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.)

Three Mason County wrestlers qualify for the boys' state tournament

Three Mason County wrestlers have qualified for the boys' state tournament.

Evan Martin (113) was the Region 8 runner-up on Saturday at Boyd County Middle School. Martin is a back-to-back state qualifier.

Bryson Carrington (150) is a three-time state qualifier after taking fourth place at the region tournament.

Theron Ritchie (HWT) took third place at region to earn his first trip to the state tournament.

Three other Ragin' Royals placed at the region tournament:

• Adam Miller (120), fifth place
• Creston Fuller (138), fifth place
• Taten Carrington (175), sixth place

Mason County finished fifth out of 23 teams.

The Boys' State Wrestling Championships presented by UK HealthCare will take place February 28 and March 1 at Alltech Arena in Lexington.

Mason County wrestlers fifth at Warhawk Duals

With a 3-2 record the Mason County wrestling team finished in fifth place at the Warhawk Duals in Georgetown on Saturday.

The Royals defeated Scott County 42-40, Western Hills 42-40 and Henry Clay 48-30 and lost to Great Crossing 72-6 and Bullitt Central 48-33.

Barry Gifford (175) went 5-0 with five pins.

Colton Kinney (215/285) had two wins while wrestling up a weight class most of the day.

Izley Morales (190/215) and Taten Carrington (190/215) each had a pin while competing up a weight class.

Carson Ginn (157), Hunter Truesdell (150) and Bryson Carrington (120) had two wins apiece. 

The boys will be back in action Friday night at West Carter. The girls travel to Taylor County on Saturday.