Beech Tree News Network

Butler County (6-3, 3-2) turned in a dominating performance on Friday night in Lewisport as the Bears walloped the Hancock County Hornets 53-0 in a game that was never in doubt.  The win gave Butler County sole possession of the #3 seed in Class 2A, District 2 in the post-season KHSAA playoffs, which will begin Friday, November 8.  Butler County is looking at Murray High School for its first-round opponent.

A Bryce Shanklin interception led to the Bears' first touchdown as Jake Martin took a Shanklin pass 40 yards to the end zone at 9:19.  Martin's kick made the score 7-0. 
Strong defensive play by Connor Reed and Dakota Merrick, among others, stopped Hancock on their next possession.  For Butler County, Shanklin hit Kory Johnson for an 18-yard gain before gaining another 18 yards himself on a keeper.  Cody White picked up seven yards and Shanklin hit receivers Matt Moore and Drake Embry to keep the ball moving.  Martin scored again from 16 yards out at 5:00 to move the Bears ahead. Martin's kick was good. 

Narrowly avoiding a safety, the Hornets went three-and-out. 
Butler County converted a key fourth-and-five play on a pass from Shanklin over the shoulder of Martin.  Shankling crossed the goal line on the next play but the extra-point kick was no good.
Following a roughing-the-passer penalty on Butler County, Hancock was finally able to generate a bit of offense with a combination of passing and running plays.  But,  a Hornet fumble ended the drive.
Leading 20-0, new quarterback Jimmy Burns took the Bears' offense airborn with completions to Matt Moore, Drake Embry, and Kory Johnson.  However, a Bear fumble ended that drive. 

Butler's defense stopped the Hornets cold on their next possession.  An 11-yard completion from Burns to Moore set the stage for a 60-yard touchdown on a pass from Burns to Embry.  The Burns/Embry combo connected for the two-point conversion to give Butler County a 28-0 lead. 
The Bears' offense kept rolling in the second quarter as Drake Embry blocked a Hancock punt and John Peyton took it 22 yards for the touchdown.  Late in the half, Burns found Embry again for a 12-yard touchdown play.  Martin's kick was good to give the Bears a 41-0 lead, which started a running clock.

Butler County added two more touchdowns in the second half and a penalty brought one back - a Shanklin-Embry pass completion.  Shanklin found Russell Woosley for a 28-yard touchdown at 6:00.  John Peyton scored from 40 yards out with 7:00 left in the game to make the final score 53-0.
Butler County will be in action again on Friday night at Brownsville against Edmonson County.  It will be the Bears' last regular season game.  Kick-off is set for 7 p.m.  
 
 

BC    20    21    6    6        53
HC    0      0     0     0        0

Team Stats:
First downs:  BC 18, HC 6
Rushing yards:  BC 152, HC 35
Passing comp./att.:  BC 18 for 24; HC 3 for 16
Passing yards:  BC 241; HC 15
Passing TD/INT:  BC 4/0; HC 0/1
Punts/average:  BC 0/0; HC 5/17
Fumbles/lost:  BC 1-1; HC 2-2
Penalties/yards:  BC 7/60; HC 2/15
Time of Possession:  BC 20:44; HC 27:16

Passing Stats:
Shanklin - 9 for 14 for 123 yards; 2 TDs; no interceptions
Burns - 9 for 10 for 118 yards; 2 TDs; no interceptions

Rushing Stats:
Martin - 5 attempts, 32 yards
Shanklin - 7 attempts, 64 yards
Brooks - 1 attempt, 2 yards
White - 2 attempts, 12 yards
Weathers - 1 attempt, 3 yards
Peyton - 1 attempt, 42 yards

Receiving Stats:
Martin - 2 receptions for 50 yards
Johnson - 2 receptions for 21 yards
Moore - 5 receptions for 33 yards
Embry - 7 receptions for 100 yards
Woosley - 1 receptions for 28 yards
Deweese - 1 reception for 9 yards

Tackles:   
Cortez - 2
Hampton - 1.5
Reed - 2
Martin - 6.5
Bratcher - 1
Lee - 1
Shanklin - 1
Courtenay - 2.5
Merrick - 1.5
Cox - 2.5
Henderson - 1
Deweese - 1
Woodcock - 1
Embry - .5

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This sports coverage is brought to you by the sponsors of the 2013-14 BC Sports Package with WLBQ/BtN. We are grateful for their continued support of Butler County student-athletes.
The following are 2013-14 BC Sports Package Sponsors:

 - Jones Funeral Chapel & Monument Company
 - Morgantown Bank & Trust
 - Hocker Family Insurance
 - Parkway Cars & Tires
 - PBI Bank
 - Final Finish
 - Butler County Farm Bureau Insurance
 - Bluegrass Oral Health
 - Orthopedics Plus Physical Therapy
 - Butler County Board of Education
 - Warren RECC
 - Butler County Drug Free Coalition
 - Butler County Judge-Executive David Fields
 - Tiffany's Tanning

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- Story by John Embry; photos by David Hocker and Diane Dyer, BtN/WLBQ.