While the matchup between West Holmes (5-2, 3-1) and Lexington (3-4, 2-2) was close to start with the Minutemen holding a one-touchdown lead at the end of the first, Quarterback Morgan Smith went off for more than 450 yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns, as the Knights exploded with a 62-28 win in front of a homecoming crowd.
Smith has been on fire the past two weeks but this was just a whole other level. Against Lexington he threw for 383 yards and five touchdowns. Smith also ran for 70 yards on the day, and took it in for three rushing scores.
Lexington quarterback Joe Caudill took the ball in on a QB sneak with 6:28 left in the first, and an extra point made it a 7-0 lead for the Minutemen. This didn’t last long, as Smith launched a 69-yard touchdown pass to Logan Zollars with 4:37 left in the first. Zollars ran a perfect route that left him wide open with no defenders in sight. Smith tossed a perfect pass to Zollars in stride, who easily trotted into the end zone to tie up the game, as the extra point was good. Caudill responded with a 22-yard touchdown pass to Sevyn Allen, and an extra point made it a 14-7 game at the end of one.
With 11:27 left in the second quarter, Smith took the ball in on a QB keeper from two yards out to tie the game. Smith was dazzling at this point, getting off huge runs and pass plays, which led to a huge 78-yard touchdown pass to Nate Fair to go up 21-14 with 8:14 left in the half. Caudill tied the game back up with a QB sneak from a yard out with 5:24 left, but Smith took it in himself as well, from 12-yard with 1:34 left to go up 28-21. As the half was coming to a close, Smith hit Yale commit Kyle Maltarich on a screen pass that came on 4th down, which turned into a 52-yard touchdown to make it a 35-21 game.
“We were going to run a post or Hail Mary, or something deep, but we saw they were playing off it,” Smith said after the game, noting that after a timeout called by Lexington they adjusted with a screen pass.
He gave credit to Maltarich for the terrific play getting to the end zone before the half ended.
“He made an awesome play,” Smith said.
With 4:36 left in the third quarter, West Holmes had good field position after a botched snap on a punt led to an incomplete pass to turn the ball over on downs. Smith ran the ball on a QB draw and used his strength and speed to barrel over tacklers and get to the end zone for a 31-yard rushing touchdown. As time was winding down in the third quarter, Maltarich caught a 22-yard touchdown pass to make it a 49-21 game.
In the fourth quarter, Maltarich got in on the scoring again. This time is was on the defensive side, as he picked off a Caudill pass and ran it all the way back for an 85-yard pick-six score with 10:41 left. Fair caught an 18-yard touchdown with 5:04 left and the scoring barrage continued with Brayden Fogle catching an 11-yard touchdown pass with a minute on the clock.
Caudill had 59 yards rushing with two touchdowns to lead Lexington.
Smith said with a conference matchup against the 4-3 Ashland Arrows, they just need to focus and practice hard throughout the week.
Remaining games for West Holmes:
Friday, Oct. 6, 7 p.m. at Ashland
Friday, Oct. 13, 7 p.m. at New Philadelphia
Friday, Oct. 20, 7 p.m. vs. Mount Vernon
Remaining games for Lexington
Friday, Oct. 6, 7 p.m. vs. New Philadelphia
Friday, Oct. 13, 7 p.m. at Madison Comprehensive
Friday, Oct. 20, 7 p.m. vs. Ashland
