CMS Hounds one win away from second straight state title

When it plays Saturday afternoon, the Corbin Middle School Eighth Grade Football Team will be going for its second consecutive state title.

Last Saturday, Corbin defeated Taylor County at East Jessamine High School by a score of 20-0 in the Eighth Grade Division 2 semi-final game.

Head Coach Brent Jackson said that he was pleased with his team’s performance Saturday.

“Needless to say, that was a game we had on our radar for quite some time. It was kind of a rematch of last year’s semi-final game,” Jackson said.

“Taylor was loaded. They are a good team. They were balanced so we knew we were going to have to play a great game to win. We were very excited about pulling that one off, especially shutting them out.”

The Redhounds jumped out of the gate early scoring a touchdown on their first possession.

From there the momentum continued with Corbin scooping up a Taylor County loose ball and returning it for a touchdown.

“That really kind of took some of the air out of them I think,” Jackson noted.

Corbin’s record currently stands at 14-0 on the season.

Corbin will face off against Paducah at 4 p.m. Saturday at East Jessamine High School in the Eighth Grade Division 2 State Championship Game.

“What we have seen of Paducah, they are very athletic. They run it pretty well. They are pretty balanced. They throw it. They have a good back. They have some go to receivers,” Jackson said. “We are going to have to dial up some pressure on the quarterback and we have to tackle well again this weekend.”

Jackson said that his team will be following the same prescription it has for every game, regardless of the style of the opponent.

“We have to play physical for four quarters. We think that should be the difference, if our kids are able to do that. That is what we are coaching them to do, and they have responded up until this point to be that type of team. We expect nothing different on Saturday. We just have to get motivated and go do it,” Jackson said.

Last year, the Redhounds defeated South Oldham in the championship game by a score of 28-8 to win the 2020 Eighth Grade Division 2 Championship.

The Redhounds also won the Eighth Grade Division 2 title in 2017, the Eighth Grade Division 1 title in 2014, and the Eighth Grade Division 2 title in 2010.

So, does going for back to back state titles bring more pressure for this year’s team?

Jackson thinks it’s more of a matter of ramping things up for the next group of players on next year’s team.

“This group saw it happen last year as seventh graders. I think it kind of lights a fire under them to be able to go through those same experiences. You kind of see that grow a little bit,” he said.

In addition, there are kids on this year’s team, Jackson’s son included, who have been witness to four state championship attempts for the eighth grade team whether they were serving as ball boys, water boys, or in some other capacity, and want to experience that for themselves.

“They kind of know the routine … I think the expectation is there, but they want to go make it happen for themselves and their group,” he said.

Jackson added that he couldn’t create a better prescription for football players than what happens at the Corbin Middle School and Corbin in general.

“Redhounds are Redhounds and that still translates. What a blessed community and a blessed coaching staff we are to be able to coach these kids,” he added.

This year’s team includes: Cam Estep, Cole Stevens, Euell David Martinez, BJ Jackson, JP Carmichael, Landon Crawford, Dallas Merida, Bo Walters, Clay Botner, Lucas Brittain, Evan Taylor, Joseph Brigmon, Eli Pietrowski, Jacob White, Jackson Dutkiewicz, Hunter Fuson, Tyson Blalock, Max Farmer, Gavin Hinkle, Myles Marlow, Jaden Davis, Baron Butler, Seth Jones, Alex Eaton, Hayden Lambert, Gary Hobbs, Ashton Wright, Peyton Hamilton, Dylan Johnson, Timothy Thompson and Leo Portillo.

The coaching staff includes Jackson, Jeff Barnett, Buddy Butler, Tim Massengill, Jesse Hayden, Gregg Foley, Dylan Massengill, Chance Hendrickson, Ryan Tate, Evan Keck, Travis Hart and Zac Horvath.

Sideline staff are Johnny White, Jenni Lou Jackson and Jenny Barnett. Managers are Jack Jackson, Logan Crawford and Jackson Jones.