Royals fall to Newport Central Catholic 42-21

The Mason County Royals fell behind 21-0 in the first quarter and lost to the Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds 42-21 in the final game of the regular season on Thursday night at Covington Catholic.

Mason County scored two touchdowns in the second quarter. Lennie Avery rushed for the first touchdown and Camden Gregory, playing for the first time since suffering an injury on October 3, threw a touchdown pass to Micah Payne.

Newport Central Catholic (6-4) led 28-14 at halftime and extended the lead to 42-14 before Gregory ran three yards for Mason County's third touchdown.

Newport Central Catholic running back Eddie Bivens rushed for 173 yards and three touchdowns and caught a touchdown pass.

Mason County (3-7) will play the Ashland Tomcats in the first round of the Class AAAA playoffs on November 7 in Ashland. 

(Game statistics courtesy of JT Teegarden and Drew Spangler of WFTM radio.)

Royals beat Harrison County 35-7 in district opener

Kyson Fox passed for 173 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for another score as the Mason County Royals defeated the Harrison County Thorobreds 35-7 in their district opener on Friday night in Cynthiana.

Mason County led 14-0 at halftime on a one-yard touchdown run by Lennie Avery and a 25-yard touchdown pass from Fox to Carter Roark.

Harrison County cut the Royals' lead in half by scoring a touchdown on the opening drive of the third quarter, but Mason County responded by scoring 21 unanswered points.

Fox rushed four yards for a touchdown and threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Micah Payne. Kenyon Walton capped off the scoring with a two-yard touchdown run.

Taten Carrington had two interceptions for Mason County.

The Royals, 3-4 overall and 1-0 in the district, will host the Highland Bluebirds next week.

MC 2nd Q 7:13 Lennie Avery 1 yard run (Micah Payne kick) MC 7, HC 0

MC 2nd Q 00:02 Carter Roark 25 yard pass from Kyson Fox (Micah Payne kick) MC 14, HC 0

HC 3rd Q 7:58 Karsyn Sumpter 11 yard run (Logan Harris kick) MC 14, HC 7

MC 3rd Q 2:06 Kyson Fox 4 yard run (Micah Payne kick) MC 21, HC 7

MC 4th Q 5:18 Micah Payne 19 yard pass  (Micah Payne kick) MC 28, HC 7

MC 4th Q 3:27 Kenyon Walton 2 yard run (Micah Payne kick) MC 35, HC 7

(Game statistics courtesy of Travis Scaggs and Drew Spangler of WFTM radio.)

Royals fall to Lawrence County 41-13

A short-handed Mason County Royals football team stayed with the Lawrence County Bulldogs for a half before being outscored 27-0 in the second half in a 41-13 loss on Friday night in Louisa.

With first-string quarterback Camden Gregory lost for the season with an injury and running back Lennie Avery sidelined with an injury, sophomore quarterback Kyson Fox, in his first varsity start, threw two touchdown passes to Micah Payne and the Royals only trailed 14-13 at halftime.

The second half was all Lawrence County.

The Bulldogs scored on the opening drive of the third quarter, added another score in the third quarter and two more in the fourth quarter.

Fox left the game with an injury in the opening minute of the fourth quarter. Payne took over at quarterback, but he also left the game with an injury. Freshman Brylee Gardner was the next man up.

Mason County (2-4) will open district play next week vs. the Harrison County Thorobreds in Cynthiana.

LC 1st Q 3:01 Cavin Williams 9 yard run (Brayden Queen kick) LC 7, MC 0

MC 2nd Q 9:53 Micah Payne 24 yard pass from Kyson Fox (Micah Payne kick) LC 7, MC 7

LC 2nd Q 9:01 Cavin Williams 6 yard run (Brayden Queen kick) LC 14, MC 13

MC 2nd Q 00:13 Micah Payne 9 yard pass from Kyson Fox (kicked failed) LC 21, MC 13

LC 3rd Q 8:08 Cavin Williams 11 yard run (run failed) LC 20, MC 13

LC 3rd Q 2:02 Chandler Preece 1 yard run (Brayden Queen kick) LC 27, MC 13

LC 4th Q 11:08 Kaden Johnson 49 yard pass from Luke Fetherolf (Brayden Queen kick) LC 34, MC 13

LC 4th Q 1:01 Brennan Blankenship 7 yard run (Brayden Queen kick) LC 41, MC 13

(Game statistics courtesy of Travis Scaggs and Drew Spangler of WFTM radio)

Royals get 21-13 road win over Boone County

Camden Gregory threw for a touchdown and ran for another score to lead the Mason County Royals to a 21-13 victory over the Boone County Rebels on Friday night in Florence.

