Aces focused on Falcons
Oct. 20—The Owensboro Catholic High School football team is sailing along with a perfect 8-0 record and is ranked No.1 in Class 2-A according to the KHSAA's Ratings percentage Index (RPI), but if you think Aces head coach Jason Morris has his mind on anything other than this week's opponent, you would be mistaken.
Upstart Fort Campbell comes calling to Steele Stadium at 7 p.m. Friday, and the Falcons are priority No 1 — with the winner earning the district's No. 1 seed in the postseason.
"Fort Campbell is greatly improved from the team we played in the first round of the playoffs last year," said OCHS head coach Jason Morris, whose team dispatched the Falcons 54-8 on Nov. 4, 2022, at Steele Stadium. "Last year, they were young in spots, but they're a much better team this season. They're a year older and wiser, and they're in their second season for their head coach (Henry Mitchell).
"They have good athletes all over the field and we need to play well and win this game to get where we need to be — our focus is on Fort Campbell and nothing else. Our team has done a great job of taking things one game at a time, and I expect us to do the same thing this week."
Fort Campbell (5-3, 2-0 in district) is led by quarterback JaCaryous Perryman, who has passed for 622 yards and 10 touchdowns, and has rushed for 270 yards and six scores. Running back Keyshawn Dixon has rushed for 648 yards and three TDs, and wide receiver Maurice Moore — the team's top breakaway threat — has 36 receptions fo 525 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Defensively, the Falcons are paced by Keyshawn Dixon, who has registered 104 total tackles, including 9.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. Torrance Dixon leads the team with three interceptions, returning one for a touchdown.
In its most recent outing on Oct, 6, Fort Campbell beat Todd County Central 24-14 at Elkton. In that one, Perryman passed for 148 yards and two touchdowns, and he rushed for 119 yards and a TD.
"Defensively, we've got to make sure they don't big-play us, because that's something they've been able to do against some of their other opponents," Morris said. "We have to be sound, fundamentally, and not let their skill guys get behind us."
Owensboro Catholic (8-0, 2-0) is led by junior quarterback Brady Atwell, who has completed 167 of 227 passes for 2,532 yards and 38 touchdowns, with just four interceptions. The 6-foot-3, 235-pound Atwell has also rushed for 293 yards and eight scores.
Atwell's primary target has been senior Tutt Carrico, who has 46 receptions for 931 yards and 14 touchdowns, but there are a host of other Aces receivers capable of big games. No less than nine players have caught touchdowns from Atwell this fall.
"Our offensive game plan never really changes based on the opponent," Morris said. "What we need to do is protect Brady and allow him to get the football to our playmakers in space — this is what makes us go."
On the defensive side, the Aces continue to be led by junior linebacker Vince Carrico, who has 121 total tackles, including nine tackles for loss and two sacks. Tutt Carrico has 61 total tackles, including 7.5 tackles for loss, and a team-high two interceptions.
"We just want to continue to fly to the football and make the tackle once we get there," Morris said. "Fort Campbell is pretty good at making something positive happen when plays break down, so we just have to play solid team defense.
"This is a challenging game to win the district, but it's good that it lands in this spot on the schedule," Morris said. "It's a good preparation for what we'll be facing the rest of the way."
