For the third consecutive year, the Caldwell County Tigers are headed for the region championship game to take on the Elizabethtown Panthers. The Tigers advanced by dispatching LaRue County 40-27 on a cold Friday night at Tiger Stadium.
The game was a back and forth battle for much of the first half. After Caldwell County came up with a big 4th down stop to end the Hawk’s first possession, the Tigers got on the board first when Jameer Riley ripped off a 30-yard touchdown run with 7:09 to go in the first quarter to put the Tigers in front 6-0.
It did not take long for LaRue County to respond as Dane Milby threw a 60-yard touchdown pass to Shane King with 5:35 to go in the first quarter to put the Hawks ahead 7-6. The Caldwell County defense came up big, stopping LaRue County on 4th down deep in Tiger territory on their next possession, which was set up by a bad snap on a Caldwell County punt attempt, to keep the score at 7-6.
After a short Caldwell County punt set Logan County up near midfield, the Hawks struck again, this time when Milby kept it for a 42-yard score to extend the lead to 13-6 with 7:48 to go in the half. However, Trel Riley returned the ensuing kickoff 75-yards to the end zone to make it 13-12.
Jameer Riley, who played huge on both sides of the ball for Caldwell County, came up with an interception on LaRue County’s next possesion, setting the Tigers up at the Hawk’s 22. The Tigers found the end zone again, when Oliver Parker found Travis Newsom with 5:37 to go in the half to put Caldwell County back in front 19-13.
Less than a minute later LaRue County took the lead back at 20-19 when Milby connected with Anthony Adkins on a long pass with 4:48 to go in the half.
The turning point of the game came in the final minute of the first half. Caldwell County blocked a LaRue County punt and recovered it at the Hawk’s 10 yard line with 34-seconds to go in the half. Jaggers then hit Trel Riley with a 6-yard touchdown pass with 13-seconds left in the half to put the Tigers back in front 26-20.
Caldwell County then took the opening possession of the second half and drove it down the field, with Jameer Riley taking it the final two yards to extend the lead to 33-20. LaRue County moved the ball down the field on their next possession, but Jameer Riley slammed the door with his second interception of the night, this one in the end zone.
Late in the 3rd quarter, the Tigers struck again to put the game out of reach. On a 4th and long, Joby Jaggers found Gabe East for a 30-yard touchdown to extend the margin to 40-20. LaRue County would add a score in the final minute of the contest for the final score.
Caldwell County improves to 10-2 on the season and will advance on to host Elizabethtown in the regional final next Friday night at Tiger Stadium. The Panthers advanced with a 41-0 beatdown over Paducah Tilghman. It will mark the 3rd year in a row the two teams have met for the regional title. E-town won 32-27 in the final seconds in 2015 in Princeton. Last year, on their home turf, the Panthers won handily by the score of 35-10.
