Hopkinsville and Clarksville have a high school football series that dates back to 1909. During the 66th all-time meeting between the border state programs Thursday, the Wildcats used what was likely their best rush attack ever against the Tigers to earn a 42-0 victory at Stadium of Champions.
Clarksville, which came into the contest unbeaten on the season and out-scoring its opponents 139-21, carried the ball 60 times for over 375 yards on the ground and triggered a running clock with a sixth rushing touchdown with 6:07 to go in the third quarter.
James Dalrymple, who racked up 19 carries and was responsible for 145 of the Wildcats’ 376 rush yards, scored twice in the second quarter to help his team build a 35-0 halftime lead. Payton Langan, who finished with 70 yards, also scored twice to lead 11 different CHS running backs who saw action.
Hoptown, which was held off the scoreboard for the first time since Aug. 26, 2022, was outgained 409-95 overall. Treston Kay, filling in for Aiden King and receiving the start at quarterback after a valiant second-half effort the week prior, led HHS with 65 rushing yards on 15 carries. The bulk of those came on a 31-carry in the second half.
The Wildcats ran 13 plays — all on the ground — to generate a game-opening 81-yard drive and take a 7-0 lead on the first of two Langan one-yard TD runs with 5:18 to go in the opening quarter. Leading by that same margin to open the second period, Clarksville ripped off four TDs during an eight-minute stretch to take complete control. QB Trey Youngs had the other on a 27-yard option run.
The Hoptown-Clarksville tilt, which was originally on the season slate for Sept. 8, was rescheduled to Thursday due to a shortage of Kentucky High School Athletic Association football officials. The game lasted two hours on the nose, which was less than half the amount of time it took for last Friday’s Hopkinsville vs. Christian County rivalry showdown.
Thursday’s matchup, which was the first between Hopkinsville and Clarksville since 2009, featured a combined nine attempted passes. Dalrymple caught both of the Wildcat receptions for 31 yards. Kay completed two of the five thrown by the Tigers. Artavius Moses also finished the game with 27 rushing yards.
Since 2000, Hopkinsville is now 5-8 against teams from Tennessee and 4-3 versus schools from the Clarksville area. HHS still owns an all-time series lead of 34-29-3 over Clarksville High. The Tigers (0-4) will face another potent test next week when they travel to take on Paducah Tilghman (3-0) in the Class 4A, District 1 opener for both squads.
1Q 2Q 3Q 4Q F
CHS (4-0) 7 28 7 0 — 42
HHS (0-4) 0 0 0 0 — 0
SCORING PLAYS
CHS: Payton Langan, 1-yard run; Charlie Balthrop PAT (1Q, 5:18)
CHS: James Dalrymple, 8-yard run; kick no good (2Q, 9:28)
CHS: Langan, 1-yard run; Dalrymple two-point conversion run (2Q, 6:43)
CHS: Trey Youngs 27-yard run; Balthrop PAT (2Q, 4:05)
CHS: Dalrymple 26-yard run; Balthrop PAT (2Q, 1:13)
CHS: Ahvare Galbreath, 2-yard run; Jamarcus Watkins PAT (3Q, 6:07)
