Devils Deliver: OHS defeats Pulaski 35-7 to win first state football title in 39 years

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LEXINGTON — It took nearly four decades, but Owensboro High School earned another state football championship.

OHS dropped Pulaski County 35-7 in the UK HealthCare Sports Medicine Class 5-A State Football Finals on a chilly first Saturday night in December.

It was the first time OHS won a state football title since 1986. OHS had played in four state championship games from 2000 to 2020, and the fifth appearance produced a breakthrough for the Red Devils. It’s the third state football championship officially for the Devils.

They started the season 0-2 then went on a 13-game winning streak to finish a dominating 5-A playoff run. OHS outscored its five playoff foes 229-41.

OHS had looked like a team on a mission for much of the season and especially in the last half of the season. It was a team that stayed focused and on task after being shaken by two big losses to open the year.

“It was about our mindset, every week we had a different theme of the week to keep us focused on the task at hand,” OHS coach DaMarcus Ganaway said after winning the state championship in his first season with the team. “It was about us continually trying to find corrections, find ways to get better, come together and play for each other.

“Our theme this week was championship mindset. We’ve got a strong senior class that has done everything asked from top to bottom. They’re great kids, they love this game. It means a lot to Owensboro in general to get a win here.

“It’s a great feeling, but it’s been a lot of work. These two standing beside me (the Hampton brothers) it’s made it a lot easier to get things going. Our entire senior class, they wanted it.

“From top to bottom, this program is tailor made for success. Coach (Jay) Fallin had 99 wins in 10 years. You know that sets you up for success when you know you’ve got the foundation. We want to continue this and we don’t want it to be another 39 years before we get back here.”

Evan Hampton found the end zone three times, with a 43-yard touchdown run, a 2-yard touchdown and a 3-yard touchdown. Hampton finished with 91 yards on 11 carries.

Hampton dived over the goal line in heavy traffic and extended the football over the goal line for one of those short TDs.

“I thought about Jeremiyah Love (for Notre Dame) against Penn State, I was like I’ve got to do something like that right here,” Evan Hampton said of a power TD run Love had for Notre Dame.

Trey Shemwell got things started with an 84-yard punt return with 7:58 left in the first quarter. The punt return set a state championship game record.

“That was a big spark, first because he’s a fantastic athlete,” Ganaway said. “For us, it was about starting fast, by whatever we can do, special teams, offensively, defensively, we’ve got guys who can make plays with the ball in their hands given any opportunity.”

Chadyn Morris had a 41-yard touchdown catch from DaMarcus Ganaway Jr. that put OHS on top 28-7 with 10:29 left in the third quarter.

Ganaway Jr. was 13-of-18 passing for 166 yards and a touchdown, and also an interception.

Kingston Dillard made seven catches for 82 yards for OHS.

Ty Ashley led OHS with 14 tackles and Eli Hampton made 11 tackles.

“All the credit goes to our coaches with their preparation,” Eli Hampton said of Owensboro’s defense. “Greenwood and Woodford County we had five goalline stops. When they start driving, we don’t fret. We’re just going to go out there and ball. We started 0-2, but our defense said we’re going to have an identity.”

OHS players celebrated with their large group of fans who’d made the trip, and the magnitude of breaking a long state championship drought wasn’t lost on the team.

“It means everything,” Evan Hampton said. “To have the alumni behind us, we had a pep rally (Friday) and during that the last state championship team came out and had a few words to share with us; it was inspirational.

“This is coach Ganaway’s first year and he’s not stopping.”

Evan and Eli Hampton had a big week, signing national letters of intent on Wednesday, and Evan Hampton being named the Kentucky Gatworade Football Player of the Year. Evan Hampton is also getting heavy consideration for Kentucky Mr. Football.

“No matter what was thrown at me through the course of the week, my focus was on Saturday and getting this win,” Evan Hampton said.

Winning this state championship had become the focus for the OHS football team and its proud fan base.

Holding that state title trophy Saturday night ended a wait that lasted nearly four decades.

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