Holy Thriller! Eagles Rally Past Knights 28-21

To paraphrase coach Cornell Burbage - "We own Reynolds Road!" And by proxy, the LCA Eagles own the upper hand in Lexington's most bitter football rivalry. Since 2019, the Eagles have taken six out of the seven matchups with Lexington Catholic, a pair of three-peats punctuated by Friday's 28-21, come-from-behind thriller.

LCA scored touchdowns on its final three possessions, including a 26-yard Nash Whelan pass to a diving Tyler King with 14 seconds to play — the final exclamation point in yet another wild Holy War finish.

“In big moments like that, you want to put the ball in your best players’ hands,” Coach Oakley Watkins told the Herald-Leader. “Tyler and Nash did that last week in the fourth quarter, and we just had an extra point blocked. So, today, we were able to finish it and play the next play.”

Act 1 — No Early Traction

In this heavyweight fight of Lexington's top programs, it was the Knights that delivered the early blows. While the LCA offense sputtered in the first quarter, Lexington Catholic capitalized on short fields.

After stopping the Knights on their first possession, a punt pinned the Eagles deep in their own territory. Then miscues led to a three-and-out, setting up the Knights with good field position at the Eagles 43-yard line. Five plays later, quarterback Brady Wasik found Duncan Gaunce for a 25-yard touchdown reception and an early 7-0 lead.

An Eagles fumble on the ensuing possession gave the Knights great field position once again, this time at the LCA 49-yard line. The Knights then put together an eight-play drive capped by another Wasik touchdown throw, this one a 7-yard strike to Mark Hosinski. LCA's Thomas Sizemore blocked the PAT, giving the Knights a 13-0 lead.

The Knights had all the early momentum.

Act II — The Eagles Punch Back

Nash Whelan punches it in for LCA's first score.

Adversity has shaped the LCA Eagles in 2025. From fall camp through the first game of the season, a litany of injuries continues to challenge this squad. Paxton Gray and Carter Penix — both gone for the year. Sam Pearson — out for several weeks. The offensive line — Davis Kerwin, Brody Adams, Matthew Montgomery, and Christian Shackleford have all missed time. Linebacker Mac Darland, the defensive leader, went down in the opener.

This team has been backed into a corner all season long. And they continue to keep coming out fighting. Down 21-0 to Boyle County, the Eagles stormed back to tie the game late. Against Franklin County, the Eagles went down two scores twice only to claw back to within a single blocked PAT that proved the difference.

This bunch is battle tested. And they've been here before.

Late in the first quarter, the LCA offense found its pulse. And it leaned on what has become its heartbeat — quarterback Nash Whelan. After an interference call and a Daven Hood run pushed the ball deep into Lexington Catholic territory, Whelan took over. The sophomore ran several times off the right side before finally punching it in from the 3-yard line, helmet flying off as he lowered his shoulder and bullied his way in for the score — Knights 13, LCA 7.

Bode Darland (4) and Logan Mays (84) deliver a big hit to Lexington Catholic QB Brady Wasik.

After finally finding the end zone, the Eagle defense began flexing its muscles. LCA shut out the Knights over its next five possessions, spanning late into the 3rd quarter, forcing two punts, two turnovers and a missed field goal.

It was the very last play of that defensive sequence that swung momentum back to LCA in big way. With 2 minutes remaining in the 3rd, Wasik dropped back to pass and made an ill-advised throw into coverage. LCA's Collin Hensley picked it off, giving the Eagles the ball deep in Knights territory at the 31-yard line.

Then Whelan went to work again. He found King for a 9-yard reception on first down. On third down, a Whelan run off the left side moved the chains. Another completion to King pushed the ball down to the 16-yard line. Then Whelan capped off the drive, rumbling off the right side before cutting up the middle for his second score. LCA 14, Knights 13.

Act III – TK Time

Tyler King's 74-yard kickoff return sparked LCA's final comeback charge.

Lexington Catholic began the 4th quarter on its ensuing possession, starting from its own 20. And in a game that featured more defense, hits and turnovers than yards from scrimmage up this point, the 4th quarter would turn into a shootout. A 22-point 4th quarter befitting the Holy War was about to begin.

The Knights would answer first, quickly marching into LCA territory. And right when LCA came up with a monster sack on 3rd and long, a costly personal foul gave the Knights life. Lexington Catholic would take advantage, converting on 4th and short before Jack Wedding broke a 34-yard touchdown run. A successful 2-point conversion made it Knights 21, LCA 14.

