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The Rams rattled off 14 points in the first quarter on more than 150 rushing yards before Ashland held them to 90 yards the rest of the way.

In response, the Tomcat offense heated up with a pair of scores to tie in the third, but it fell short with an untimely red zone penalty that gave Raceland its final drive.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œItÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s a 48-minute game, right,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Raceland coach Mike Salmons said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œYou come up here and play a tradition rich football team thatÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s not going to sit and let you knock them out. ThatÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s what they did. In the third, we were on our heels.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œIÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™m proud of our guys for playing through it.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥�

The Tomcats finished with 208 rushing yards on 35 carries with 103 passing yards on 11 completion in 21 attempts. The Rams had 243 total rushing yards on 45 carries with a pair of passes to pick up three yards.

Ashland was led by Cameron DavisÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ 18 carries for 84 yards while quarterback Justin Hughes had 62 rushing yards and 103 through the air. He finished with two touchdowns and a 2-point conversion. Mason Wolfe hauled in 62 yards and the receiving touchdown.

Raceland saw 117 yards from Landen Stiltner on 14 carries with a 71-yard touchdown. The committee of backs featuring Stiltner, Shannon Marushi (79 yards) and Jonah Arnett (42 yards) had at least 12 carries apiece.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWe purposefully tried to scheme this game to get in the fourth quarter, and they did too,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Salmons said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThey had some fresh legs to throw at us. Their roster is a little bigger. We have such a committee and team-first mentality that our guys are connected. Whoever is called on is the next man up. We really got behind our offensive line.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥�

The Rams began with the 71-yard strike from Stiltner on the first offensive play of the night. Stiltner took a ball up the middle, broke through tackles to his right and went untouched to the end zone. With 11:36 remaining in the first quarter, the Rams led 7-0.

Ashland dealt with injuries throughout the night, losing running back Maverick Ashby to a lower-body injury and inside linebacker Luke Ellis to a shoulder injury.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWe faced a lot of adversity in the first half. We lost two starters right out of the gate and had a crazy play on the first-down run,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Ashland coach Chad Tackett said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWe had Stiltner bottled up, and he squirted outside. I think our guys gave up on the play thinking he was down.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥�

The Rams dominated possession via the run early. They went on an 11-play, 65-yard drive to score once more, finishing with a 1-yard rushing TD from Arnett to take a 14-0 lead with 26 seconds left in the frame.

The second quarter favored Ashland.

It opened with a 62-yard march in 12 plays to RacelandÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s 21-yard line. Quarterback Justin Hughes nearly completed a passing touchdown in the corner of the end zone, but a bobble forced the Tomcats to go for a fourth-down strike.

It was unsuccessful. Both teams traded a trio of three-and-out drives before Ashland closed the first half with a drive to midfield that was halted by the clock.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWe gave up one more touchdown, and then we settled in and played,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Tackett said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œOur guys gave us a chance to win the ball game. I was really proud of the way we stuck together and overcame adversity.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥�

In the third, Ashland came alive as Hughes settled in. Raceland lost a fumble at its 41, and Hughes followed it with a throw over the top to Mason Wolfe for a touchdown on the next play.

Tackett was pleased with Hughes, who scored on an option run for a 6-yard rushing touchdown and a 2-point conversion to tie the game at 14-14 with 2:10 left in the third.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œI think, every series, he got better throughout the game,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Tackett said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œYou saw him get comfortable with the progression. Every series, he got a little better. He had a nice run at the end with the conversion to tie it up. HeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s going to be dynamite.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥�

In the fourth quarter, Raceland fumbled again at its 25. Ashland drove but was called for holding on the RamsÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ 9-yard line. Set with a fourth-and-goal from the 19, an incompletion turned the ball over on downs for the second time in Rams territory.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œOur offense has to sustain some drives and keep our defense off the field,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Tackett said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWe got better as the game went on offense, and our running game got better as it went on. WeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ll learn from this game. We donÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t have time to sit around and soak in our misery.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥�

Raceland chewed its way to AshlandÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s 35. A pass interference gave the Rams the ball at the 20 before Waller set himself up for the winner.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWe gave up an explosive on the far side and the short field on the turnover, but our defensive guys are warriors,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Salmons said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWe really try to take the run away and make people play left handed, so to speak. ItÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s really hard in high school football for someone to throw a ball 30 or 40 times and beat you. I thought our guys did really good against the run tonight. We made one more play than they did.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥�

Raceland heads next to Pleasure Ridge Park (0-1) for an 8 p.m. road matchup on Friday.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWe want to go 1-0 every week, so thatÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s big for us. At the same time, itÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s a long season,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Salmons said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThis isnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t the end goal. We donÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t talk about winning week one. WeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re not getting rings on Monday, but itÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s a step in the right direction. WeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ll go back to work.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥�

The Tomcats head to Tates Creek for a 7:30 p.m. road game on the same date.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWe gave ourselves a chance to win, and it didnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t bounce our way,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Tackett said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWe have some positives and some learning points, too. I was proud of their effort, and thereÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s a lot of football left to play.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥�

RACELAND 14 0 0 3 ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” 17

ASHLAND 0 0 14 0 ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” 14

R ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” Stiltner 71 run (Waller kick)

R ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” Arnett 1 run (Waller kick)

A ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” Wolfe 41 pass from Hughes (Kick failed)

A ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” Hughes 6 run (Hughes run)

R ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” Waller 36 field goal

Team Statistics

R A

First Downs 15 17

Rushes-Yards 35-208 45-243

Passes 11-21-0 2-7-1

Passing Yards 103 3

Total Yards 311 246

Fumbles-Lost 2-1 3-2

Penalties-Yards 6-60 3-30

Punts 3-26.3 3-32.7

Individual Statistics

Rushing

Raceland ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” Stiltner 14-117, Marushi 14-79, Jonah Arnett 12-46, Waller 5-1.

Ashland ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” Davis 18-84, Hughes 6-62, Farrow 3-23, McCoy 1-17, Ashby 3-11, Simpkins 3-8.

Passing

Raceland ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” Waller 2-6-1 3 yards, Arnett 0-1-0.

Ashland ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” Hughes 11-21-0 103 yards.

Receiving

Raceland ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” White 1-3, Ison 1-0

Ashland ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” Wolfe 4-62, Lyons 3-25, Duckwyler 3-14, Davis 1-2