After Boone County scored on the opening drive of the game, Mason County (2-3) took its first lead when Gregory threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to Carter Roark and Lennie Avery scored on a conversion run with 6:25 left in the first quarter.

Boone County (3-2) answered with a touchdown in the second quarter to lead 13-8 at halftime.

The Royals opened the third quarter with a 14-play, 60-yard scoring drive capped off by a one-yard quarterback sneak by Gregory.

Mason County tacked on another touchdown with 9:21 to play in the fourth quarter on an eight-yard run by Reid Anderson.

That touchdown was set up by an interception return to the 12- yard line by Kyson Fox.

Boone County advanced to the Mason County 33-yard line in the closing minute, but a penalty pushed the Rebels back to the 50-yard line. Following a 16-yard pass play, Boone County was unable to convert on 4th down and 11 with 11 seconds remaining.

The Royals have a bye week next week before playing at Lawrence County on October 3.

BC 1st Q 8:09 Steven Johnson 4 yard run (Eric Lipps kick) BC 7, MC 0

MC 1st Q 6:25 Carter Roark 31 yard pass from Camden Gregory (Lennie Avery run) MC 8, BC 7

BC 2nd Q 3:50 Steven Johnson 17 yard run (run failed) BC 13, MC 8

MC 3rd Q 5:23 Camden Gregory 1 yard run (pass failed) MC 14, BC 13

MC 4th Q 9:21 Reid Anderson 8 yard run (Micah Payne kick) MC 21, BC 13

(Game statistics courtesy of WFTM radio's Travis Scaggs and Drew Spangler)

Royals fall to Ashland 42-14

Missed red zone opportunities in the first half were costly to Mason County, and the Royals could not slow down Ashland's potent running game. That combination resulted in a 42-14 loss to the Tomcats on Friday night at Ashland.

Mason County had two turnovers in the red zone (fumbles) and turned the ball over on downs after driving to the Ashland six yard line.

After falling behind 28-0 in the second quarter, the Royals scored two touchdowns in the final minute of the half. 

Lennie Avery's four-yard run with 52 seconds remaining in the first half capped off a four-play, 52-yard drive. 

After Ashland drove to the Mason County 14 yard line, Cole Horch returned an interception 93 yards for a touchdown with no time remaining in the half.

The Tomcats scored a touchdown late in the third quarter and scored another touchdown early in the fourth quarter.

The Royals drove to the Ashland nine yard line, but could not punch it in with 5:05 left in the game.

Ashland rushed for 480 yards and had 590 yards of total offense in running its winning streak to nine games.

Braxton Jennings rushed for 307 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries.

Quarterback LaBryant Stader rushed for four touchdowns.

The Royals had 287 yards of total offense.

Teegin Routt passed for 237 yards including 150 in the first half.

Horch had five receptions for 106 yards.

Garryon McClain had two receptions for 82 yards.

Mason County ends the season with an 8-4 record.

A 1st Q 6:18 LaBryant Strader 1 yard run (Troy Bennett kick) A 7, MC 0

A 1st Q 3:32 Braxton Jennings 3 yard run (kick failed) A 13, MC 0

A 2nd Q 7:51 LaBryant Strader 9 yard run (Maverick Ashby pass from LaBryant Stader) A 21, MC 0

A 2nd Q 2:02 LaBryant Strader 2 yard run (Troy Bennett kick) A 28, MC 0

MC 2nd Q 00:52 Lennie Avery 4 yard run (Micah Payne kick) A 28, MC 7

MC 2nd Q 00:00 Cole Horch 93 yard interception return (Micah Payne kick) A 28, MC 14

A 3rd Q 1:12 LaBryant Strader 5 yard run (Troy Bennett kick) A 35, MC 14

A 4th Q 9:04 Braxton Jennings 6 yard run (Troy Bennett kick) A 42, MC 14

Royals lose to Lawrence County 49-20

It unraveled quickly for the Mason County Royals on Friday night.

The Royals only trailed 21-14 with 1:45 left in the first half, but were down 49-14 with 11:56 remaining in the fourth quarter as they lost to the Lawrence County Bulldogs 49-20 in the final game of the regular season.

It was Mason County's second straight loss.

After falling behind by 14-0, Mason County (7-3) got on the scoreboard when Teegin Routt threw a 43-yard touchdown pass to Cole Horch.

On the next play, Lawrence County (7-3) answered with a 62-yard touchdown pass.

Lennie Avery ran nine yards for a touchdown with 1:45 left in the second quarter.

