Daniel DeLeon was just too much for Barren County Saturday night.

The Metcalfe County senior running back rushed for 212 yards and four touchdowns and had a game-high 12 tackles on defense to lift the Hornets to a 28-21 come-from-behind victory over the Trojans in the TJ Samson Bowl.

“It’s a first win over here in a hostile place,” Metcalfe coach Larry Harbison said. “They had a huge crowd again. It’s a good thing to be a part of this and I’m happy for the win.”

The Hornets scored 22 points in the third quarter, erasing a 14-6 halftime deficit, to take a 28-14 lead. The Trojans added a score early in the fourth quarter to cut the visitor’s advantage to 28-21.

But for the next 11 minutes, it was a heart attack a minute.

“We actually did try to give that one away,” Harbison said. “I don’t know that I ever remember giving a team that many opportunities to win a ball game. But I have to praise our defense just a little bit, because they could have got their heads down when they had to go right back out there about three series in a row, it seemed like. And we started playing with the intensity that I wanted in the third and fourth quarters.”

Metcalfe fumbled the ball on its second play after Barren‘s touchdown. The Trojans took over in Hornet territory and fumbled on their first offensive play. DeLeon had a pair of runs for the Hornets before they fumbled again, this time on the third play of the drive. Barren took over at the Metcalfe 25-yard line and gained one yard on three plays. Caleb Bogard missed on a 40-yard field goal attempt with 7:07 left in the game.

Metcalfe took over and Barren’s defense held the Hornets to three plays. The Trojans took over after the punt at the Hornet 46-yard line.

The Trojans had two incomplete passes sandwiched around an eight-yard run from Kris Aquino. Barren went for it on fourth and two from Metcalfe’s 38-yard line. Sneed was stopped after a one-yard gain and the Hornets took over at their own 37-yard line with 4:25 left.

But the Hornets fumbled on their first play and the Trojans took over again, this time at the Metcalfe 30-yard line.

Aquino lost two yards on a carry before Gill Thomas found Hunter Jones for a seven-yard reception. Kyle Holley broke up Thomas’ third down pass before picking off the very next one to give the Hornets the ball at their own 11-yard line with 2:51 left in the game.

The Hornets had three runs, including one on a holding penalty, to set up a third down and three with 1:09 left in the game. DeLeon punched ahead just far enough for a first down with a three-yard run that allowed Metcalfe to run out the clock and seal the win.

“It’s just like you work hard and you think you’re in a position to do something good and then...that’s just the way it works,” Barren coach Jeff Richey said. “It’s tough right now. You look at the whole summer and the prepping, the getting kids ready, and it’s tough.”

The Hornets started their comeback with a blocked punt midway through the third quarter, taking over at the Barren 24-yard line.

DeLeon had a one-yard run, followed by a four-yard run from quarterback Zack Morgan and another DeLeon run, this time for four yards. That set up a fourth and one play from the Barren 15-yard line.