MONTICELLO-The Lawrence County Cougars blasted North Pike 56-14Friday night before a rain-soaked crowd . Junior fullback KendrickHardy ran amuck against the Jaguars, going for a whopping 285 yardsand 4 touchdowns, on just 7 carries.

Lawrence County amassed 562 yards of total offense, one of thehighest totals in Cougar football history. And the Cougars did soin just 28 offensive plays, rushing for 447 yards on 25 attempts.LCHS attempted just 3 passes, completing all 3, 2 of them for longtouchdowns.

With the win, Coach Mike Davis’ Cougars improved to 2-0 on theyoung season. North Pike, coached by Chris Smith, fell to 0-2.

“We had a good night, especially offensively,” Davis said, “butwe still played far from a perfect offensive game. We put the ballon the ground too much, and we got too many penalties.

“The effort was there, though, both offensively and defensively.All in all, we’ve had a very decent start to our season.”

North Pike had some success, almost all of it through the air.On the opening possession, quarterback Revis Butler passed the Jagsinto Lawrence County territory, and punter Bobby Wells pinned theCougars back on their own 5-yard line. Seemingly, North Pike wasoff to a good start.

It didn’t last. Two plays later, Hardy busted a trap play for 97yards and a touchdown. Rishawn Haynes kicked the extra point, andthe Cougars held a 7-0 lead. There would be plenty more of that tocome.

North Pike battled back to tie, at least for a few seconds,before the dam burst.

Butler’s 38-yard pass to Wilson Henry set up an 8-yard touchdowntoss to LeRicky Jefferson. It was 7-7 with 3:50 left in the firstquarter.

Those 3 minutes and 50 seconds proved to be an eternity forNorth Pike. On Lawrence County’s next offensive play, Hardy brokeanother trap play for 72 yards and a touchdown. The extra pointattempt was wide, but he Cougars led 13-7.

After a Ford Johnson pass interception, 1 of 4 picks by theCougar secondary, Lawrence County was in business again. Again, onthe Cougars’ first play, quarterback Adam Watson hit a streakingBlake Stalans for 60 yards and a touchdown. Isaiah Ferdinand ranfor 2 points, and it was suddenly 21-7.

North Pike fumbled on its very next play, and Lawrence Countyrang up another touchdown, its third in as many plays, on its nextsnap. Again, Hardy burst right up the middle, this time for 34yards. It was 28-7 at the end of the period, and some Cougar fanswere already making their way out of the grandstand, dodging therain, and feeling confident that the Cougars had victory number 2in hand.

Julius Magee spelled Hardy at fullback in the second quarter,and he scored on a 9-yard touchdown run, making it a 35-7 game atthe half.

Things got a bit sloppy in the third quarter, with the 2 teamsexchanging turnovers. With 2:37 left in the period, Hardy went 53yards for yet another score, wrapping up one of the most productivenights in school history. Hardy, who is also a standout linebacker,averaged almost 41 yards per carry.

Early in the fourth quarter, Watson and Stalans connected forthe second time, a 50-yard touchdown pass. That made it 49-7.

“I’m glad our kids executed the play well,” coach Davis said,”but we weren’t trying to pile on points. We needed to work our4-wide offense a little bit, and on the first play, a run, we gothit with a holding penalty. It was first-and-25, so we called apass, and that’s just the way it worked out.”

North Pike put together a nice drive against Cougar reserveslate in the game, with Butler scoring on a 5-yard run. That made it49-14.

Lawrence County added yet another score on the ensuing kickoff,though Cougar coaches would have preferred to get some offensivesnaps for their reserves. Mathew Wells foiled that plan byreturning the kickoff, untouched, for 65 yards.