Royals host Harrison County tonight in the US Bank Football Classic

The Mason County Royals host the Harrison County Thorobreds tonight at 7:30 in the US Bank Football Classic.

Harrison County, winless last season, is 4-3 overall and 1-1 in district play.

Ray Graham is in the first season of his second tenure as head coach at Harrison County. He was the Thorobreds' coach for 25 seasons before retiring in 2008.

Mason County is 2-4 overall and 0-2 in the district.

Harrison County edged Scott 19-18 at home last week.

Mason County lost to Scott 50-0 two weeks ago at Scott.

The two teams have one other common opponent- Fleming County. Harrison County rushed for 480 yards and routed the Panthers 47-6 in the season opener. A week later, Mason County lost to Fleming County 35-14.

Harrison County is averaging 260.4 rushing yards per game. Fullback Devin Lewis has rushed for 713 yards and five touchdowns. Running back Chase Blanton has rushed for 532 yards and 10 touchdowns.

The Thorobreds have attempted just 34 passes this season.

Mason County rushed for 320 yards in last week's 50-43 loss to Bourbon County.

Seth Chambers rushed for 225 yards and three touchdowns last week and has rushed for 760 yards this season.

Harrison County leads the series 12-7.

Last year, Mason County rallied from a 19-point fourth quarter deficit and beat the Thorobreds 54-48 in double overtime in Cynthiana.

Royals rally from 19-point deficit to beat Harrison County 54-48 in double overtime

The Mason County Royals rallied from a 19-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the Harrison County Thorobreds 54-48 in double overtime in a wild game under a full moon in Cynthiana Friday night.

Harrison County had only scored a total of 59 points in the first seven games (all losses), but scored 38 points in the first half Friday night.

 The Thorobreds only scored two points in the second half on a safety with 2:08 left in the third quarter. That made the score 40-21.

Mason County's comeback started with an interception by Jaylen Lofton at the Harrison County 49 yard line with 9:36 left in the game. 

Five plays later, Chandler Dunaway threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Jeremiah Jones.

Dunaway recovered the ensuing onside kick at the Harrison County 47 yard line.

On the third play of the drive, Dunaway connected with Jones again on a 44-yard touchdown pass.

After a Harrison County punt, Mason County drove 76 yards in 1:33 for the tying touchdown on a 27-yard run by Tykeise Henry. The point-after try hit the crossbar of the goal post.

The Thorobreds went three-and-out and Mason County started on its 14 yard line with 1:14 to play.

On the sixth play of the drive, Dunaway ran 31 yards but was tackled at the Harrison County six yard line as time expired.

Harrison County scored a touchdown on a 10-yard run by Chase Blanton on the first play of overtime. Then Blanton scored on a two-point conversion run.

Mason County answered with a 10-yard touchdown run by Malklom Devine on the Royals' first play on the their series. Devine forced a second overtime by scoring on the two-point conversion run.

The Royals had the ball first in the second overtime and Dunaway scored on a quarterback sneak on third and goal from the one yard line giving Mason County's its first lead of the game. The conversion run failed.

Harrison County fumbled on its second play. Nailen Billie and Camdyn Washinton fell on the loose ball giving Mason County's its fourth win of the season and its in first district play.

Dunaway passed for 123 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 96 yards and two touchdowns.

Devine rushed for 203 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries. He ran 82 yards for a touchdown on Mason County's first play.  

Lofton had a fumble recovery and a touchdown reception to go along with his interception.

Mason County had 446 yards of total offense to 254 for Harrison County.

The No. 3 seed in the district will be on the line when the Royals play the Holmes Bulldogs in Covington next week.

