NCC UP NEXT

 The Corbin Redhounds have advanced to the Kentucky High School Football state semifinals with a blistering 48-14 win over the Prestonsburg Blackcats Friday night at Campbell Field.

The Corbin defense made it tough on the talented Prestonsburg running back and may set a team record in doing so. The Blackcats finished the game with a minus 90 yards on the ground. Corbin, led by Mitchell Fredrick, Cody Harp, Matt Jewell, Saxon Okuma, Wes Tipton, Brady Foley, Matthew Taylor and Nick Howington recorded 15 hits for losses.

Prestonsburg quarterback Adam Crisp took the brunt of them with nine sacks for a total loss of 72 yards. The Blackcats recorded only two carries that went for plus yards.

The teams went into the game tied in take aways (fumbles and interceptions), and it was Corbin coming away with two interceptions and three fumble recoveries.

Redhound Coach Steve Jewell said his team carried out the game plan to perfection. “We felt like we put our speed in the right place,” said Jewell.

Corbin (11-2) had speed to burn on both sides of the ball. The Redhounds racked up 414 total yards compared to Prestonsburg’s 100 yards.

After each team failed to move the ball on its first possession, Foley took a Prestonsburg punt to the Blackcats 49-yard line. Taylor followed with a 34-yard run and Foley pushed the ‘Hounds down to the 12-yard line before a penalty briefly stalled the drive.

A third-down pass from Ty Cobb to Josh Coppock left the Redhounds a yard shy of the goal line. Taylor leaped across the line for the touchdown. Okuma’s kick made it 7-0.

The first Corbin interception of the night came on the following Prestonsburg drive. Frederick hauled in a Crisp pass inside the 15-yard line and ran it back to the Corbin 29.

The only miscue of the night came on the following drive after two penalties and a five-yard loss left the Redhounds with a second-and-25. The Blackcats recovered a fumble at their own 49-yard line.

The Prestonsburg possession started with a sack of Crisp, but he rebounded to hit Nathan Slone on a 55-yard for the touchdown. Caleb Petrey tacked on the PAT, tying the game at 7-7.

It was all Corbin after that as the Redhounds scored 21-second quarter points then added 20 in the second half for 41 unanswered points.

Foley put the Redhounds ahead for good with 9:22 in the second period on a one-yard touchdown run. Corbin held the Blackcats on the ensuing series and forced a punt. Foley grabbed the punted ball and handed off to Taylor who took the ball to the Redhounds 49-yard line. Six plays later Taylor scored from three yards out. The big play was a 38-yard pass to Taylor to the Prestonsburg two-yard line.

Corbin pinned the Blackcats against their own goal line after the Okuma kickoff. Two straight losses and an incomplete pass forced the Blackcats to punt from their own end zone.

Corbin took over at the Prestonsburg 32-yard line. On the first play from scrimmage Foley took the snap and hit Taylor for a 32-yard score with :52 left in the quarter. The TD and extra point put the Redhounds ahead, 28-7.

“They had the best week of practice that they have had all year long as far as being coachable and listening to us,” said Jewell. “This is a bunch I would like to play with, they are fun, they are exciting and they fly around the ball. When they do the things you ask of them they are so great to coach.”

“We had tons of question marks before the season started, but our ultimate goal every year is to get the state championship,” said Jewell. “People didn’t feel like they were going to bounce back after all the senior losses we had last year, but we have had great leadership from our seniors and great leadership from our juniors and even some of the sophomores.”

“They just love playing together,” said Jewell. “They are fun to watch and if you have not seen them, you need to come out and see them this week.”

Corbin scored three second half touchdowns and kept the Blackcats backed up on offense.

A fumble recovery by Taylor led to the first touchdown of the third quarter. The Redhounds started the drive at their own 23-yard line with 4:40 in the period then drove the ball 77 yards to pay dirt. Fredrick had a 27-yard run and Foley followed with a 20 yard run to the Blackcats 30-yard line.

A penalty pushed the ball back to the 35-yard line before Fredrick had a run of eight yards. Coppock hit Josh Jewell on the following play to the 16-yard line and Fredrick finished off the drive with a run into the end zone.

Wes Tipton came up with a fumble recovery on the next Prestonsburg possession that led to a one-play 36-yard pass from Cobb to Foley for a 40-7 score. Okuma added the extra point.

Corbin scored its final touchdown in the fourth period. It also came off a Prestonsburg fumble at their own 15-yard line with 8:45 left in the game. Roman Mitchell was on the end of a Cobb pass. Okuma’s kick gave the Redhounds a 48-7 lead.

“The kids are excited, you can tell by just looking in their eyes,” said Jewell. “They know what was being said about them and it was great fuel. They are a tight group of brothers and they want to see this thing through. I feel like they will come out and play a great game next week.”

The Redhounds will take on the Thoroughbreds of Newport Central Catholic, a team that handed Corbin a 26-7 loss two years ago at Campbell Field.

Corbin 48, Prestonsburg 14

Prestonsburg            7     0     0   7- 14

Corbin                 7   21   13   7- 48

CHS- Matthew Taylor 1 run (Saxon Okuma kick)

PHS- Nathan Slone 55 pass from Adam Crisp (Caleb Petry kick)

CHS- Brady Foley 1 run (Okuma kick)

CHS- Taylor 3 run (Okuma kick)

CHS- Taylor 32 pass from Foley (Okuma kick)

CHS- Mitchell Fredrick 16 run (Okuma kick)

CHS- Foley 36 pass from Ty Cobb (Okuma kick)

CHS- Roman Mitchell 15 pass from Cobb (Okuma kick)

PHS- Joseph Jamerson 20 pass from Grant Anderson (Petrey kick)

Statistics

Rushing: Corbin: Taylor 16-143, Foley 12-67, Fredrick 6-58, Woolum 5-14, Waddle 5-14, Gosser 1-4, Wynn 1-minus 2, Cobb 4-minus 21. Prestonsburg: Jamerson 2-minus 1, Williams 2-minus 7, Anderson 4-minus 9, Crisp 9-minus 72.

Passing: Corbin: Cobb 6-9-1 122, Foley 1-1-0 32. Prestonsburg: Crisp 14-24-2 178, Anderson 2-6-0 60.

Receiving: Corbin: Foley 1-36, Taylor 2-72, Coppock 1-16, Jewell 2-15, Mitchell 1-15. Prestonsburg: Slone 7-126, Jamerson 4-60, Williams 3-42, Griffith 2-10.