McLean County Powers Past Webster County 30-16 to Secure a Home Playoff Game
For the first time ever, the Kroger KSR Game of the Week went to Calhoun, KY where the McLean County Cougars took on the Webster County Trojans in an instant-classic, but more on that in a second. First, let’s discuss all of the extracurriculars that occurred prior to kickoff.
When KSR arrived at McLean County High School, we were met with great hospitality. All week long, Freddie Maggard was enlightened about the good food down in McLean County, and it’s safe to say that he enjoyed the gumbo that was made for him.
In addition, Freddie hopped on Owensboro’s ESPN 102.7 The Game to discuss the upcoming game, and there was even a segment dedicated to the Cats. A good sized audience was in attendance for the tailgate show, and there were even some folks from as far out as Glasgow.
Big Game, Big Plays
Now, to the actual game itself. Coming into the game, many people expected a shootout between two very strong offensive teams. However, it didn’t necessarily go down like that. For the most part, it was a hard fought, old-fashioned shove the ball down your throat game. It was like watching two titans take blows on each other. The energy was high fresh out of the gate, as before the game, McLean County took the field in epic fashion.
From beginning to end, both teams were really evenly matched, and with a lot on the line, both teams delivered. Whether it was a Madden-like hit or a big play on defense, both teams were throwing haymakers at each other in the first half. McLean County led 16-8 after two quarters of play.
KSR held a brief halftime interview with McLean County Head Coach Zach Wagner to see what his thoughts were on the game thus far. Wagner emphasized, “We gotta continue to execute. We get opportunities, we gotta capitalize.”
On top of that, McLean County star running back Aden Bolden went down with an apparent knee injury in the first half. Wagner said he got “leg whipped”, and Bolden was held out of the remainder of the game for precautionary reasons. KSR got the chance to speak with Bolden, and he said, “It hurts. I don’t know what it’s looking like.” It was clear that Bolden wanted to be out on the field with his team, but it’s looking like he may be sidelined for quite some time.
Different Story in the 2nd Half
The 2nd half was a bit of a different story, however. There was a lot more of offensive fire power on display. McLean would add to their lead with a QB keeper from Brodie Cline. However, Webster’s Jarvis Starks Scott bullied his way into the end zone to make the score 22-16. The game wasn’t over just yet.
After that, however, all of the momentum was in favor of the Cougars. Elijah Baldwin put McLean County on his back to end the game. First, he made an incredible behind-the-helmet catch to move the chains. Then, he put the nail in the coffin with a big run for a touchdown. The final from Paulsen Stadium was 30-16.
From there, it was a party in Calhoun. Cowbells were ringing, fireworks were going off, and the McLean County Cougars secured a home playoff game. This is the first time McLean County clinched a home playoff game since 2019.
While a game like this may not have the stardom and the glamor of some of the other Kroger KSR Games of the Week, this game is the true epitome of high school football. A little messy, a little crazy, and a lot of fun. With the win, McLean County moves to 6-2 on the season. They’ll take advantage of fall break as a week to reset and recover, but on October 20th, it’s time to get back to work against the Trigg County Wildcats on senior night.
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