In a game that featured over 700 yards of offense and 76 total points, a couple of inches made all the difference in Friday night’s second-round playoff matchup between Hopkinsville and Logan County.
Frantically trying to force overtime after trailing for most of the night, the Tigers saw a late two-point attempt turned away and a final heave fall incomplete in a 39-37 season-ending loss to the Cougars.
Logan County avenges a 22-point loss to the Tigers at the same stage last year and completes the season sweep to advance to next week’s region championship for the first time in 39 years.
The Tigers had the ball on offense for less than five minutes in the first half, and they trailed 5-0 after the opening quarter. Logan County capped its first drive with a 28-yard field goal by Mattia Giubilato and added a safety after Tiger quarterback Trey Jefferson was brought down in the endzone after recovering his own fumble.
Hopkinsville got on the board on a 23-yard field goal by Zach Moss with just a minute played in the 2nd quarter, and looked to have turned the momentum just three minutes later when Jay’Den Dillard took a direct snap and scored from a yard out.
However, as they would all night, the Cougars had the answer. With 2:15 left in the half, Wyatt Blake found the endzone with a 5-yard run to put Logan County back in front despite a failed two-point try.
The Cougars struck again in the final seconds of the half, with quarterback Davin Yates hitting Harper Butler for a 15-yard touchdown. Blake ran in the 2-point try and Logan led 19-10 at the break.
Hopkinsville seemed to make a statement on its first drive of the second half, closing to within two points after a 17-yard touchdown run by Dillard. But the Cougars were unfazed, responding with scoring runs of 54 yards by Yates and 30 yards by Ryan Rayno for a commanding 33-17 advantage with a quarter to play.
Dillard scored his third TD of the night on a 1-yard run to start the 4th quarter and trim the margin to eight. With three minutes to play, Jefferson found Daisjaun Mercer in the corner of the endzone to once again pull the Tigers within two, but Dillard was stopped on the 2-point attempt.
Logan County turned to Wyatt close the show and he ran for a pair of 1st downs before punching it in on a 23-yard run. However, with Giubilato injured, the PAT was no good, leaving the door open for the Tigers in the last two minutes.
Logan County elected to kick short, giving the Tigers good field position. Jefferson hit Mercer down to the 17 with a facemask penalty tacked on to give the Tigers a 1st and goal from the 8-yard line. On 4th and goal with :13 left, Jefferson dove into the endzone to set up a 2-point attempt to force overtime.
Jefferson’s pass was incomplete on the attempt, but a pass interference gave Hoptown a second shot. Jefferson tried another plunge up the middle but was ruled just short of the goal line despite protests from the Tiger sideline.
Hoping for a miracle, Moss served up an onside kick and the Tigers recovered at the Logan 45-yard line with :7.7 on the clock and no timeouts. After a Cougar timeout, the Tigers chose to take a shot at the endzone, but Jefferson’s pass to Emmanuel Cheatham was broken up to end the game.
Jefferson finished with 208 yards and a touchdown on 11 completions. The Tigers ran for 118 yards, with Dillard accounting for 67 and three scores. Jefferson also ran for 59 yards and a TD.
Cheatham had three catches for 82 yards, Mercer totaled 79 yards on three receptions, and Dillard had three catches for 26 yards.
The Cougars racked up 306 yards rushing, led by Blake with 145 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries. Rayno rushed for 137 yards and a score on 21 tries, and Yates completed six of nine passing attempts for 47 yards and a score.
Hopkinsville sees a five-game winning streak come to an end to finish the season at 7-5. Logan County wins its third game in four tries to improve to 9-4.
