YSE File Photo
The Russellville Panthers will look to advance to the Class A state championship game for the first time in 31 years Friday night. The Panthers are set to host Bethlehem at Rhea Stadium at 7:00pm.
The Panthers last played in the title game in 1990 when they took home the big trophy with a 21-7 win over Bellevue. That championship capped off an eleven-year run in which the Panthers won three Class A titles under Coach Ken Barrett.
Russellville is looking to be the first western Kentucky team to reach the Class A title game since Mayfield, who now plays in Class AA, won the title in 2014. With a win Friday, the Panthers would be the first western Kentucky team not named Mayfield to reach the final since Hancock County in 1999.
Russellville enters Friday night’s semifinal at 11-1 with their only loss coming to Glasgow, who is playing Paducah Tilghman in the Class AAA semifinals.
In their eleven wins, the only teams to come within ten points or less of the Panthers were two of their closest rivals. Russellville beat Todd Central 10-0 on September 3 and took down Logan County, who is playing in the Class AAAA semifinals, 23-14 on October 15.
The winner of the Russellville-Bethlehem game will take on the winner of Pikeville and Raceland for the Class A championship.
