The Hopkinsville Tigers have extended their 2022 football season for at least one more week. The Tigers won their fourth straight game and ended a four-game losing streak to the Franklin-Simpson Wildcats with a 24-17 come-from-behind win Friday night in Franklin.
The Tigers looked to be in trouble at halftime of this one as the Wildcats jumped out to a 17-0 lead. However, led by a big night from quarterback Zach Moss and receiver Treston Kay, Hopkinsville came roaring back in the second half.
The Wildcats got on the board first when Atakis Allen connected for a 25-yard field goal to give Franklin-Simpson a 3-0 lead with 3:45 to go in the opening quarter.
That lead grew to 10-0 when Gavin Dickerson capped off a 9-play, 54-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run with 8:42 to go in the second. The Wildcats appeared to have everything going their way when Jalen Briscoe reeled in a 23-yard touchdown pass with 22 seconds left in the opening half and Franklin-Simpson rolled into the locker room with a 17-0 lead.
Whatever Coach Marc Clark and his staff said to the Tigers at the break, they may want to bottle some of it up and save it for a future date.
The Tigers were apparently not quite ready to pack up the gear for the winter though, as they came roaring out of the locker room at the break and scored 24 unanswered points in the second half. Hopkinsville put up 14 points in the third quarter to trim the lead to 17-14.
Zach Moss capped off a 9-play drive with a one-yard touchdown run with 8:43 to go in the third to make it 17-7. Later in the third, Moss hit Treston Kay for a 68-yard bomb to cut the lead to 17-14.
A 22-yard field goal from Moss in the opening minute of the fourth evened things up at 17-17, and it was game on.
The game stayed tied at 17 until Devin Coleman found the end zone on a three-yard run to put the Tigers into the lead for the first time at 24-17 with less than two minutes to go. The Tigers were then able to keep the second-half door slammed shut on the Wildcats and hold on for the win.
Hopkinsville picked up the win despite being limited to -9 net yards rushing in the contest. The Tigers were able to make up for their shortcomings in the rushing department through a solid passing performance. Hoptown would finish the game with 266 yards passing as they rallied to claim the win. Zach Moss finished the night 17 of 30 for 266 yards and one touchdown. Moss also scored on a touchdown run and kicked a field goal to cap off his superb night for the Tigers.
Treston Kay also lit up the Wildcats, as the Tiger receiver finished with 8 catches for 160 yards and a touchdown.
The Hopkinsville defense held Franklin-Simpson to just 192 total yards, most of that coming in the first half of play.
Hopkinsville improves to 6-5 with the win and advances to the 2nd round of the Class 4A playoffs. The Tigers will be back on the road next week as they get a rematch with the Logan County Cougars.
Logan County advanced with a 35-14 win Friday night over Allen County-Scottsville.
Hopkinsville and Logan County met back on September 23 with the Cougars claiming a 49-28 win in Russellville.
