BACK-TO-BACK

After taking down unbeaten Caldwell County in the semifinals of the Kentucky Middle School Football State semifinals, the Corbin Redhounds went after their second straight state title against the host Lexington Catholic Knights.

By halftime of the championship game it was lights out for the Knights as Corbin held a 34-14 lead well on their way to back-to-back titles.

Was the second title as sweet as the first? Corbin Coach Brent Jackson thought so. “I’m just ecstatic, it feels great,” he said.

It was too much Powers and Batman for the Knights in the form of Tanner Powers, who ran for 222 yards and four touchdowns and Jefferson Patrick, who had 182 yards and two touchdowns. Add 43 yards from Jake Coppock and 18 yards from Harrison Reedy and the Redhounds finished with a stunning 464 yards against the Knights.

In winning the state championship, the Redhounds rolled over 16 foes with just one regular season loss. In the state playoffs, Corbin eliminated Glasgow, TK Stone of Elizabethtown, Caldwell County, who came into the semifinals with a 13-0- record and in the end it was a victory over mighty Lexington Catholic.

“The Lord has been good to me to let me be in position to lead these kids,” said Jackson, who has compiled a 29-2 record in the last two seasons. “I’m just excited.”

“We wanted to get an early lead on them and make them play chase,” said Jackson. “We thought our running game would take over and it definitely did.”

Corbin got on the scoreboard with 4:49 in the first quarter when Powers powered his way 15 yards, carrying many Knights’ defenders with him to the end zone.

The lead didn’t last long as Lexington Catholic answered with Sam Letton, who scored on a 55-yard pass play from Reese Ryan 25 seconds later. The Knights missed their extra point as well and the game was on.

However, it was Corbin rising to the occasion with back-to-back touchdowns. Jake Coppock scored 17 seconds following Letton’s run to the end zone. Patrick ran in the two-point conversion for a 14-6 lead.

Patrick then scored early in the second quarter on a 19-yard run and Coppock’s two-point conversion pushed the Redhounds ahead, 22-6.

Corbin added two more scores in the second quarter, a 69-yard run by Powers and a 13-yard pass from Corey Taylor to Dalton Anderson with :34 seconds left in the half. The Redhounds took a 34-14 to the locker room.

Corbin put the game out of reach in the third quarter when Powers scored on a 54-yard run followed by a two-point conversion that sent the Redhounds ahead 42-14 with 3:08 in the period.

Letton cut the lead to 42-20 with 1:06 left in the third, but a Patrick 70-yard run and a Taylor to Anderson conversion gave the Redhounds a 30-point lead, 50-20.

Corbin got one more score in the fourth quarter as Powers broke loose on a 45-yard run to the end zone giving the Redhounds a 56-20 lead.

Lexington Catholic scored the final touchdown with :45 seconds left in the game.

•In the 39-0 win over the Caldwell County Tigers, the Redhounds again jumped out to a 24-0 lead in the first quarter.

Patrick scored the go-ahead touchdown with 5:57 in the opening period on a nine-yard run. Powers added the two-point conversion for an 8-0 lead.

The only success the Tigers had in the first quarter was a six-play drive that netted 16 yards before they were forced to punt the ball.

It took one play for Patrick to take the ball 62 yards to the end zone; Coppock added the conversion for a 16-0 lead.

Caldwell County quarterback Elijah Sindaler turned the ball over after just two plays when he was intercepted.

Corbin drove the ball 53 yards with Coppock doing most of the damage for their third score of the quarter. Coppock scored on a two-yard run with 1:11 left on the clock. Taylor hit Anderson on the PAT for the 24-0 lead.

The Redhounds held the Tigers to three and out and Corbin made Caldwell County pay with a 12-play drive to the end zone. Powers scored on a seven-yard touchdown and Brently Patrick kicked the PAT for a 31-0 lead.

Corbin put the game away with a two-yard TD by Taylor with 1:36 left in the half. Patrick kicked the extra point for a 38-0 score. The mercy rule was in effect in the second half as Corbin went on to take the shutout victory.

Corbin 56, Lexington Catholic 28

Corbin                        14   20   16   6- 56

Lex. Catholic              6     8     6   8- 28

CMS- Tanner Powers 15 run (run failed)

LC- Sam Letton 55 pass from Reese Ryan (pass failed)

CMS- Jake Coppock 9 run (Jefferson Patrick run)

CMS- Jefferson Patrick 19 run (Patrick run)

LC- Jordan Hatton 62 pass from Ryan (Hatton pass from Ryan)

CMS- Powers 69 run (run failed)

CMS- Dalton Anderson 13 pass from Corey Taylor (run failed)

CMS- Powers 54 run (Powers run)

LC- Letton 8 pass from Ryan (pass failed)

CMS- Patrick 70 run (Anderson pass from Taylor)

CMS- Powers 45 run (run failed)

LC- Jaylen Jones 55 pass from Ryan (Ryan run)