By Tim Branstetter / Staff Writer
The South Laurel Cardinals stumbled through their first season under new head coach Larry Welch finishing with a 4-7 record, but they managed to achieve their main goal which was to make the playoffs.
Welch feels his team was only a few plays away from a much better season.
“I’m pleased to a certain extent,” he said. “There were games that if we would have caught a little break here or there, we would have had a much better outcome. It could have led to several more wins for us.”
The Cardinals got off to a rough start with a 34-6 loss to Letcher County Central, but bounced back with a solid performance in the Cumberland Valley Bowl by defeating Williamsburg 32-26. They fell behind by three scores, but battled back thanks to Tyler Vaughn. Vaughn rushed for 227 yards and five touchdowns against the Yellow Jackets.
“Being able to fight back in the Williamsburg game was big for us,” Welch said. “That showed what we could do. It was a real good win for us.”
The Cardinals dropped three straight games starting with a 7-6 loss to their cross-town rival North Laurel. They were defeated 30-13 by Clay County and Vaughn was held to 22 yards rushing. Their third straight loss came against Corbin (21-0), but the Cardinals were not ready to fold up their tents just yet.
“We had several injuries,” Welch added. “But when our line was healthy, they made Vaughn look better and he made them look better. They really fed off each other.”
The Cardinals got back on the winning track with a 26-21 win over Mercer County on the road. Vaughn led the way with 155 yards on 24 carries and added three touchdowns. Ryan Quinn rushed for 33 yards and a touchdown.
“Mercer County was a big win,” Welch said. “It was a district win and we played in the pouring rain. We took the ball away on a fumble with two minutes remaining and were able to score.”
After two straight losses, the Cardinals defeated Lincoln County 29-21 to improve their record to 3-6. Vaughn rushed for 110 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries. Quarterback J.D. Wright completed 7 of 10 for 78 yards and a touchdown.
The Cardinals then finished off their regular season with a big 42-13 win over Middlesboro. Vaughn rushed for 167 yards and two touchdowns. Chase McWhorter added 78 yards and a touchdown.
The Cardinals were forced to travel to Whitley County to face the Colonels in the first round of the district tournament and could not overcome penalties to pull off the upset.
“Whitley County is a great offensive team,” Welch added. “We were moving the ball well, but then penalties killed us. We had a laundry basket full of them.”
Welch told his team to not hang their heads and remember the improvements they made during the season.
“We had some good things happen this season,” he said. “We needed to reflect on that. We do have some younger kids who are good athletes. That’s what makes high school football interesting.”
