One thing you can count on when Paintsville and Raceland meet on the football field – a thrilling finish.
The Tigers, leading 19-3 in the second half, had to rely on a game-saving defensive play by John Walker Phelps in the endzone to help preserve a nail-biting 19-15 victory over the Rams at Memorial Field on Friday night.
Paintsville, now 7-2, captured the district championship with the win.
The Rams took an early 3-0 lead on Caleb Rowsey’s 25-yard field goal before Paintsville grabbed the lead for good on Harris Phelps’ two-yard touchdown run with less than nine minutes left in the first half.
Quarterback Jake Hyden then tossed a 13-yard touchdown pass play to Karsten Poe to push the Tigers up 13-3 at the break. Hyden passed for 67 yards and rushed for 56 yards, including a 48-yard touchdown run in the third period to extend the Tigers lead.
John Walker Phelps rushed 26 times for 95 yards. Poe hauled in three passes for 35 yards. The Tigers picked off three passes.
Paintsville will host Lexington Christian (8-1) in the regular-season finale on Nov. 1. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
At Paintsville
SCORE BY QUARTERS:
RC (5-4)……3 0 6 6 – 15
PV (7-2)……0 13 6 0 – 19
Scoring:
First Quarter
RC – Caleb Rowsey, 25-yard field goal, 2:28
Second Quarter
PV – Harris Phelps, 2-yard run (Seth Trador kick), 8:55
PV – Karsten Poe, 13-yard pass from Jake Hyden (kick blocked), 1:08
Third Quarter
PV – Jake Hyden, 48-yard run (run failed), 9:33
RC – Ethan Cox, 59-yard pass from Jake Heighton (pass failed), 3:16
Fourth Quarter
RC – Ethan Cox, 53-yard pass from Jake Heighton (Caleb Rowsey kick), 6:24
Next up: Paintsville (7-2) vs. Lexington Christian (8-1), 7:30 p.m., Nov. 1.