Davaree Gude rushed for a school-record 346 yards, and Trigg County needed every one of them to hold off Fort Campbell 35-26 on Friday at Perdue Field.
The Wildcat junior passed Kelsey Parham’s 2022 single-game record of 307 yards with a 26-yard touchdown romp with 8:01 left that put Trigg ahead by nine points.
Trigg’s defense then kept the Falcons off the scoreboard to notch their seventh straight win over Fort Campbell.
Gude ran for a 76-yard touchdown on the game’s first play from scrimmage. After Trigg’s John Stephens recovered a Falcon fumble on the ensuing drive, Gude scored on a 5-yard run for a 14-0 Trigg lead just 3:05 into the game.
Fort Campbell used its special teams to dent the scoreboard for the first time. Eric Greene came off the left side on a Trigg punt attempt and blocked the kick. Leaf Dewitt grabbed the loose ball and took it 40 yards to the end zone.
Trigg answered when Caden Scott found Ahmari Alexander for a 13-yard touchdown pass. Scott got his first varsity start on Friday after the team learned Timmy Williams, the starter for the first two games, was lost for the year with a knee injury.
The teams would score three touchdowns in three minutes toward the end of the half. Torrence Dixon picked off a Scott pass and returned it 10 yards for a score for the Falcons, who also got a 46-yard touchdown run from J.P. Perryman.
Those plays were sandwiched around an 83-yard TD run by Gude and left the Wildcats with a 28-20 halftime lead.
The Falcons opened the third quarter with an 8-yard scoring strike from Perryman to Greene. Fort Campbell went for two on the conversion but failed, leaving the Wildcats with a slim two-point lead.
After the teams exchanged punts on their next two drives, Khade Greenwood picked off a Perryman pass in Falcon territory with 8:16 left. On the next play, Gude took it to the end zone for his fourth score of the game and established a new school mark for rushing yards.
Kelsey Parham rushed for 307 yards against LaRue County in 2022 and Al Baker ran for 306 yards in a 1985 win over Marshall County. Gude finished with 346 yards on 27 carries.
Brody Renfroe connected on all seven PAT kicks for the Wildcats, who recovered a Falcon fumble on the next drive to secure the win.
Trigg County ran for 392 yards on 30 carries with Joshuan Bridges adding 60 yards on 10 totes.
Scott was 5-of-8 passing for 13 yards for Trigg, who had a season-high 405 yards.
Keshawn Dixon led the Falcon ground game with 168 yards on 16 carries. Fort Campbell had 240 yards.
Trigg County’s defense had four takeaways – two by Greenwood in the fourth quarter.
Trigg was also penalized 15 times for 119 yards.
The game was the 50th in the series that dates back to 1965. Fort Campbell holds a 30-20 advantage.
The Falcons (0-3) host Madisonville-North Hopkins next week ahead of their annual Army Bowl showdown with Fort Knox.
Trigg County (2-1) will play at Russellville next week before opening district play at home with Webster County in two weeks.
