TIGERS SUFFER 1ST LOSS

Marshall County (Ky.) coach Jim Shelton made a triumphant return to Houck Field Friday night with a 29-6 win over the previously undefeated Cape Central Tigers.

Shelton, the 1972 Golden Helmet Award-winner for the Southeast Indians as the team's leading tackler, has apparently passed those traits on to his team as they kept the Tigers' explosive running game under control. The Tigers gained just 70 yards on the ground as they fell to 3-1. Marshall County gained 256 yards on the ground to improve to 4-1.

"I didn't think we could come up here and beat Cape this handily," said Shelton. "We knew they had a lot of speed, but if you contain that speed they can't beat you."

Central running back Justin Blackmon, entering the game with over 400 yards rushing, was held to his lowest total of the season with 26 yards on 14 carries. Fullback Tatum Kitchen led the Tiger running game with 55 yards on 10 attempts.

"The Blackmon kid is about as good a kid as we've faced all year and probably will face," said Shelton. "We just didn't let him get to the corner."

The Marshals used the big-play running of Cory Jessup, who broke touchdown runs of 55 and 68 yards, and the strength of their line to dominate the game. Jessup totalled 169 yards on 11 carries.

"It's very simple ... they blocked and tackled better than we did," said Central coach Jerry Dement. "They outplayed us. It's not a big secret."

With all the talk of Central's speed entering the game, Marshall County showed some speed of its own, breaking two big plays.

"Our speed is kind of deceptive," said Shelton. "The Jessop kid and (Hugh) Freeman kid both have enough speed to burn you if they get loose."

Ahead 9-0 at halftime, Marshall County showed its speed with 20 points in the first eight minutes of the third quarter to pull away. Jessup scored on the second play of the third quarter on a 68-yard run up the middle of the Tiger defense that put the Marshals ahead 15-0.

After the Tigers were stuffed on a fourth-and-a-foot at their own 27, Marshall County used just four plays to get the ball back in the end zone on a one-yard plunge by Tony Bevil at 7:23. Heath Musgrove's kick made it 22-0.

The Tiger offense was unable to mount a drive on its next possession, and Marshall County quickly scored its final touchdown of the game with 4:20 left in the quarter. James Lanham scored on a two-yard run to make the score 29-0.

Central reached the end zone in the final minutes of the game with an 80-yard touchdown pass from Frank McGinty to Gabe Wunderlich with 2:06 left. Wunderlich made a finger-tip grab on a quick slant pattern and outran the rest of the defense to the end zone.