MIDDLESBORO — Larry French’s Middlesboro Yellow Jackets had no trouble advancing to second round action of the Class A playoffs by turning in a dominating effort against Lynn Camp.
The Yellow Jackets entered the matchup as heavy favorites, and lived up to the billing by scoring early and often.
Middlesboro (8-2) built leads of 37-0, and 44-0, respectively during the first in second quarters en route to its 51-8 victory.
Yellow Jackets receiver Kameron Wilson made history during the win, becoming the first Yellow Jacket to go over the 1,000-yard receiving mark for the season.
The Wildcats (2-9) had no answer for Middlesboro, losing their eighth game in a row after starting the season with a 2-1 mark.
An early turnover by Lynn Camp in the first quarter set the tone the remainder of the game, as the Yellow Jackets’ Rylee Foster scored on a 16-yard touchdown run, and Middlesboro never looked back.
Cayden Grigsby’s 63-yard punt return for a touchdown combined with his 49-yard touchdown pass to Wilson increased the Yellow Jackets’ lead to 23-0 with 6:21 left in the first quarter.
An interception by Tristan Hatfield set up Grigsby’s 16-yard touchdown pass to Jack Yoakum while Grigsby’s 89-yard touchdown pass to Wilson increased Middlesboro’s advantage to 37-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Vincent Smith added a five-yard touchdown run in the second quarter to push the Yellow Jackets’ advantage to 44-0 at halftime.
Malachi Coots added a one yard touchdown run in the third quarter to make the score, 51-0, while Colt Bayless added an interception.
Lynn Camp’s DJ Wren scored a touchdown late in the game, but the damage had already been done.
