Titans Claim Consecutive District 4 Titles
Senior running back Braidin Baughman stiff armed a Golden Lion defender during Mercer County’s 16-14 win Friday. Baughman finished the game with 168 yards and two touchdowns on 17 touches. (The Harrodsburg Herald/Samuel Warren).
Samuel Warren
Herald Staff
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The 2024 Mercer County football Titans (5-4) have accomplished a feat no team in Mercer County Titan history has managed, consecutive district titles. The program had previously won district titles in 2006, 2008, 2015, 2020 and 2023. In identical fashion to last season, the Garrard County Golden Lions (6-3) were all that stood in the way of the Titans claiming a district 4 title on Friday, Oct. 25. Unlike last season, Garrard County had won six of their last seven games, and many believed the Golden Lions to be the favorite in the game, after all they had scored 186 points in their last five games.
After getting stuffed at the line of scrimmage on back-to-back plays, Garrard County took to the air and set up Nathaniel Dougherty with a screen pass to earn the game’s initial first down. One play later, Golden Lion fullback Malachi Simmons took a quick handoff, bounced through the hole and hit full speed in between the hash marks. Simmons’ never broke his stride or changed direction on the way to a 68-yard touchdown.
On the ensuing kickoff, Jayden Tandy decided to not field the ball and let it roll out, but it took an unfortunate bounce, after hitting his fingers, and fell to the nearest Golden Lion. It seemed like it was going to be a long night for the Titans as Garrard began a new drive at the Titan 28-yard line.