The Bulldogs scored a touchdown with no time remaining in the first half, then recovered an onside kickoff to start the second half. Quarterback Luke Fetherholf ran four yards for a touchdown.

On the next play, Fetherholf returned an interception 43 yards for a touchdown.

Lawrence County tacked on another touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter.

The rest of the game was played with a running clock.

Mason County stopped the Bulldogs' 28-0 run when Reid Anderson rushed 34-yards for a touchdown with 3:05 left in the game. 

The Royals will host the Greenup County Musketeers next week in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs.

LC 1st Q 5:23 Andrew Ratcliff 12 yard pass from Luke Fetherholf (kick failed) LC 6, MC 0

LC 2nd Q 5:54 Carlo Chicko 23 yard pass from Luke Fetherholf  (Kaden Johnson run) LC 14, MC 0

MC 2nd Q 3:58 Cole Horch 43 yard pass from Teegin Routt (Micah Payne kick) LC 14, MC 7

LC 2nd Q 3:41 Gray Derifield 62 yard pass from Luke Fetherholf (Gray Derifield kick) LC 21, MC 7

MC 2nd Q 1:45 Lennie Avery 9 yard run (Micah Payne kick) LC 21, MC 14

LC 2nd Q 00:00 Kaden Johnson 5 yard run (kick blocked) LC 27, MC 14

LC 3rd Q 8:18 Luke Fetherholf 4 yard run (Carlo Chicko run) MC 35, MC 14

LC 3rd Q 8:05 Luke Fetherholf 43 yard interception return (Brayden Queen kick) LC 42, MC 14

LC 4th Q 11:56 Ty Brooks 4 yard run (Brayden Queen kick) LC 49, MC 14

MC 4th Q 3:05 Reid Anderson 34 yard run (run failed) LC 49, MC 14

Royals beat Fleming County for third straight victory

The Mason County Royals outscored the Fleming County Panthers 40-6 in the second half and ran their record to 3-0 with a 54-20 victory on Saturday in Flemingsburg.

Hayden Horn ran four yards for a touchdown on the Royals' first drive of the game and were up 14-2 with 4:34 left in the second quarter after Teegin Routt threw a 46-yard touchdown pass to Cole Horch.

Fleming County (0-3) tied the game with back-to-back touchdowns in the final 3:32 of the first half.

Mason County regained control of the game by scoring touchdowns on its first two possessions of the third quarter on a 20-yard pass from Routt to Garryon McClain and a three-yard run by Joey Staggs.

The Royals added two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter. K'vaughn Young recovered a fumble in the end zone and Routt threw a 43-yard TD pass to Lennie Avery.

The Panthers stopped Mason County's 26-0 run by scoring a touchdown with 6:09 remaining in the game.

The Royals added to the cushion when Routt hit Horch on a 21-yard touchdown pass and Avery returned an interception 45 yards for a touchdown.

Routt completed 15 of 26 passes for 333 yards and four touchdowns. Horch had five receptions for 140 yards and two touchdowns.

Mason County will play its third straight road game on Friday at Boyd County.

MC 1st Q 6:31 Hayden Horn 4 yard run (Micah Payne kick) MC 7, FC 0

FC 1st Q 2:06 safety MC 7, FC 2

MC 2nd Q  4:34 Cole Horch 46 yard pass from Teegin Routt (Micah Payne kick) MC 14, FC 2

FC 2nd Q 3:32 Jordan Harn 12 yard run (kick failed) MC 14, FC 8

FC 2nd Q 00:18 Aiden Johnson 21 yard pass from Owen Lowe (kick failed) MC 14, FC 14

MC 3rd Q  10:33 Garryon McClain 20 yard pass from Teegin Routt (kick failed) MC 20, FC 14

MC 3rd Q  7:45 Joey Staggs 3 yard run (run failed) MC 26, FC 14

MC 4th Q 10:21 K'vaughn Young fumble recovery in the end zone (Micah Payne kick) MC 33, FC 14

MC 4th Q 7:16 Lennie Avery 43 yard pass from Teegin Routt (Micah Payne kick) MC 40, FC 14

FC 4th Q 6:09 Evan Conley 2 yard run (kick failed) MC 40, FC 20

MC 4th Q 3:51 Cole Horch 21 yard pass from Teegin Routt (Micah Payne kick) MC 47, FC 20

MC 4th Q 2:50 Lennie Avery 45 yard interception return (Micah Payne kick) MC 54, FC 20

(Game statistics courtesy of Travis Scaggs and Drew Spangler of WFTM radio)