PAINTSVILLE — Corbin and Johnson Central hooked up in one of the best offensive efforts by two teams in a long time during Friday’s Class 4A battle.
With the leads changing hands three times during the final nine minutes, Corbin did just enough to pull out a 56-51 win over the Golden Eagles.
The two teams combined for 1,281 yards of total offense as senior quarterback Kade Elam completed 18-of-23 pass attempts for 421 yards and six touchdowns while carrying the ball 10 times for 141 yards and two scores.
The Redhounds (5-1) finished with 623 yards of total offense while Johnson Central totaled 658 yards of offense, including 614 yards on the ground.
Tailback Zack McCoart ran for 414 yards in the loss while teammate Logan Musick finished with 114 yards rushing.
The first quarter saw both teams land haymakers.
Johnson Central scored two rushing touchdowns with the first going for one yard giving the Golden Eagles a 7-0 lead with 10:17 remaining in the first quarter.
Corbin answered with Kade Elam hitting Colton Creekmore with a four-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at seven apiece with 9:19 remaining in the first quarter.
Johnson Central answered in its ensuing drive with a two-yard touchdown run, pushing its lead to 14-7 at the 5:27 mark of the first quarter.
Elam tied the game at 14 apiece with an eight-yard touchdown run with 3:24 remaining in the first quarter.
Neither team slowed down on offense in the second quarter.
The Golden Eagles added its third rushing touchdown, a 14-yard run, pushing its lead to 21-14 during the opening seconds of the second quarter while Corbin answered with a 45-yard touchdown pass from Elam to Cam Estep to tie the game at 21 apiece with 10:39 remaining in the second quarter.
It only took Johnson Central four minutes to respond to regain the lead. The Golden Eagles scored on a 21-yard touchdown run while adding the two-point conversion to make the score 29-21.
Johnson Central’s touchdown didn’t phase the Redhounds. Corbin responded with another touchdown of its own as Elam and Creekmore hooked up for their second touchdown connection, a 26-yarder, but didn’t convert the two-point conversion, and still trailed 29-27 with 5:25 remaining in the second quarter.
Corbin finally got a stop on defense, and took advantage as Elam’s fourth touchdown pass, a 49-yarder to Noah Cima, combined with the two-point conversion gave the Redhounds a 35-29 lead at halftime.
Corbin opened the second half just like it ended the first, scoring a touchdown.
Elam’s fifth touchdown pass, a 15-yarder to Eli Pietrowski gave them a 43-29 cushion with 10:39 remaining in the third quarter.
Johnson Central managed to get back on track offensively with 2:53 left, scoring on a 13-yard run to cut its deficit to 43-36.
The Golden Eagles managed to tie the game at 43 apiece with 52 seconds left in the third quarter thanks to its sixth rushing touchdown, a 13-yarder.
Like good teams do, Corbin responded with a score of its own.
Elam broke loose for a 35-yard touchdown run, allowing the Redhounds to reclaim a 50-43 lead with 9:38 remaining in regulation.
Johnson Central added another rushing touchdown with 2:03 remaining while adding the two-point conversion to reclaim a 51-50 advantage.
The two minutes were more than enough time for Elam to guide Corbin to another score.
His 34-yard touchdown pass to Cima, gave his team a 56-51 advantage with 48 seconds remaining.
Note: All stats are unofficial.
