.”

The Russell County offensive talent was hamstrung, however, by execution as poor as Somerset’s

was great. The poor ball handling started on the very first drive. After Russell County punter Taylor

Hutchinson stunned Somerset with a fourth down scramble for a first down, which was added to by a

Jumper personal foul penalty, the Somerset Slaughters struck the first blow. Trey Slaughter tackled Nick

Britt for a six-yard loss on a first down pass completion. Then little brother Tevin made his presence felt

early, recovering a Laker fumble near midfield.

Then the execution started. Somerset began a recurring theme, starting a drive in Russell County

territory. After a first down run by Derrick Jackson and a completion to Clayton Stringer, Manning hit J. P.

Henderlight on a pass that seemed end zone bound. But the Lakers knocked him out of bounds at the six

inch line. After a Jumper penalty, Zack Bastin took it in from 6 yards out. Colby Hall's kick made it 7-0 Briar Jumpers.

Russell County countered with one of their few highlights of the night. Senior Jeron Hammond took the kick at the 1-yard line, brought it up the middle, then broke it outside and down the sideline for a 99-yard retaliation. Just like that it was 7-7.

But Somerset was more than ready to take a big shot, and they were set to answer from many different directions, using many different players. Reserve sophomore Jalen Jones took advantage of his chance to play on the return team by taking the ensuing kickoff for a 60-yard run of his own. Once again the Jumpers started in Laker territory at the 34. And once again Erik Manning came up inches short of a TD pass. In what could have been an instant replay near the end zone, Bastin was knocked out inside the 1 after covering 33 yards. Manning ran it in himself as the Briar Jumpers reclaimed a lead they would not relinquish.

Russell County fumbled on their next play from scrimmage, and Trey Slaughter recovered it at the Laker 33. After moving it to the 14, Manning hit Storm Wilson on a pass that again seemed destined for a score. But a nice defensive play at the 2 kept Somerset off the board momentarily. Bastin took it in standing up for his second TD and a 21-7 lead. Manning, to this point, had four completions for 85 yards and no TDs. He could just as easily have had 89 yards and 3 TDs.

Their next drive, after a Laker punt, started on their side of midfield for the first time. But that didn’t matter. Henderlight showed Manning some mercy by finally taking one of his passes into the end zone from 14 yards out. 28-7 Somerset. After two failed Russell County plays the horn sounded. It was only the end of the first quarter.

Somerset’s domination of the first half was starling. Derrick Jackson scored on a 2-yard TD. Junior defensive back Trevor Herd broke on a pass by Laker QB Martin Cross and recorded Somerset’s first interception of the year. Then Derrick Jackson struck again on the next play, breaking a bushel load of tackles and emerging into the open field for a 64-yard TD of manly proportions. Trey Slaughter recovered another fumble. Zach Bastin took a 5-yard run for his third TD.

On Somerset’s next drive, they were finally stopped before they reached the end zone, but it was by the halftime horn. Somerset led a respectable Russell County team 49-7 at the break, thanks to an offensive attack that saw four different players reach the end zone.

“We’ve certainly had a lot to work on early in the season,” said Lucas. “We’re not trying to highlight one certain player. We’re just trying to work on the things we need to be able to execute to be as good as we want to be this season. Being a balanced offense is a goal we strive for because it helps us succeed as a team.”

Somerset started the second half where they left off, taking the opening drive 71 yards. The big play in the drive was a 30-yard scramble by Manning, but it was a 15-yard pass from him to Wilson which made it 56-7.

With that score, the 45-point mercy margin was surpassed, and the clock began its continuous rundown to the Jumpers’ third straight win. For Manning it was another excellent outing. Though he almost had 5 TDs, he still ended up 10-18 for 188 yds and 2 TDs. He also carried it five times for 54 yards and another score.

