The Nelson County Cardinals and the Bardstown Tigers enter tonight\'s football game heading in different directions.
The Class A Tigers (2-0) routed their first two opponents and the 4-A Cardinals (0-2) have been routed. The Tigers are a senior-laced team with experience while Nelson County is young and inexperienced. The Tigers\' offense has been explosive and their defense unbending. The Cardinals haven\'t stopped their opponents and have scored 14 points in two games.
The game has the makings of being a lopsided affair, but last year is evidence Bardstown shouldn\'t take the Cardinals lightly.
"Any time you play Nelson County, it\'s huge," Bardstown coach Joey Downs said. "Nelson County will fight to get out the of hole. Last year is clear in our mind and we are staying focused."
Bardstown upset then-ranked No. 6 Nelson County 25-20 last season. This season is a reversal of last year\'s game and Downs is hoping his team isn\'t the victim.
"They still have a lot of good players," Downs said. "Jamie Keene and Matt Rogers can be super. We don\'t want what happened last year to happen this year. It was a good lesson to us."
The Cardinals know they have an uphill climb, but aren\'t giving the game to Bardstown.
"Both sides of the line have to find something," Nelson County fullback Matt Rogers said. "The little guys have to play big."
Bardstown is hoping tonight isn\'t the night the Cardinals turn things around.
"It\'s going to be another great game," Bardstown linebacker Melvo Scott said. "We are going to do our best and if we play the way we have been, we are going to win.
"We aren\'t going to overlook them like they did us last year, which came back to haunt them," Scott added. "We hope they keep struggling. We are trying to stay focused. It\'s another game. Our goal is to go to the state championship."
Bardstown has rushed for 624 yards in two games. It used 15 running backs on its way to 353 rushing yards in a 41-13 win over LaRue County. Nelson County is fully aware of the Tigers\' speed.
"We have to contain them and keep them between the tackles," Nelson County linebacker Evan Hopper said.
The Cardinals have to pay close attention to special teams play as well. Bardstown\'s Kwasi Obeng returned a kick 90 yards last year for the go-ahead score.
"They have great speed," Rogers said.
Downs said last season\'s game has something to offer every fan.
"We had two field goals and a kickoff return," he said. "How many games do you get two field goals that are the difference of the game? It was one of the better regular season games I\'ve been involved in."
Downs has been involved in many of these rivalry games. He has an 8-7 record against Nelson County.
"We\'ve been even the past 15 years," Downs said. "When you can stay .500 against a 4-A team, that\'s good."
At this moment, the Cardinals will take a win over any team from any class.
"We\'re pretty confident," Rogers said. "We\'ve had a good week of practice and we\'ll give it our all."
Rogers, who rushed for 1,000 yards two years ago and nearly 1,000 last season, admits it\'s tough as a senior being a part of a team that is rebuilding.
"It\'s rough, but we have to come together and make the best out of what we have," he said.
The best of what Bardstown has is speed.
"That\'s our strong point," Downs said. "We are blessed with so much speed, we can put pressure on the corners and that opens up the middle."
The Cardinals\' confidence has taken a hit after being outscored 108-14, Hopper said.
"Some of the team felt like laying down, but we have to stay together and we are still fighting and giving 100 percent effort," Hopper said. "We have to trust the man beside us."
The overall series record was not known at press time, but both head coaches agree the Tigers won about 20 of the first 22 meetings before 1990, when Downs took over for the late Garnis Martin. Those numbers would put the series record about 28-9 in favor of Bardstown, although that is not an exact number.
Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. at Nelson County High School.
NATIONAL
STATES
