Even in painful loss, Spencer County showed why it has become a solid football program

By John Herndon, 110forChrist.com

TAYLORSVILLE — It’s always good to have a friend I can call on at the last minute for a place to take in Friday Night Lights.

That’s what happened last week when a late change of plans had left me without a place to take in a football game. I mean late, really late! As in less than 24 hours before kickoff time. But I quickly sent an email off to Mike Marksbury, the head football coach and athletic director at Spencer County High School in Taylorsville.

Being able to reach out to someone who carries both titles always facilitates things and reaching out to someone who respects what we do at 110forChrist makes it even better. Add in that Spencer, ranked No. 8 in Class 4A by the statewide media, would be hosting the defending Class A state champions, Kentucky Country Day, and it was a trifecta of good fortune.

“Come on down. We would love to have you,” Marksbury replied.

It’s just one of the reasons Spencer County is one of my favorite places to go watch high school sports. Every person I deal with at the school is first class. And it doesn’t hurt that they have built a pretty good football program, one that might fly under the radar of the average Bluegrass high school football fan.

The school has never made it to the state finals. For that matter, the Bears have never won a regional championship since the program was launched in 2003. But make no mistake, Mike Marksbury has built a solid program built hard work, solid fundamentals and, most importantly, developing young men who will be productive citizens after they take the shoulder pads off for the last time.

A relentless heat wave had pushed the kickoff back to 8 p.m. but that didn’t matter to an overflow crowd. They were treated to a classic. Neither team led by more than a touchdown. Both teams recorded big plays on both sides of the ball. And it came down to one final play.

One final untimed play.

On the final snap in regulation, Spencer quarterback Garrett Stickdorn dove into the end zone, pulling the Bears within 42-41. But on the play, Stickdorn, who had thrown for 221 yards and a pair of scores and had run for two more touchdowns,  was shaken up. On the sideline the question was whether Marksbury would play it safe with a kick to tie or go for the W.

Even with Stickdorn unable to take the snap, Marksbury gambled with backup Isaiah Smith being  stopped just short of the goal line. The Bears reacted predictably after a never-say-die effort ended just short of a victory for the ages. But they consoled themselves and took in Marksbury’s postgame speech.

After talking for a few moments on the GHP Sports Broadcasting coverage of the game, Marksbury made his way to the visitor who had contacted him at the last minute. The disappointment in his eyes was minor compared to the resolve. 

“We just couldn’t stop them,” he said, explaining his decision to make the outcome ride on one play. 

Spencer, now 2-1, has two more weeks to get ready for district play, traveling to Henry County and hosting Fairdale, both also coming in at 2-1, before a district game at Western Hills. 

Chances are that Spencer will keep on with the same formula that Marksbury has used in 102 wins since taking over the program in 2011. Prior to Marksbury’s arrival, Spencer had made some progress but had never won more than six games in a season nor had the Bears taken a playoff victory. 

In Marksbury’s 15 seasons, the Bears have had 11 winning campaigns, including 10 wins in 2015 and 2022. The streak of six consecutive winning campaigns is expected to continue this fall. There have been some district championships but the Bears have never made it past two regional championship games. 

Spencer is districted with powerful Franklin County, which has been to two straight state championship games and Class 4A is loaded on the eastern side of the state with other perennial powers such as Corbin, Johnson Central and Covington Catholic. And, of course, there is Boyle County, which has ruled Class 4A for five of the next six years.

A realignment going into 2027 will move Spencer to the western half of the state – an important distinction when getting to regional championship seeding – but another powerhouse, Christian Academy of Louisville will be competing in 4A then.

In talking with Marksbury one gets the feeling that he loves to win big games, but that he loves seeing young men become the best they can be even more. At Spencer he’s built an old school program built on the old school values of hard work, teamwork, mutual respect and an expectation of success.

And that’s another reason I love traveling to Spencer County. Those values are what high school sports are about.