HC 1st Q 10:29 Buddy Burns 31 yard pass from Ben VanHook (Ben VanHook run) HC 8, MC 0

MC 1st Q 10:11 Malkolm Devine 82 yard run (Brock Gilligan kick) HC 8, MC 7

HC 1st Q 4:51 Chase Blanton 9 yard pass from Ben VanHook (Chase Blanton run) HC 16, MC 7

MC 1st Q 2:47 Chandler Dunaway 1 yard run (Brock Gilligan kick) HC 16, MC 14

HC 1st Q 00:07 Ben VanHook 4 yard run (Chase Burton run) HC 24, MC 14

HC 2nd Q 7:51 Chase Blanton 30 yard run (run failed) HC 30, MC 14

MC 2nd Q 7:02 Jaylen Lofton 25 yard pass from Chandler Dunaway (Brock Gilligan kick) HC 30, MC 21

HC 2nd Q 00:35 Chase Blanton 8 yard pass from Ben VanHook (Ben VanHook run) HC 38, MC 21

HC 3rd Q 2:08 safety HC 40, MC 21

MC 4th Q 7:59 Jeremiah Jones 11 yard pass from Chandler Dunaway (Brock Gilligan kick) HC 40, MC 28

MC 4th Q 7:38 Jeremiah Jones 44 yard pass from Chandler Dunaway (kick failed) HC 40, MC 34

MC 4th Q 2:00 Tykeise Henry 27 yard run (kick failed) HC 40, MC 40

HC OT Chase Blanton 10 yard run (Chase Blanton run) HC 48, MC 40

MC OT Malkolm Devine 10 yard run (Malkolm Devine run) HC 48, MC 48

MC 2 OT Chandler Dunaway 1 yard run (run failed) MC 54, HC 48

Royals go for first district win tonight at Harrison County

The Mason County Royals, coming off back-to-back heartbreaking losses will try to pick up their first district win tonight when they play the 0-7 Harrison County Thorobreds in Cynthiana.

Mason County lost to Scott 27-21 in overtime two weeks and was edged by Bourbon County 27-26 last week to fall to 3-3 overall and 0-2 in the district.

Harrison County has lost 10 straight games since beating Mason County 35-21 last season.

The Thorobreds have lost to Holmes (14-6) and Scott (46-6) in district games. 

Harrison County has only scored 59 points while giving up 282 points.

Senior quarterback Ben VanHook has passed for 597 yards and three touchdowns. He has thrown eight interceptions. VanHook has rushed for three touchdowns.

Chase Blanton is Harrison County's leading rusher with 474 yards and three touchdowns on 102 carries.

Harrison County leads the series with Mason County 12-6 and has won the last two meetings.

The Royals' last win over the Thorobreds was in 2014.

Tale of two halves as Harrison Co. beats Mason Co. 35-21

The Harrison County Thorobreds outscored the Mason County Royals 28-0 in the second half for a 35-21 victory tonight at Mason County.

Mason County tailback Tyrion Fox rushed for 101 yards and two touchdowns in the first half, but suffered an injury in the second quarter and sat out the rest of the game.

Mason County scored on its first two possessions and racked up 207 yards of total offense in the first half, but only had 64 yards in the second half.

Harrison County scored on its first three possessions of the  second half  and had 233 yards of offense in the second half after picking up just 60 yards in the first half.

Harrison County running back Luke Slucher rushed for 112 yards and three touchdowns.

Mason County had first and goal at  the Harrison County 8 yard line and first and 10 on the Thorobreds' 12 yard line on back-to-back possessions, but couldn't cash in.

Mason County (2-5 overall and 1-2 in the district) hosts Holmes on Homecoming next week.

Harrison County is 5-3 overall and 3-0 in the district.

MC 1st Q 6:36 Tyrion Fox 31 yard run (passed failed) MC 6, HC 0
HC 1st Q 2:50 Luke Slucher 1 yard run (Austin Jackson kick) HC 7, MC 6
MC 2nd Q 10:58 Tyrion Fox 3 yard run (Montez Johns run) MC 14, HC 7
MC 2nd Q 00:34 Malkolm Devine 5 yard run (Travis Whisman kick) MC 21, HC 7
HC 3rd Q 11:31 Luke Slucher 25 yard run (Austin Jackson kick) MC 21, HC 14
HC 3rd Q 8:05 Luke Slucher 8 yard run (Austin Jackson kick) MC 21, HC 21
HC 3rd Q 3:30 Chase Blanton 8 yard run (Austin Jackson kick) HC 28, MC 21
HC 4th Q 5:34 Ben VanHook 2 yard run (Austin Jackson kick) HC 35, MC 21