Christian Academy too much for Bell County, wins Kentucky Class 3A football title

LEXINGTON — The underdog Bell County High School football team did everything it could to keep the explosive Christian Academy offense off the field during Saturday’s Class 3A championship game.

It didn’t matter.

CAL scored touchdowns on five of its six offensive possessions and got three rushing scores from quarterback Cole Hodge to beat the Bobcats 41-16 in front of 6,205 fans at University of Kentucky’s Kroger Field.

The No. 1-ranked Centurions (14-1) won its second straight state title and fourth since 2016, the first two coming in Class 2A.

“Four state championships in the last eight years, that has to be considered a blueblood program,” CAL coach Hunter Cantwell said. “A lot of people to thank for that.”

Hodge, an East Carolina University commit, completed 18 of 20 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns and also rushed for 37 yards on six carries. Junior Connor Hodge, Cole’s younger brother, had eight catches for 75 yards and a score.

Before the game, Cole Hodge was named Class 3A Player of the Year by the Kentucky Football Coaches Association.

“I’m partial, but I think Mr. Football today was wearing red,” Cantwell said of Cole Hodge.

Added Hodge: “That would mean the world to me. I worked really hard, and I’m just thankful for my guys around me. Everyone around me has done their jobs.”

No. 6 Bell County (13-2) won the opening toss and used its patented rushing attack to control possession for the entire first quarter. On the second play of the second quarter, Blake Evans carried 2 yards for a touchdown. He then converted the 2-point conversion to give the Bobcats an 8-0 lead before CAL ran a play.

Bell County finished with a whopping 35:48-12:12 advantage in time of possession.

“I know the key to a very successful, high-powered offense is not let them have the ball,” Bell County coach Dudley Hilton said. “We did that. … We wanted to win, but sometimes you just have to know when you’re going against a giant.”

The Centurions certainly made the most of the time they had the ball, averaging 9.4 yards on 30 offensive plays. CAL needed just four plays to pull within 8-7 on Hodge's first touchdown run, a 1-yarder.

After the Bobcats turned the ball over on downs, Hodge rushed for a 7-yard score to make it 14-8 at the 1:47 mark of the first half.

“Our O-line was amazing today,” Hodge said. “I can’t speak enough for them. Those guys worked their butts off.”

Cantwell said switching from a four-man front to a five-man front after Bell County’s first drive was a key adjustment.

“That was the difference in the game,” Cantwell said, “and the offense kept on clicking when they were out there.”

Down 28-16, Bell County marched into CAL territory late in the third quarter. But on the first play of the fourth quarter, CAL's John Cobaugh stripped the ball from Evans and returned it 79 yards for a touchdown and a 34-16 lead.

Bell County fans argued the play should have been whistled dead before Cobaugh gained possession.

“That was a big momentum swing,” Cantwell said. “In my mind, that kind of put the game away for us. We tell our guys all the time to play through the echo of the whistle. … He made a play for us at a critical time and put the game away.”

Bell County's Daniel Thomas, who set a single-season state record for rushing yards this year, finished with 132 yards and a touchdown on 39 carries. He finished his season with 3,814 rushing yards and 54 rushing touchdowns.

But the day belonged to the Centurions.

“(Bell County) gave us a lot better game than people thought it was going to be,” Cantwell said. “Hats off to Bell County and their players and staff. But I’m so proud of this group.”

BELL COUNTY                 0         8         8         0 - 16

CHRISTIAN ACADEMY    0         14       14       13 - 41

Second quarter

BC – Blake Evans 1 run (Evans run)

CAL – Cole Hodge 1 run (Madden Miller kick)

CAL – Hodge 7 run (Miller kick)

Third quarter

CAL – Justin Ruffin 31 pass from Hodge (Miller kick)

BC – Justin Thomas 37 run (Evans run)

CAL – Hodge 5 run (Miller kick)

Fourth quarter

CAL – John Cobaugh 79 fumble return (kick failed)

CAL - Connor Hodge 5 pass from Cole Hodge (Miller kick)

More high school football: Boyle County, Pikeville repeat as KHSAA champions; Mayfield wins Class 2A shootout

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky high school football: Christian Academy beats Bell County