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Pioneers survive Conner and the conditions

Hebron, KY – The Simon Kenton Pioneers knocked off the Conner Cougars 13-6 Friday night at Fred Nevel Stadium.

Every match up in the tri-state dealt with wet conditions Friday night but Fred Nevel Stadium still has a grass field creating a very muddy playing surface that slowed both offenses to a crawl.

“There were puddles everywhere we’re obviously not used to playing on a grass field and we had to change up our whole game plan because of it, you can’t throw the ball when every ball that comes out is soaked,” said senior quarterback Matt Shearer.

Shearer, who had thrown for a little over 200 yards per game after Simon Kenton’s first two contests, still led his team but did so on the ground instead with 86 rushing yards and a pair of six yard touchdowns.

Conner looked more in control during the first half and the Cougars were the first team to get on the scoreboard as senior wide receiver Matt Simpson scored a one yard rushing touchdown on an end around.

That score was set up by a 43 yard punt return by Simpson as he was the top player on the field for Conner. Simpson finished with 46 rushing yards and also had four tackles and three assists on defense.

The Pioneers were able to take advantage of an interception from senior defensive back Brayden Trattles near the end of the first half that gave them the ball on the Cougar 25 yard line and less than two minutes later Shearer would knot the score at six.

Once both teams emerged from the halftime locker room it appeared that Simon Kenton had made some adjustments to both the weather and the Conner defense.

“They were putting nine people in the box and daring us to throw it and why wouldn’t you in conditions like this, we made some adjustments at halftime and actually combined a couple formations to give us some extra blockers in the box,” said head coach Jeff Marksberry.

In the second half the Pioneers won the battle in the trenches on offense and defense which is always crucial to getting a victory, but particularly on a wet and muddy field.

Defensively Simon Kenton was led by a pair of junior defensive lineman as J.J. Courtney and Treyvon Nash were a big reason that the Pioneers allowed just 164 yards on the night.

“They worked really hard in the offseason to get stronger, and I feel like we’re big enough and strong enough to sit in there and trade punches with people and we’ve got three linebackers that can really run too,” said Marksberry.

Simon Kenton had a 19 game regular season winning streak snapped last October, but the win Friday marks it’s fourth straight regular season victory and 41 regular season wins in the team’s last 43 games.

“There’s a tradition and a legacy left for us and we have to keep it going and continue what they’ve started,” said Shearer.

Simon Kenton 0-6-6-0-13
Conner            0-6-0-0- 6

C: Simpson 1 run (run failed)
S: Shearer 6 run (run failed)
S: Shearer 6 run (Seger kick)

RECORDS: Simon Kenton (3-0); Conner (1-1)
UP NEXT: Dixie Heights (0-2) at Simon Kenton; Conner at Scott

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