Garrard County, Middlesboro Renew Rivalry with Historic Ties and Recent Momentum
Tonight, Garrard County will once again face Middlesboro in a football series that has been marked by competitive matchups, historic ties, and coaching connections that stretch across decades. The Yellowjackets lead the series 4-1, but the Golden Lions carry momentum into the latest meeting after claiming their first win in the series last season.
In 2022, Garrard County christened its new stadium with a memorable 23-20 victory over Middlesboro, a win that snapped a four-game losing streak dating back to the schools’ first encounter in 2000. Quarterback Justin Parsons fueled the Golden Lions with 118 passing yards and two touchdowns, while standout running back Cam Peak rushed for 151 yards and a score. That win was not only significant for Garrard County’s program but also emblematic of how competitive this series has been, with three of the five matchups decided by three points or fewer.
Friday night’s contest marks the third consecutive season Garrard County has hosted Middlesboro, which was also the opponent for the last two Golden Lion Bowls. The Yellowjackets enter under the direction of veteran head coach Larry French, one of Kentucky’s most accomplished leaders with 370 career victories, the third-most in state history. French is in his 48th year on the sidelines and has deep ties to central Kentucky football, previously serving at Mercer County, Lincoln County, and Boyle County. His tenure at Boyle included state championships in 2009 and 2010, with assistance from current Garrard County defensive coordinator Jeff Hester. Several familiar Garrard County figures were also tied to those championship runs, including assistant coach Boone Goldsmith, who threw for 205 yards and three touchdowns in the 2009 title game, and current Garrard Middle School head coach Chris Cook, who ran for 175 yards and a score in the 2010 championship game.
Garrard County has faced French-led teams on other occasions, winning three times prior to last season’s victory over Middlesboro. In 1982, the Golden Lions opened the year with a 26-12 win over Mercer County, scoring touchdowns four different ways, including a 65-yard interception return by Billy Barker. In 1985, Garrard pulled off a 14-9 win over Mercer when Mark Rogers caught a 33-yard touchdown pass from Doug Simpson in the closing moments. Nearly two decades later, in 2004, Garrard defeated French’s first Lincoln County squad, 20-15, with current Golden Lions head coach Spencer Crutchfield playing a starring role by passing for one touchdown and rushing for another while accounting for 250 yards of offense.
While Garrard and Middlesboro’s modern series only dates back to 2000, football ties between the communities run much deeper. Middlesboro hosted the Lancaster Green Devils, Garrard’s forerunner, in 1937 and 1938, with each side winning once. In the 1937 contest, Lancaster earned a 6-0 victory behind a fourth-quarter touchdown run by Jack Conn, who later earned All-Conference honors and played college football at Southwestern College in Memphis. Conn went on to serve in World War II before becoming a dentist in Florida, where he lived until his passing in 1978.
As Garrard County prepares to host Middlesboro once again, the meeting carries layers of history that stretch from local legends of the 1930s to championship connections of the last decade. With last year’s dramatic win still fresh, the Golden Lions aim to build on that momentum, while French and his Yellowjackets seek to reassert their edge in a rivalry that has always been decided by narrow margins.
[HISTORICAL DATA PROVIDED BY DANIEL HOPKINS]