Golden Eagles beat Belfry 35-14

STAFF REPORT

BSN

PAINTSVILLE — Johnson Central scored first and never trailed on the way to beating visiting Belfry 35-14 in Week 8 of the 2020 high school football season on Friday, Oct. 30.

The Golden Eagles (Class 4A) and Pirates (Class 3A) met in a matchup between reigning state champions.

Johnson Central jumped out in front 14-0. The Golden Eagles led 14-7 at halftime and limited Belfry after the intermission period.

Defending Class 4A state champion Johnson Central rushed 53 times for 322 yards and five touchdowns.

Senior athlete Dylan Preston rushed 29 times for 191 yards and three touchdowns to lead Johnson Central to the win.

Following Preston on the ground for Johnson Central, junior quarterback Grant Rice rushed nine times for 68 yards and two touchdowns.

Six different players rushed for positive yardage in Johnson Central's victory.

Flawless in a key category for the Golden Eagles, kicker Austin Ratliff connected on 5-of-5 PATs.

Jacob Cain and Mason Lemaster paced Johnson Central defensively, recording seven tackles apiece.

The Golden Eagles finished strong, outscoring Belfry 21-7 in the second half.

Johnson Central (7-0) remained open for Friday, Nov. 6 at the start of the week.