It seemed like Lucas was going to have a hard time finding something to fault with in this effort, until the speedy Nick Britt struck suddenly. To that point the Somerset defense had held the explosive sophomore to 8 yds on 11 carries. But, with the 1st string defense still on the field, Britt creased them, and broke open so cleanly that not even perpetual TD saver Taylor Sears could head him off at the pass. The 77-yard TD made it 56-13.

    “Number 28 (Britt) is fast and elusive, and he got loose on us thanks to some bad tackling,” said Lucas. “I’ve been on my defense for the last three weeks, and I’m going to keep riding them until they’re playing the way I think they can. We’re going to go as far as our defense can take us this year. I think they can be a great unit, but they still have a way to go.”

Somerset’s youngsters got to see some playing time after that. Alex Lange came in and promptly led them on a 10-play 68-yard scoring drive which he capped off with is own 18-yard scoring scramble. Then his little brother Will made a beautiful interception on a Cross pass. But the Lakers defense finally stopped Somerset for the first time when a fourth down fumbled pitch turned it back to Russell on downs.

With the Lakers’ 1st string offense still in the game, the speedy Britt made short work of the third string Baby Jumpers, taking it 43 yards on first down before scoring from four yards out. Britt finished the game by gaining 129 yards on his last four carries.

With the score 63-19, and the clock winding quickly down, you would have thought you’d seen everything interesting this game had to offer. But you’d have been wrong. The officials had to stop the continuous clock for something many have never seen in a high school football game—the two teams lined up for the ensuing kickoff with a distinct variation. They were facing the wrong way.

After that short break for comic relief, the game would end within moments, with the Jumpers solidifying their reputation as a force to be reckoned with once again. That funny kickoff episode may be the lightest moment Somerset will have in a game for awhile. Next week they travel to Danville, and odds are that there will be no wrong way kickoffs in that one.







SHS—Bastin 6 run (Hall PAT)

RC—Hammond 99 kickoff return (Williams PAT)

SHS—Manning 1 run (Hall PAT)

SHS—Bastin 2 run (Hall PAT)

SHS—Manning 14 pass to Henderlight (Hall PAT)

SHS—D. Jackson 2 run (Hall PAT)

SHS—D. Jackson 64 run (Hall PAT)

SHS—Bastin 5 run (Hall PAT)

SHS—Manning 15 pass to Wilson (Hall PAT)

RC—Britt 77 run (kick failed)

SHS—A. Lange 18 run (Hall PAT)

RC—Britt 4 run (pass failed)





RC    7    0    6    6 = 19

SHS 28  21   7    7 = 63



1st Downs—SHS 18, RC 4.

Rushing—SHS 36-231 (6.4), RC 18-143 (7.9).

Passing—SHS 10-19 188, RC 3-9  11.

Total offense—SHS 442, RC 149.

Turnovers—SHS 0, RC 5.

Penalties—SHS 3-25, RC 3-25.

Punts—SHS 0-0, RC 3-30.0.

Sacks/yds lost—SHS 3-23, RC 1-6.

Return yards—SHS 101, RC 201.





Rushing—SHS, D. Jackson 8-102 2 TD, Manning 5-54 TD, A. Lange 3-22 TD, Bastin 7-20 3TD, Carr 4-20, B. Jones 1-12, Te. Slaughter 2-3, W. Lange 5- -1, C. Jackson 1- -1. RC, Britt 15-137 2 TD, Hutchinson 1-13, Cross 2- -7.

Receiving—SHS, Wilson 4-56 TD, Henderlight 2-41 TD, Stringer 2-34, Bastin 1-33, C. Jones 1-24. RC, Hammond 2-17, Britt 1- -6.

Passing—SHS, Manning 10-18  188 2TD, A. Lange 0-1 0. RC, Cross 3-9  11  2 INT.

Sacks—SHS (3), A. Lange, Stringer, Stevenson. RC (1), McFarland 0.5, Bennett 0.5.

Interceptions—SHS (2) Herd, W. Lange.

Fumble Recovery—SHS (3), Tr. Slaughter 2, Te. Slaughter.