Game

Bowl History
Information provided by former Assistant Athletic Director, Danny Perkins
Edited by Leo Peckenpaugh and Kevin Patton
The Henderson County Hall of Fame football game was the brainchild of Colonel Coach Randy Reese, who coached the Colonels from 1987-93 (41-39 overall record). The inaugural Hall of Fame Game in 1989 was actually a doubleheader, featuring Ft. Thomas Highlands against Paducah Tilghman followed by Henderson County and Evansville (In.) Memorial. The Colonels lost that game 41-20 to the Tigers and did not record their first Hall of Fame Game victory until 1991, when Reese’s team outlasted South Oldham 38-30.

Following is a capsule summary of each Hall of Fame Game.

1989
Evansville (In.) Memorial 41, Colonels 20
The Colonels Harold Patterson rushed 18 times for 120 yards and a touchdown, but it wasn’t enough as the Tigers got a big night out of standout halfback Len Jacobson. The Tiger running back scored four times and rushed for 128 yards in the first Hall of Fame Bowl..

1990
Corbin 41, Colonels 12
Henderson County lost for the second year in a row as Redhound quarterback Brent Canady passed for 150 yards and rushed for 63 yards to lead the eastern Kentucky power to an easy win. Colonel quarterback Dan Thompson, a University of Kentucky signee who would also later coach the Colonel kickers, completed four of six passes for 47 yards and a touchdown and also rushed five times for 26 yards to lead the hosts.

1991
Colonels 38, South Oldham 30
On the way to Kentucky Player of the Year honors, Colonel running back Daymon Carter scooted 19 times for 128 yards and three touchdowns as Henderson County won for the first time in the Hall of Fame Game. Carter, who went on to break all of All-American O. J. Simpson’s records at City College of San Francisco, was later enshrined in the Henderson County Sports Hall of Fame (2002 class). Donnell Gordon, a running back who played collegiately for Louisville and Kentucky, paced the Dragons, carrying the ball 21 times for 106 yards.

1992
Colonels 38, Covington Scott 0
The Colonels made it two straight bowl victories, shutting out this northern Kentucky invader as Clifford Posey rushed 66 times and scored three touchdowns. Posey went on to a fine career at Eastern Kentucky University and was inducted into the Henderson County Hall of Fame in 2003. The Colonel defense completely shut down Scott, allowing the Eagles but 79 yards of total offense.

1993
Evansville (In.) Memorial 30, Colonels 7
Henderson native Vince Tweddell rushed for 66 yards on 16 carries and scored two times to lead the Tigers to their second HOF Bowl victory. Jason Haire paced the Colonel attack with 30 yards on 9 rushes.

1994
Colonels 27, Lexington Lafayette 17
First-year Colonel coach Tom Duffy got off on the right foot as a pair of Anthony Hay fumble returns for touchdowns gave Henderson a hard-fought win. Duffy’s first Colonel team was a great one, winning its first 12 games of the season before falling to North Hardin in the regional championship at Radcliffe. Billy Pollitt paced the Generals with 136 yards on the ground.

1995
Colonels 37, Evansville (In.) Memorial 19
Halfback Joey Haynes, a Western Kentucky University singe, carried the ball but five times, amassed an amazing 151 yards and scored four times in the easy Colonel win. Haynes earned HOF Most Valuable Player Honors with his stellar performance.

1996
Evansville (In.) Memorial 43, Colonels 37 (OT)
Clint Keown, one of the all-time Tiger athletic greats who went on to a fine basketball career at the University of Evansville, caught four touchdown passes, including the game-winner in overtime as Memorial won its third Hall of Fame Game in four appearances. The Colonels got outstanding efforts from fullback Kenny Hamilton (109 yards) and Shadrach Jackson (105 yards). Jackson went on to play for the Murray State and Midwestern State University (Tx.).

1997
Colonels 42, Evansville (In.) North 26
Quarterback Trey Peckenpaugh, a Georgetown College signee, took MVP honors by hurling three touchdown passes and 114 yards as the Colonels outlasted the Huskies.