But Tyler King had an answer of his own. The senior fielded the ensuing kickoff at his own 2-yard line, turned it up the right sideline, and scampered all the way down to the Lexington Catholic 24-yard line. The electric return immediately injected a bolt of energy into the home crowd.

The Eagles proceeded to flex its might. Whelan hammered off the right side for five yards. Hood barreled down to the 13-yard line and a first down. A Whelan scramble pushed the ball down to the 7. Another physical Whelan run picked up a first down at the 2. Then with 4:20 remaining to play, Whelan punched it through for the score and a tie ballgame.

Lexington Catholic took over on its next possession from its own 32-yard line. But the Knights went to work, quickly moving into LCA territory. Then the Eagles defense turned on once more.

Bode Darland lowers the boom on Knights quarterback Brady Wasik.

Logan Mays blew up a sweep for a 3-yard loss. Then Bode Darland snatched a blocker away before bending around the right end for a monster hit on Wasik. The sack pushed the Knights back across midfield, bringing up 3rd and 19. The Eagles defended one more time, bottling up a Wasik run, forcing the Knights to punt.

With 1:21 remaining, the Eagles took over on their own 24-yard line. Whelan started the drive with a pass to Hood for 7 yards. On 3rd down, Whelan took it off the right side to covert a first down.

Then the Eagles took a shot. With time running out, Whelan found Jeremiah Burbage, who made a spectacular leaping catch in traffic. The catch gave LCA a first down at the Knights 22-yard line with 26 seconds to play. The explosive play set the table for a final shot at the end zone.

After a pair of incompletions, Tyler King made his final mark. The three-sport LCA lifer has played a lot of games against Lexington Catholic. And they won't soon forget him down Clays Mill Road after Friday night.

The Eagles dialed up a play they'd been setting up all night, with Whelan pumping on a screen action while King turned his route up the right sideline. Then Whelan let it fly. King dove. And the rest was pure magic.

Helmet Stickers

Tyler King found the end zone, along with father Bret, celebrating the game winner.

Tyler King — There isn't a better receiver in the state flying under the radar than King. The senior hauled in seven receptions for 60 yards and the go-ahead score. He returned a punt for 18 yards and two kickoffs for 99 yards, including the monster 74-yarder that set up the game-tying drive. King totaled 3 solo tackles and 177 all-purpose yards to forever put his stamp on this rivalry.

Nash Whelan — The super soph did it all. He ran the ball 19 times for 95 yards and three touchdowns. Whelan also completed 13 of 19 passes for another 116 yards and the game-winner to King. From his safety position, Whelan tallied 4 solo tackles and two assists.

Logan Mays — The senior defensive lineman made plays from both the tackle and end positions. And he was a force all night. Mays totaled 5 solos and 1 assist, along with three tackles for loss. His last TFL helped lead to the decisive final punt for Lexington Catholic.

Daven Hood — The junior wideout/running back/defensive back, much like his position listing suggests, did a lot for the Eagles. He finished with 67 all-purpose yards, rushing for 27 and receiving for 17, along with 23 return yards. Each touch proved an important counter to Whelan's QB run game. Hood also totaled 2 solos on defense and played a key piece in coverage.

Dawson Farmer — LCA's prodigal son returned to the flock this season, and he keeps doing a little bit more each and every game. Against the Knights, Farmer totaled 3 tackles, an assist and a crucial pass breakup on the Hail Mary attempt. He also ran the screen fake on the final King reception, grabbing those defensive eyes just enough to help TK get loose.

Jeremiah Burbage hauled in a monster, contested 42-yard reception to set up the final score.

Jeremiah Burbage — We will all long remember Tyler King's epic catch in the corner of the end zone. But Jeremiah Burbage hauled in a contested ball that absolutely set the table. Whelan threw it up, and Jeremiah went and got it. The sophomore also turned in 2 solos, 1 assist and 1 pass breakup defensively.

Thomas Sizemore — Sizemore led the way with 5 solos and 2 assists. He also recovered a fumble and blocked a PAT. Alongside Mac Darland (3 solos, 1 QB hurry) and Aiden Lyons (4 solos, 1 assist), the Eagles continue getting better defensively, led by the linebacking corps.

Collin Hensley — The junior defensive back had 3 solos on defense. But his interception broke the Eagles' negative field position, turned momentum and set the stage for an epic comeback.

Collin Hensley's 3rd quarter interception helped turn the game.