Heighton, Rams race past Musketeers

By Rick Elmore

The Greenup Beacon

Jacob Heighton passed for 384 yards and six touchdowns to capture Raceland’s Iron Bowl most valuable player award and helped his team to a 48-20 defeat of Greenup County on Friday.

The rivalry game was the home opener for the Musketeers while it handed the Rams its first victory of the year.

Heighton, Raceland’s senior quarterback, misfired on five of his first seven pass attempts, but when he found consistency the Rams got going.

Raceland (1-2) trailed Greenup Co. 7-0 in the first quarter when Heighton made his first completion. That was a 65-yard pass to Connor Hughes on a slant pattern and the junior wide receiver streaked past the Greenup Co. secondary for the score.

It was the only play of the drive for the Rams, but it still trailed after the extra point try missed its mark leaving the Musketeers still in control at 7-6.

Greenup Co. (1-1) appeared to have control of the game early. The Musketeers took the opening drive of the game and marched to a first-and-goal from the Raceland 5-yard line.

Quintan Farrow, MVP for Greenup Co. in the game, set the scoring drive up with a 49-yard run. Quarterback Carson Wireman then found wide receiver Austin Clarkson in the back of the end zone to give the Musketeers the lead.

Farrow paced the Greenup Co. attack with 106 yards rushing on 22 carries.

It was the only lead Greenup Co. would have.

Parker Fannin gave Raceland the lead for good when he hauled in a pass from Heighton for a 44-yard score at 9:58 of the second quarter. The Rams converted the point after and led 13-7.

Raceland stretched the lead to 20-7 on its next drive when Heighton connected with Fannin again, this time on a 43-yard pass with 5:55 to play in the second period.

Greenup Co. didn’t go away quietly.

Wireman and Clarkson pulled the Musketeers to within 20-14 with 2:05 left in the first half after the senior receiver hauled in a 27-yard TD catch.

Raceland used the third quarter to put the game away. The Rams scored twice in the quarter including on the first drive of the second half.

Heighton needed two plays to get his team in the end zone and the scoring play came on a 65-yard TD pass to Landyn Newman to make it 27-14.

With 7:06 to play in the third quarter, Heighton tossed his fifth TD pass to Ethan Melvin for a 34-14 lead.

Raceland had one rushing touchdown in the contest. That came with 8:42 to play in the game when running back Noah Wallace barreled into the end zone for a 5-yard score.

The final touchdown from Heighton came on a 36-yard touchdown pass to Hughes for his second receiving touchdown.

“The reason I had six touchdowns was my receivers making catches and my O-line having a hell of a game,” said Heighton.

Greenup Co. set the final score with a 4-yard rushing touchdown from Wireman, though Raceland blocked the extra point try with 24 seconds left in the game. The sophomore was 10 of 19 passing for 101 yards and two touchdowns.

Wireman threw one interception.

Raceland head coach Mike Salmons told his team in a huddle following the Iron Bowl trophy presentation that his team had improved from its Sept. 18 loss to East Jessamine in which it fell behind by three scores early.

“We got to make sure we don’t take any steps back,” Salmons said. “We didn’t take any steps back the last two weeks. We keep doing that in November the chips will fall where they may.”

Next up for the Rams will be a first ever home game with the Ashland Tomcats. Kickoff will be at 7:30 on Friday.

Greenup Co. will be at home again for its next contest when it hosts Montgomery County at 7:30 on Friday. Head coach Zack Moore said the loss to its rival gave his team some adversity to overcome before it faces the Indians.

“We have to learn to take the fight to people a little bit, especially in the secondary,” Moore said. “We go really from an offense that likes to throw it to a team that likes to pound the ball. It will be a different type of challenge and it’s always interesting to see how the guys are going to respond to it.”

Photo by RIck Elmore

Raceland with the Iron Bowl trophy after its 48-20 win over Greenup Co. on Friday.