The Mason County Royals, under first-year coach Jonathan Thomas, will open the football season Friday night against the Somerset Briar Jumpers in Somerset.
After five straight region titles, the Briar Jumpers were 0-10 last season. Sixteen seniors graduated from the 2013 team that lost to Newport Central Catholic 49-48 in double overtime in the Class AA state semifinals. Somerset was the Class AAA state runner-up in 2009. Somerset began playing football in 1907 and is eighth on Kentucky's all-time win list with 665 victories.
The Briar Jumpers are led by senior quarterback Castle Hatcher. Last season, Hatcher completed 119 of 260 passes for 1,649 yards and nine touchdowns. He threw 15 interceptions. Hatcher rushed for 330 yards and nine touchdowns. Josh Cornett had 44 receptions for 689 yards and five touchdowns as a freshman last year.
Mason County is moving up to Class AAAA after graduating 16 seniors from last year's 8-3 team. The Royals have a new head coach for the first time since 1996. Thomas is a 2000 graduate of Mason County High School. He was an assistant coach under David Buchanan for 12 seasons. Buchanan resigned from Mason County after 19 seasons to become the head coach at Mercer County.
Senior Kane Neal takes over at quarterback for the Royals. Mason County's leading rusher last season, Rico Hill (1,017 yards and 14 touchdowns), graduated, and the second leading rusher, Andrew Kouns (425 yards and two touchdowns), transferred to a school in Virginia. Junior running back Tyrion Fox will be the Royals' main offensive threat. He rushed for 311 yards and five touchdowns in nine games last season. Senior Andrew Thacker is the top returning receiver. He had 14 receptions for 257 yards and two touchdowns.
This will be first meeting between the two schools. Somerset will come to Maysville next season.
No comments:
Post a Comment