1998
Colonels 63, Ohio County 0
Future  Murray State standout Brian Bivens garnered MVP honors by catching three touchdown passes as the Colonels spanked the Eagles. Bivens, the school’s all-time leading punter, went on to an All-American career at Murray. Josh Abner helped the Colonels gain back-to-back HOF wins by rushing for 109 yards and a pair of scores

1999
Evansville (In.) North 63, Colonels 20
The potent Huskies avenged a 1997 HOF loss by pounding the Colonels as Derenzo Bushrod (Ball State University) carried 9 times for 181 yards and two touchdowns. North collected 497 yards of total offense.

2000
Evansville (In.) North 34, Colonels 0
The Huskies made it back-to-back wins as Bushrod once again dazzled the crowd with 289 rushing yards and three scores.

2001
Colonels 63, Daviess County 0
Fullback Alex Fendrick rushed 14 times for 152 yards and three touchdowns as the Colonels snapped a two-game HOF losing streak. The Colonels margin of victory was the second biggest in HOF Bowl history.

2002
Colonels 73, Union County 0
Co-MVP’s Wes Peckenpaugh, Robert Waller and Alex Fendrick contributed to the most lopside HOF Bow game in the 15 year history. The Colonels raced out to a 45-0 halftime lead and never looked back as the second half was played with a running clock. Peckenpaugh threw for 190 yards and four touchdowns, and Fendrick and Waller each scored three times. Tom Duffy’s squad went on to a stellar 13-1 record and State Final  Four appearance.

2003
Colonels 38, Castle (IN) 31
In one of the most entertaining and exciting HOF Bowl games, Colonel quarterback and HOF MVP Will Fidler threw for 225 yards and three scores as the Colonels rallied from a 24-13 halftime deficit. Henderson converted three second-half interceptions into touchdowns and held the explosive Castle offense in check. Colonel receiver Chris Lamar also had a big night as his two receptions were good for 105 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

2004
Colonels 40, Evansville North 26
For the second year in a row Colonel quarterback Will Fidler won MVP honors as he completed 19 of 26 passes for 366 yards and three touchdowns. Cedric Rainey also had a big night for Henderson, rushing for 122 yards on 16 carries. The Colonels had a tough time stopping Huskie quarterback Bryce Lowery, who completed 17 of 32 passes for two touchdowns and also ran for a pair of scores.

2005
Colonels 35, Castle 21
Senior quarterback Will Fidler completed 19-of-28 passes for 294 yards and three touchdowns. Receiver Chris LaMar caught six passes for 109 yards as the Colonels won their fifth consecutive Hall of Fame Bowl. Henderson County finished the game with 489 yards of total offense in the victory.

2006
Colonels 16, Evansville North 13, OT
Jesse Gillham’s 30-yard field goal in overtime gave the Colonels the victory. Quarterback Jeremiah Coursey completed 13-of-21 passes for 113 yards and a touchdown. Hall of Fame Bowl MVP Antoinne Lightfoot rushed 15 times for 71 yards and intercepted two passes, returning one 35 yards for a touchdown.

2007
Daviess Co. 35, Colonels 29
Quarterback Cole Lanham, the Hall of Fame MVP, completed 19-of-35 passes for 355 yards and five touchdowns to lead Daviess County to the victory. Running back Tony Marigny rushed 18 times for 146 yards and a touchdown. Daviess County amassed 524 yards of total offense, while the Colonels finished the game with 468 total yards.

2008
Colonels 41, Graves Co. 13
Running back Javaris Lewis rushed 25 times for a career-high 250 yards and scored two touchdowns to pace the Colonels, while quarterback Jeremiah Coursey added three rushing touchdowns and threw for another in the win. The Colonels gained 407 yards of total offense. Lewis was named the most outstanding player for the Colonels, while quarterback Jake Clapp was the most outstanding player for Graves County.

2009
Colonels 38, Evansville North 21
Running back Javaris Lewis earned his second consecutive Hall of Fame Bowl MVP award, rushing for 205 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Colonels back from a 14-7 halftime deficit. Henderson County’s defense forced four Husky turnovers in the victory. Quarterback Matt Strohmeier was named the most outstanding player for North.

