Staff report

LEXINGTON — The present is looking just fine for Bell County football and the future is bright as well.

The middle school Bobcats advanced all the was to the state championship game Saturday night before dropping a closely contested title game to Lexington area Bluegrass Middle School 22-16.

Bell Middle defeated Grant County Saturday afternoon in the semifinals 24-14.

After a scoreless first quarter in the opening game, Ryan Collett sparked the Bobcat offense. He picked up 24 yards on a pass from Cory Oslonian, then rumbled 30 yards to the Grant County 7-yard line. Oslonian gained three yards on a keeper, then Jonathan Polly capped the drive with a 4-yard TD run.

Oslonian passed to Jeffrey Saylor for the conversion and Bell took an 8-0 lead into the half.

Grant County tied the game by opening the third quarter with a 13-play drive that was helped along the way by a personal foul penalty and an off-sides call against Bell.

The Bobcats answered quickly. Polly’s 33-yard kickoff return set up the offense near midfield and one play later Collett broke free for a 43-yard touchdown run. Collett, who led Bell with 145 yards on 14 carries, also ran in the two-point conversion to put the Bobcats back on top 16-8.

Bell’s next drive ended with a fumble, but Collett came up with an interception and returned it to the Grant County 36. Cody Ferguson capped a six-play scoring drive with a 7-yard run and Collett’s conversion run made it 24-8 midway through the fourth quarter.

Grant County scored on a 27-yard pass play, but Bell converted three first downs and ran out the clock. The 24-14 win put them into the championship game against Bluegrass.

The teams traded possessions in the first quarter with neither scoring. Bell stopped Bluegrass on 4th & inches and took over at the 49 late in the quarter.

The Bobcats went 49 yards on seven runs to take the lead. Polly broke a 15-yarder and Collett added runs of seven and nine yards. Oslonian picked up ten yards on a keeper, then ran into the end zone from a yard out to cap the drive. Collett ran in the conversion to give Bell and 8-0 lead early in the second quarter.

Dalton Brummett’s fumble recovery ended Bluegrass’ next possession and Bell ate up much of the clock with an eight-play drive before stalling on the Bluegrass 36.

Four plays later Biggs got loose for a 42-yard touchdown run and the conversion run by Frazier tied the game at 8.

Bell went back on top as Polly took the kickoff to open the third quarter 80 yards for a touchdown. He also ran in the conversion to make it 16-8 Bobcats.

Bluegrass drove 51 yards on eight plays to again tie the score. Ray capped their drive with a 4-yard run and Biggs conversion run knotted things at 16.

Collett had consecutive 14-yard runs as Bell drove into Bluegrass territory, but an interception set Bluegrass up on the Bobcat 47.

They only needed four plays to take their first lead as Frazier found a seem and went 30-yards for the go-ahead score. Bell stopped Biggs on the conversion try and the score wa 22-16 at the end of the third quarter.

The Bobcats turned the ball over on downs to start the fourth quarter, but Collett’s interception kept Bluegrass from scoring and Bell took over at their own 17.

Runs of 11 yards by Collett and 17 by Polly had the Bobcats in business, but the drive stalled at the Bluegrass 47.

Bell forced a 3-and-out and the teams traded fumbles. The Bobcats final drive started at their own 29.

Oslonian passed to Collett for seven yards and Polly ran for 15. Two runs by Collett gave Bell a first down at the Bluegrass 34 with time winding down. Four straight incompletions ended the drive and Bluegrass was able to kneel down and run out the clock.

Polly led the Bobcats with 132 yards rushing on 20 carries in the championship game, while Collett had 102 total yards on 17 runs and one catch.