Ashland learned a lot about itself – and how a JAWS nickname might just stick – in the second week of the 1975 season.

Of all the regular-season games that season, none carried more weight than a battle with Bryan Station in Putnam Stadium. It was the season opener for the Defenders, who boasted of having more pure speed than any team in Kentucky and the writers and broadcasters who voted in the Associated Press poll agreed they were the team to beat. Bryan Station was ranked No. 1 in Class AAAA, the largest classification and the same one where Ashland was placed.

Ashland had a game against under its belt against Johnson Central, a 47-14 victory when they rushed for 523 yards rushing on 39 attempts – an astounding 13.4 per carry average. The Tomcats scored the first four times they touched the ball and had the town buzzing about the potential. The defense surrendered 3-8 yards rushing, although substitutes played much of the second half.

Players nor coaches were publicly talking about the JAWS name for the defense. Not yet anyway. The players knew it was being considered, and liked the idea, but coach Herb Conley wasn’t sure it was a great idea given how nicknames can backfire. But after the showing against Bryan Station, even had admitted it had some merit.

These weren’t Baby Sharks. They were man-eaters.

The Defenders had 15 players who ran the 40 in 4.8 or less – an enormous number of skilled running backs and receivers. Conley said the reports he had on them was they had “speed to burn” and that there are three good teams in Lexington and they are all in Bryan Station – the first, second and third teams. That may have been some “coach-speak” but it was clear this team was born to run.

Ashland’s team speed was good but it wasn’t in that neighborhood.

But Putnam Stadium became a shark tank for the Defenders, who lost three fumbles and was tackled in its own backfield for minus yardage 16 times. Bryan Station rushed for only 103 yards in 41 attempts and was held to a scant five yards in the first quarter. They passed for 114 yards but it wasn’t enough in what turned out to be a 22-12 defeat.

Ashland’s offense was good enough and the defense provided some points, too, getting a safety in the first quarter when Gary Thomas made a tackle in the end zone. The first fumble recovery set up the first Tomcat touchdown and an 8-0 lead that stood up as the halftime score. Jeff Slone took it in from four yards out, running behind a hole opened up by Terry Bell and Casey Jones on Ashland’s big offensive line.

But the play that was the backbreaker for the Defenders came early in the third quarter.

Thomas gathered in a punt at the Ashland 43, headed left and slipped a handoff to Rick Sang who, after some shifty moves to shake a couple of tacklers, scooted 57 yards for a touchdown. A bone-chilling block from Chuck Anderson in front of the Ashland sideline was what many remember. Bryan Station’s Eddie Coles was moving in on Sang at midfield but when he reached the Ashland 43, Anderson clocked him, sending his helmet flying in the air and leaving him motionless. Coles never saw Anderson coming. Video shows Anderson was a noseguard, wrestled with the Defenders center, and then he sprinted downfield to see if he could make a block, and boy did he ever. It also left Sang all alone at that end of the field. Kevin Ward’s extra point made it 15-0 with 10:16 to play in the third quarter.

Conley said at the time he thought Anderson had literally knocked his head off. “I thought he had killed him,” he said. “I mean it, I thought that was his head (and not his helmet).”

At the time, Ashland referred to hard tackles or blocks as “Bad Cat,” an award that went to the player making the big hit. Conley said of the block, “If I’ve ever seen a Bad Cat at Putnam Stadium, that was it. He nailed that man.”

It was a stunning play and further fueled the idea that this JAWS nickname was going to stick around.

The Tomcats’ last touchdown came near the end of the third quarter with Thomas zipping 27 yards behind a huge hole on the left side. Ward’s kick made it 22-0. That touchdown was set up on a 5-yard run from Jeff Slone on fourth-and-three at the Defenders 32. Slone, behind a thunderous block from Bell, found a hole and got the first down to the 27. Thomas took it from there.

After the game, Defenders coach Terry Clark told Conley that Bell “was definitely All-State” after he dominated line play in the game. Anderson’s play at linebacker and Sang’s overall play were also lauded by Conley.

Ashland, which played only 16 players, began to tire in the fourth quarter and Bryan Station took advantage, scoring a pair of touchdowns to set the final margin.

The victory propelled the Tomcats to 2-0 and they moved to No. 1 in the Class AAAA poll the next week and that’s where they remained throughout the regular season where they finished 11-0 on the way to the 14-1 season.

While Ashland’s 43-0 victory over Boyd County in the last game of the regular season clinched the district championship and was more important than the Bryan Station victory in a lot of ways, still ranks behind the win in Week 2. That was the night the Defenders came to town and found out the JAWS defense was no joke. It sent a message statewide, too, that Ashland was for real and could challenge for the Class AAAA crown.