Jared's World

Sophomore Isaiah Burrus had a big part in the win with plays on every side of the ball.

Burrus came through on the big stage on senior night with two receiving touchdowns, one rushing score, an interception and a 46 yard punt return score that was called back on penalty.

Mercer coach Bill Mason said Burrus has been showing that ability on the practice field and Friday’s breakout was due.

For more details on Burrus and coach Mason’s impressions from the game, check out this week’s Harrodsburg Herald.

Mercer took their homefield for the last time this season, picking up a win to keep their playoff dreams alive and well.

The Titans (1-8, 1-2 district) overcame some blows and exploited Lincoln’s miscues en route to a 35-9 win.

It was the Titans’ own mistakes they focused on early this week in the film room.

“We made it a point to point out where we didn’t do the things we were supposed to and ask, ‘is that acceptable?’ Here they are juniors and seniors, or whatever, and they are not doing what they’re supposed to and its costing their teammates,” head coach Bill Mason said.

The look in the mirror apparently worked as the Titans finished on top for the first time in 2009.

For the complete report on the game, check out this week’s edition of The Harrodsburg Herald.

This article originally appeared in the September 24 edition of The Harrodsburg Herald

It’s no secret that the Titans are 0-5.
They’ve been beaten by an impressive selection of talent from around the state in what a fellow journalist opined was a murderer’s row of a non-district schedule. Those five games are behind them and now Mercer has bits and pieces from each that they can use to put together a good run through what I call the second season, their district games.

The Titans learned the importance of sound special teams after costly return scores against Breathitt and Tates Creek. They hung with Anderson County for a half of football before the Bearcats hit their rhythm. They were shut out at home against Boyle, but kept fighting for drives. Can the team take these lessons and put them together? The next five games on the slate will tell.

As coach Mason said before the season, due to the uncertainty during the early summer, this team had to learn its lessons on the run. The 21 new starters on both sides of the ball, and a returning quarterback adjusting to new targets, isn’t an excuse for the losses. It’s more of a reason to expect improvement in the coming weeks as these players grow into their roles and take on more equal competition.

Mason told The Herald after he was hired as head coach that he believed in playing the toughest of schedules.

“It doesn’t look great in the win-loss column. But when you get to the playoffs, you can tell your kids that you played the best in the state and this is nothing,” Mason said.

Looking to the playoffs, the Titans will have to make it through a wide-open district narrowly led in record by Pulaski County 3-2. Mercer’s four district opponents have an 8-11 combined record in 2009. Compare that with the 16-8 record of Mercer’s first five opponents and it’s hard not to see room for improvement in the second half of the season.

The high school football season can almost be split in two. Mercer has emerged from it’s non-district gauntlet without many major injuries and could secure a playoff spot with a string of wins in the districts.

Overall record aside, it’s the next five games that could determine what kind of memory this year’s Titans leave behind.

Rees McShara burned Mercer for 215 yards on five carries in the first half.

Boyle County had no possessions longer than four plays and only two that didn’t result in a score.

Mercer coach Bill Mason said after the game that he’s seeing improvement in each of the team’s games that will bode well soon come district play.

For a complete report, check out next week’s issue of The Harrodsburg Herald.

Click here to view the gallery from the game.