[Stardust]

HEBRON – Conner head football coach Dave Trosper reminded his players Friday night that they accomplished things nobody expected them to this season.

But the words were little consolation in the moments after a heart-breaking 31-30 loss against Anderson County in the Class 5A, Region 3 championship game at Fred Nevel Stadium.

Conner led at halftime and saw its lead slip away in the second half. The visiting Bearcats scored the game-winner on a seven-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Seth Carmichael to senior wide receiver Matt Sprague with 43.6 seconds remaining.

"They fought until the end," Trosper said. "That's the type of kids we have and that's what they're all about. There was no quit in them. They kept going, they kept moving, they kept getting after it.

"We just ran out of time. We lose by one point. They had a great play down on the goal line. They mixed us up, and got us crossed up and did a great job."

It had been 15 years since the Cougars (7-6) played in a region final. They got there by blowing out Franklin County last week in a game that saw them put up a state record 761 rushing yards and 854 total yards from scrimmage.

Anderson County (11-2) lost to Franklin County during the regular season but won its next four to give itself a chance to make school history. The Bearcats had never won a region championship before and now advance to play Southwestern in the 5A semifinals.

"It was a tremendous football game," Anderson County coach Mark Peach said. "They had a tremendous game plan. You watch these guys on film and they are so tremendously well coached. We knew they were going to be hard to fool. We knew it was going to be a knock-down drag-out with them. I'm just so proud of our guys."

Anderson County scored 17 points off three Conner turnovers Friday. Three of those came on a 29-yard field goal by senior kicker Bill Rose with 9:36 remaining in the fourth quarter that put the Bearcats ahead, 24-23.

Conner answered by handing the ball to junior running back Cameron Fogle on a reverse less than 30 seconds later. Fogle ran 70 yards for a touchdown. He finished with 108 yards rushing while sophomore quarterback Drew Barker led all rushers with 111 yards on 23 carries.

The decisive drive started at the 26-yard line and with 4:13 remaining. Anderson County picked up a first down on a pass interference call and a 29-yard pass from Carmichael to Sprague got the ball down to the 13-yard line. Facing fourth and four from the seven-yard line, Carmichael dropped back and found Sprague streaking across the back of the end zone.

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll...311180227/