Tigers' QB Bartlett could be headache for Royal defense

In a Week 2, 42-32 win over Knightstown, Cole Bartlett rushed for 287 yards and two touchdowns. Last week in the regular season finale, the Hagerstown senior passed for 333 yards and four touchdowns to beat Cambridge City Lincoln 54-7.

He also kicked the extra points for those touchdowns.

There’s not much the Class A No. 5-ranked Tigers’ quarterback can’t do with a football.

Eastern Hancock (4-5) will be tasked with keeping Bartlett in check Friday when Hagerstown (9-0) visits Charlottesville for the opening round of Sectional 37.

“I don’t know if they’re the best team we’ve faced all year; they’re certainly right up there,” EH coach Pat Echeverria said. “But I would say Bartlett is probably the best single player we’ve seen. He’s a very complete player.”

Bartlett, who has rushed and passed for over 1,000 yards this season, directs Class A’s sixth highest-scoring offense (41.4 points per game).

“They really do a good job of taking what the defense gives you,” Echeverria said. “If you try to take away the run, they’re going to throw the heck out of it.

“And they’re mostly short throws. They have good athletes that they try to get out in space, then they do the rest.”

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