Jackson, Kentucky – November 8, 2024 – Mitchel Herald
The Walton-Verona Bearcats rode a four game win streak into Jackson looking to end the season of the host Breathitt County Bobcats. But, in a battle of teams on late season win streaks, the Mike Holcomb Athletic Complex turned into a house of horrors for the visitors as the Bobcats jumped on them early and often en route to a resounding 56-7 first round playoff victory behind another strong defensive effort and a near perfect night through the air by QB Miles Hollon.
As they’ve done in recent weeks, the Bobcats took control of the game with a TD on the opening possession. This time, the fireworks began with 62-yard pitch-and-catch between Hollon and Austin Sperry. After forcing a quick three-and-out, Breathitt County asserted its physicality with a punishing 12-play, 76-yard drive capped off by a Braydon Barnett TD run. Walton-Verona’s second possession was stopped by an Adam Spencer interception and the home team wasted little time making them pay with another Hollon to Sperry TD, this time for 55 yards, on the second play of the drive. They would strike again only 10 seconds later when Jayden Gibson caught a 35-yard TD pass after the visiting team mishandled the kickoff.
The nightmare continued for Walton-Verona in the second quarter when a bad snap deep in their own territory set up an Eli Thomas TD run. On the next possession, Waylon Abner recovered a lost fumble and returned it for another Bobcat TD to put the home team up 42-0 barely two minutes into the second quarter. The Bearcats responded with their best drive of the half before being stopped on fourth down at the Breathitt County 36 yard line. The home team put the finishing touches on a dominant half of football with a 5-play, 90 yard drive that ended with a 42-yard TD catch by Sperry.
In the second half, Carter Hollon scored on a short TD run after the Bobcats recovered another Walton-Verona fumble on the first possession. The teams then traded fourth down stops before the visiting Bearcats capped a 9-play, 71-yard drive with a TD to get on the board.
The Breathitt County passing attack was on point in this game behind QB Miles Hollon. He completed all but one of his 12 attempts for 280 yards to 5 different receivers, lead by Austin Sperry’s 177 yards. Nine different players contributed to the team’s 128 rushing yards, lead by Eli Thomas’ 46 yards. Defensively, the Bobcats had three takeaways and limited the visitors to only 65 total yards. Carter Daniels lead the Bearcats offense with 80 rushing yards. Next Up – For Walton-Verona (5-6) it is the end of the line as they have been eliminated from the playoffs. For Breathitt County (6-5), they will make the trip north to face the Beechwood Tigers (10-1). This will be the second straight year and third time in the last five that the Bobcats have faced the Tigers in the Class 2A Playoffs.