The Logan County Cougars suffered bookend losses at Greenwood Friday. In the first quarter, they lost starting senior quarterback Braxton Baptiste to an apparent broken leg. In the fourth quarter, they lost the game 22-21 on a penalty-enhanced two-point conversion.

In a game that was so even that only two yards separated the teams’ total offense yardage, it’s fitting that a 1.5-yard penalty and a 2-point conversion would mean the difference between joyous victory and deflating defeat.

With Logan County leading 21-14 and 9:38 remaining in the game, Gator Sebastian Conwell reeled off a 16-yard touchdown run to pull his team within a point. Greenwood was planning to kick the tying point-after-conversion, but Coach William Howard employed one of his favorite tricks—having his offensive line pretend to go set, but stand up before doing so. The Cougars jumped and were charged with going off-sides.

With the ball moved half the distance to the goal, Howard called for a rushing play. And, of course the ball went to fullback Conwell, who bulled in for what proved to be the winning points.

“They did that little stand up and sit down on (kicks) all night long,” Logan County coach Todd Adler told sportswriter Michael Compton of the Bowling Green Daily News. “They did it on Nfilm. We watched it. We talked about it. It’s just being disciplined and that is what we have to work on.”

Logan still had time to score again, but the Cougars were adjusting to promising-but-unproven backup sophomore quarterback Corbin Rayno. He had answered the call in a hurry after Baptiste went down by directing the offense to a go-ahead touchdown on Maurice Gordon’s second scoring run of the first quarter. This run was for eight yards. Gordon had also scored on a 65-yard sprint midway through the first quarter, but veteran kicker Luis Arevalo’s extra point kick was blocked.

Rayno quarterbacked the Cougars to a two-pointer after the second Gordon touchdown. Taking the ball in on a run was talented receiver Anthony ‘Rooster’ Woodard. The Cougars led 14-7.

Greenwood came back, tying the game at 14-14 on quarterback John Morrison’s second touchdown pass of the game, this one on a 10-yarder to Lofton Howard. The first scoring toss had been a 20-yard pass to Ira Matheos. Drew Smothers kicked both extra points.

Twenty-eight of the game’s 43-points had come in the first quarter.

The Cougars took the lead again before halftime on Rayno’s 34-yard pass to Woodard. Arvelo’s kick was good this time, and Logan led 21-14 at the intermission.

No one scored in the third quarter. Logan was able to move the ball, but Rayno was intercepted twice by the Gators’ Andrew Hatcher, the second one setting up Greenwood’s winning drive.

The Cougars moved the ball following the go-ahead conversion but stalled near midfield.

Rayno was 5 of 14 passing for 56 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions. Baptiste completed both of his pass attempts for 12 yards. Woodard caught two passes for 33 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed nine times for 75 yards. Gordon ran for 93 yards and two touchdowns, and he also caught a pass. Fullback Zach Yates rushed four times for 11 yards. Ryan Rayno carried five times for 10 yards and caught a pair of passes for 9 yards. Jaden Sells and Wyatt Blake each caught a pass for double=figure yardage.

Woodard and Blake each recovered a fumble.

Cougars Logan Gipson and Blake each totaled 13 tackles, Gipson getting 11 of them solo. Yates and Jacob Moore tied for third in tackles with 9 each; Yates was credited with 8 solos and Moore 6. Totaling 7 tackles each were Aaron Hinton, Kaleb Ferguson, Cade Johnson and Woodard. All 7 of Woodard’s were solos and Hinton had 4.

Also credited with making tackles were Jonah Oliver and Gordon with 4 each, Jesse Buchanan and Baptiste with 2 each, and Thomas Kash, John Ross Terry, Logan Day, Zane Batten and Cameron Matthews.

The Cougars must wait at least two weeks to break this losing ‘streak,’ since this week’s scheduled opponent, Madisonville-North Hopkins, has notified the school it will not come to Logan County this week in light of the high rate of COVID-19 cases here.

Athletic Director Greg Howard says this district game is a postponement and not a cancellation.