LEXINGTON, Ky. (WDRB) – Christian Academy’s football team had to exercise a cardinal virtue in Saturday’s Class 3A KHSAA State Championship game against Bell County – patience.

The Bobcats came into the game with a reputation for ball possession, and you can’t demonstrate it much better than Dudley Hilton’s team did in the first quarter. Using their power running game, they ate up the whole quarter on a 20-play, 75-yard drive that ended 46 seconds into the second quarter, putting Bell County up 8-0 before CAL ever touched the ball.

But when the Centurions did get it, they made the most of it. Using three rushing touchdowns by Cole Hodge and two touchdown passes from the senior quarterback – plus a back-breaking 77-yard fumble return touchdown by John Cobuagh early in the fourth quarter – the Centurions turned back Bell County 41-16 win for their second straight state title and fourth in eight years (the first two in Class 2A).

“Hats off to Bell County, Coach Hilton and the rest of their team, I thought they had a phenomenal game plan coming in,” CAL coach Hunter Cantwell said. “They’re a very tough football team that executed at a high level and gave us everything that we wanted and more. It was a lot better game than some thought it was going to be. . . . But I’m so proud of this group. You saw a lot of good football players out there today.

“We kind of knew going into it that they would try to take the air on the ball, so to speak. They did a phenomenal job. If you can get three yards, four yards a carry, and do that up and down the field, that's going to cause problems. I was really proud of our defense and our defensive staff. After that first series, they made adjustments, went to a five-man front of their front, and that was the difference in the game. And our offense kept on clicking when they were out there.”

CAL needed only 12 minutes and 12 seconds to put up its winning point total. Hodge completed 18 of 20 passes for 225 yards and a pair of scores, and carried 6 times for 37 yards and his trio of TDs. After the game, he got the endorsement of his coach for Mr. Football honors.

“You know I’m partial,” Cantwell said. “But I think Mr. Football was wearing red.”

Cal needed his efforts, and more, to offset the workhorse of Bell County, Daniel Thomas, who carried 40 times for 133 net yards and a touchdown. In all, the Bobcats piled up 191 net yards rushing.

During Bell County’s opening period takeaway game, Hodge said that CAL’s offense just remained cool on the sideline, kept its head in the game and waited for its chance.

“Yeah, it was just you know, keep goin,” he said. “We knew what they're going to try to do. We have great coaching all week. They gave us a great game plan, told us what they were going to try to do, what we needed to try to do, and they were amazing.”

Asked what it was like to be on the field for such long stretches, CAL cornerback Justin Ruffin said he didn’t mind all the action. Ruffin also caught one of Hodge’s two TD passes.

“I know for our offense it was really frustrating because you know, as an offensive player, you want to be in, get the ball and go,” he said. “But our mindset was just get one stop. We knew all we needed is one stop to get these guys going. And that's what we did.”

IMAGES | CAL beats Bell County for second straight Class 3A state championship

CAL needed just over two minutes to pull within 8-7 on a four-play, 57-yard TD drive. After getting the ball back, a 7-yard run by Hodge capped a six-play, 32-yard drive that put the Centurions up 14-8 at the half.

CAL took the ball to open the second half and went 57 yards in six plays, scoring on a 31-yard touchdown reception by Ruffin.

Down two scores, Bell County didn’t deviate from its plan, though it did benefit from a fourth-down pass interference call before a 32-yard TD run by Thomas made it 21-16.

Hodge competed a couple of passes on CAL’s next scoring drive, that put it up 28-16. Then with Bell County driving, Cobaugh grabbed a fumble by Blake Evans and dashed the end zone to put the game away.

CAL’s final touchdown when Hodge hit his brother Connor, on a 5-yard scoring toss.

Cantwell said the program’s fourth title should earn it consideration among the state’s elite.

“Four state championships in the last six years, that's got to be considered a blueblood program,” he said. “There’s a lot of people to thank. It's not just one individual, you know. Definitely it starts with coach (Stefan) LeFors, who built this program from the ground up. Coach Riley and coach Hilliard and the assistant coaches currently on staff that helped Stefan lay the groundwork, and then ultimately win two state championships. And then it's these players, it's the parents, it's the administration, it's a community, as you all know, and I'm sure as everybody up here will say, it takes everybody involved for something like this to happen and to happen consistently. So, we just feel very grateful and very humbled to be part of such a great community that ultimately values these young men growing closer to Jesus, but also to excelling and whatever they set their minds to academics, athletics and so forth.”

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