2010
Evansville Reitz 34, Colonels 20
Quarterback Matt McIntosh rushed 19 times for 130 yards and scored three touchdowns and also passed for 148 yards to rally Reitz from a 20-19 fourth-quarter deficit. Brandon Shutt led the Colonels with 124 rushing yards and a touchdown, while quarterback Andy Proctor completed 10-of-17 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown. McIntosh was named the most outstanding player for Reitz, while Shutt earned the honor for Henderson County.

2011
Colonels 48, Evansville North 20
Quarterback Hunter Comer ran for three touchdowns as the Colonels rolled to the victory. Rushad Whitlock carried 17 times for 152 yards and a touchdown, while Comer added 111 yards on 12 carries. The Colonels built a 27-24 halftime lead and cruised to the victory. Comer was named most outstanding player for the Colonels. Ty Pauley, who rushed three times for 72 yards and a touchdown and also caught a 66-yard scoring strike, earned most outstanding player honors for the Huskies.

2012
Evansville Reitz 29, Colonels 23
Ke’Andre Vaughn caught a 66-yard touchdown pass with 7:55 remaining as Reitz rallied for the victory. Vaughn rushed for 65 yards in the game and caught one pass for 66 yards in earning most outstanding player honors for the Panthers. Cade Wilke rushed 17 times for 114 yards and two touchdowns to earn the most outstanding player award for Henderson County.

2013
Colonels 16, Evansville North 13
Sophomore receiver Matthew Watkins caught a 14-yard touchdown pass with 1:02 to play to give first-year Henderson County coach Tony Lewis his third Hall of Fame Bowl win. Lewis’ teams at Reitz won the 2010 and 2012 games. Sophomore Damion Carter led the Colonels’ ground game with 90 yards on 12 carries. Quarterback Daniel Steiner, who was named Henderson County’s most outstanding player, connected on 9-of-17 passes for 125 yards. Quarterback Jesse Millikan completed 13-of-23 passes for 135 yards and was named North’s most outstanding player.

2014
Evansville Reitz 34, Henderson Co. 13
Reitz’s Isaac Flowers returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown, while Elijah Dunham added a 95-yard fumble return for a score as the Panthers rallied from an early first-quarter deficit to roll to the win. Damian Carter, named Henderson County’s most outstanding player for the game, rushed for 71 yards in the contest. Flowers was Reitz’s  most outstanding player.

2015
Henderson Co. 48, Evansville Memorial 28
Henderson County’s Damian Carter rushed 29 times for 248 yards and a school-record six touchdowns as the Colonels struck first and led wire-to-wire. The Colonels amassed 471 total yards. Carter was named Henderson County’s most outstanding player for the second consecutive year, while Memorial’s Matt Kiesel earned most outstanding player honors in a losing effort, catching four passes for 104 yards and three touchdowns.

2016
Evansville Reitz 42, Henderson Co. 7
Reitz’s Da’Ziaun Sargent rushed for 109 yards and three touchdowns as the Panthers bolted to a 29-7 halftime lead and cruised to the victory. The Panthers compiled 308 total yards in the contest while holding the Colonels to 170 total yards. Sargent was named most outstanding player for Reitz, while Shane Welshans earned most outstanding player honors for Henderson County.

2017
Gibson Southern 28, Henderson Co. 20
Gibson Southern’s Isaac Sellers passed for 247 yards and ran for two touchdowns as the Titans built a 22-7 lead and held off a furious Colonel comeback. The Titans amassed 395 yards of offense, while the Colonels finished with 240 yards. Sellers earned most outstanding player honors for the Titans. Quarterback Skip Patterson, who passed for 200 yards and also ran for two scores, earned most outstanding player honors for the Colonels.

2018
Evansville Reitz 41, Henderson Co. 35
Reitz quarterback Eli Wiethop rushed for 183 yards and a touchdown and threw for another 174 yards and two touchdowns. Wiethop was named the most outstanding player for Reitz, which led 41-21 early in the fourth quarter and held off a late Colonel comeback for the win. Playing in his first varsity game, Daymian Dixon had five catches for 136 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He was named Henderson County’s most outstanding player.