by Marc Harden, NKY Enquirer
Ryle blanks Boone County, 14-0
The fierce football rivalry between Boone County and Ryle resumed Friday at Owen Hauck Stadium in Florence and both teams had similar agendas: Get a win and stay in contention in the Class 6A district race following a slow start to the season.
On a night when long gainers were hard to come by, it was Ryle that received the biggest boost from big plays during a 14-0 victory over the Rebels.
"So glad we got the win," said Raiders running back Tanner Pulice, who accounted for 167 total yards. "I thought our defense played great."
After being shut out twice, Ryle recorded its first shutout of the season while limiting the Rebels to 65 total yards.
"We got a ton of three-and-outs," Pulice said. "And we got the scores."
The Raiders hit paydirt on their first possession when Pulice scooted into the end zone on a five-yard run around left end, capping a 42-yard drive set up by Pulice's 54-yard opening kickoff return.
"Tanner's a workhorse," Ryle coach Bryson Warner said of the senior, who rushed 34 times for 113 yards. "And I thought our special teams did a really good job."
Ryle made it 14-0 when track speedster Nick Kennedy fielded a punt and returned it 89 yards for a score with 11 seconds left in the first half. Kennedy, a top-10 finisher in the 100 meters at last year's Class 3A state track and field meet, broke two tackles at the Boone 25 and outran the defense for the touchdown.
Both teams wanted momentum as they head into the back half of the schedule, and Ryle got it. The Raiders (3-3) are ranked seventh in the Enquirer Northern Kentucky coaches' poll. The unranked Rebels (1-6) won for the first time last week after losing their first five.
"There were a lot of five-yard penalties and dropped passes," Boone coach Rick Thompson said as he characterized the play of his offense. Rebels quarterbacks finished 1-for-10 passing for seven yards. Boone's vaunted rushing attack was held to 58 on 1.8 yards per carry.
Ryle beat Boone for the fourth year in a row and tied the Rebels in the District 6 standings, at 1-1. The Raiders were in control from the start, outgaining Boone 100 yards to 26 in the first half. Ryle totaled 149 yards in the game, all of it on the ground as Raiders quarterback Jake Ashley, subbing for starter Nathan Davis, threw four incompletions.
Boone did not advance deep into Ryle territory until late in the third quarter when Dre Nolan recovered a fumbled punt return at the Raiders' 23. But the Rebels went backward, losing two yards on the possession. The big defensive play came from end Alex Brownell, who pressured quarterback Jesse Schulze into a misfire on second down. Brownell finished with five tackles, two for losses. Daniel Osbourne led Ryle with seven tackles.
Schulze rotated with Blake Ingolia at quarterback for Boone until Ingolia left the game early in the third after receiving a hard hit and struggling to the sideline with the help of a coach.
Following Boone's ill-fated attempt to get in the end zone, Ryle took over at its own 21 with 1:46 to go in the third. The Raiders were forced to punt, putting the ball near midfield and giving the Rebels another chance to pull within a touchdown. But the Raiders snuffed the drive before Boone reached the 50.
Ryle 7 7 0 0 -- 14
Boone County 0 0 0 0 -- 0
R-Pulice 5 run (Mead kick)
R-Kennedy 89 punt return (Mead kick)
Records: R 3-3 (1-1 Class 6A district), B 1-6 (1-1).
From the KY Post . . .
RYLE 14, BOONE COUNTY 0 – The Raiders scored on their opening drive and again right before halftime.
After starting at midfield after a strong kickoff return, senior Tanner Pulice ran in a five-yard touchdown to give Ryle the early lead.
Pulice finished with 33 carries for 126 yards.
Raiders senior Nick Kennedy returned a punt 75 yards late in the second quarter.
RYLE 7-7-0-0—14
at BOONE 0-0-0-0—0
R-Pulice 5 run (Mead kick)
R-Kennedy 75 punt return (Mead kick)
RECORDS: Ryle 3-3, Boone County 1-6.
Read more: http://www.kypost.com/dpp/sports/wk6-fb-late-td-lifts-campbell-over-sk#ixzz27rTJ908g
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