Cardinals’ Excellent Season Sets the Bar for Years to Come
Austin Blair was a standout on the defense, helping take the team to new heights
As the sun sets on another high school football season, the GRC football team has had its first multi-win season since 2014.
After an extremely hot start, including the best record through six games since 2008, the Cardinals have hit arguably the toughest stretch on their schedule.
With a 4-2 record entering district play, the team looked likely to finish with a winning record in Dr. Lucas’ first season as head coach.
However, three very tough games later against the likes of Lafayette, Tates Creek, and Madison Central, and the Cardinals were left at 4-5.
Overall, the Cards have been much improved this season. Nitavius Thomas has torn up defense after defense, ranking 8th in 6A in yards per game, with over 100.
Thomas has helped push the GRC offense to second in the district, averaging around 28 points per game. Compare this to last year’s 8 points per game, and you can see just how much this team has grown.
The defense is much improved as well. Last season, the Cards gave up nearly 38 points per game, compared to this season’s 23 points allowed per game.
GRC holds the second best rushing defense in 6A, giving up around 82 yards per game. The Cards also have the second-ranked
passing defense, allowing only 32 yards per game.
Fans need to look past the recent matchups against tough opponents to see just how good this team has been. The defense held Dunbar scoreless on their own field, for the first win over a school from Lexington since the 2014 season, and the first over Dunbar since 2010.
When Smoke Signals went to press, the Cardinals were set to play Bourbon County in their last regular season game. GRC was looking to finish 5-5, and with the best regular season record since 2014.
The game ended with a 47-14 final score in GRC’s favor, allowing the Cards to end the season on a high note. GRC never trailed in the game and looked impossible to stop on the offensive side. The Cardinals finished the regular season with one of the best regular seasons in multiple years.
Under Dr. Lucas, fans and students can expect the teams to continue to get better as more seasons come.
Nick Hounshell is a Senior and second-year Smoke Signals member. His favorite animal is a lemur, his favorite movie is Arrival, and he is on the golf team at GRC.
Savannah Anderson is a Senior and second-year Smoke Signals member. Her favorite animal is a puppy, her favorite movie is Breakfast at Tiffany's, and she is a camp counselor at Wesley Woods Church Camp.
Tonu Garrett • Nov 3, 2017 at 10:59 am
I think the future is bright for GRC there is some great young talent if these kids stay committed to the program and keep coming out in the numbers that came out thus text. If they continue to believe om Dr. Lucas I think he will take them first heights.