Pikeville starts quickly,
holds off Raceland to
avenge last year’s loss
PIKEVILLE – Pikeville head football coach Chris McNamee was in need of a big play from his team to slow down an improbable comeback by Raceland.
With his team clinging to a 24-19 lead late in the game, he found it in an unlikely source – enter junior Jon Collum, who hadn’t run the football since his freshman season.
His first touch went for 59 yards and his third was a four-yard touchdown run with just over five minutes left to help the Panthers hold off the Rams, 38-19, in the Class 1A state semifinal rematch played at Hillard Howard Field this past Friday night.
Collum totaled 82 yards and pushed the Panthers into the championship game this Friday afternoon at Kroger Field against Beechwood (11-2).
Quarterback Connor Roberts sealed the win with a seven-yard run. The senior signal-caller passed for another score.
Christian Billiter caught a 32-yard touchdown pass from Jackson Hensley and had a pick six for 47 yards as Pikeville built a 24-0 halftime lead. Hensley hauled in a TD pass of 15 yards from Roberts.
The Panthers are looking to win a fifth championship, and second against Beechwood.
At Pikeville
(Class 1A state semifinals)
SCORE BY QUARTERS:
RC (11-3)……………………..0 0 12 7 – 19
PK (11-2)……………………17 7 0 14 – 38
Scoring:
First Quarter
PK – Tanner Hamilton, 21-yard field goal, 6:00
PK – Christian Billiter, 32-yard pass from Jackson Hensley (Tanner Hamilton kick), 1:50
PK – Christian Billiter, 47-yard INT (Tanner Hamilton kick), :48
Second Quarter
PK – Jackson Hensley, 15-yard pass from Connor Roberts (Tanner Hamilton kick), 2:37
Third Quarter
RC – Gunnur Lewis, 90-yard kickoff return (conversion failed), 11:46
RC – Hunter Lacks, 4-yard run (conversion failed), :50
Fourth Quarter
RC – Jacob Heighton, 3-yard run (conversion failed), 11:35
PK – Jon Collum, 4-yard run (Tanner Hamilton kick), 5:01
PK – Connor Roberts, 7-yard run (Tanner Hamilton kick), 1:20
Next up: Pikeville (11-2) vs. Beechwood (11-2), Class 1A championship, Kroger Field, 2 p.m., Nov. 30.