CORBIN — Luke Salmon’s Corbin Redhounds are just one win away from advancing to the Class 4A State Championship game for the second time in three years.
To reach that goal, the Redhounds (12-1) must make their longest journey of the season — a 320-mile, four-and-a-half-hour trip to face undefeated Paducah Tilghman.
The Blue Tornado (13-0) boasts the second highest RPI rating (.74278) of the four remaining teams in Class 4A, while Corbin ranks third at .71988.
Paducah Tilghman secured its place in Friday’s Class 4A State Semifinal with an easy 56-14 victory over Louisville DeSales, establishing a running clock early in the second quarter. The Redhounds cruised past Ashland with a comfortable 42-7 win.
Both teams feature explosive offenses, with Paducah Tilghman scoring an inpressive 659 points this season, averaging 50.6 points per game.
The Blue Tornado has surpassed 60 points in two games and scored at least 50 points four times, while their lowest scoring output was 41 points against both McCracken County and Russellville. Corbin has also been explosive, racking up 558 points and averaging 42.9 points per game. The Redhounds have scored at least 50 points in five games and 40 points in four.
On defense, Paducah Tilghman is equally impressive, allowing only 114 points (8.7 points per game) and recording three shutouts.
The most points the Blue Tornado have allowed in a game is 16, which has occurred twice against McCracken County and Allen County-Scottsville. Corbin allows 15.8 points per game (206 points) and has recorded two shutouts, with its highest points allowed coming from Johnson Central’s 51-point performance.
Friday’s matchup will highlight two of the best quarterbacks in the state: Corbin’s Kade Elam and Paducah Tilghman’s Jack James.
Elam has completed 189 of 246 passes for 3,288 yards and 40 touchdowns, with only three interceptions. He has also rushed for 374 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Meanwhile, James has completed 262 of 381 passes for 3,597 yards and 55 touchdowns, with seven interceptions, and has added 165 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
Both teams not only have outstanding quarterbacks but also a ton of playmakers. Paducah Tilghman features six receivers with at least 30 receptions each and 12 receivers with at least one touchdown.
Jakevion Perry leads the receiving corps with 52 catches for 837 yards and five touchdowns, followed by Joshua Campbell with 40 catches for 491 yards and 16 touchdowns. Vanzaie Hinton has 36 receptions for 533 yards and nine touchdowns, while Shemari Thomas also has 36 catches, totaling 432 yards and eight touchdowns. Avery Thompson has 33 catches for 416 yards and eight touchdowns, and Marteis Carter rounds out the group with 31 catches for 399 yards and four touchdowns.
On the ground, Demarkus Wilson leads the Blue Tornado with 777 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns, while Michael Henton adds 270 rushing yards and three touchdowns, averaging more than 10 yards per carry. Vanzaie Hinton contributes 223 rushing yards and three touchdowns on just 14 carries, and Stone Crowe has 112 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
Defensively, Paducah Tilghman has forced 19 fumbles and intercepted 17 passes, with Jayden Morris leading the team with four interceptions and two players each recording three.
The Blue Tornado has tallied 23 sacks, with Xsavier Cleary leading the charge with five, while Julian O’Malley tops the team with 80 tackles.
For Corbin, Cole Stevens leads the rushing attack with 866 yards and 10 touchdowns. Clay Akins has contributed 221 rushing yards and three touchdowns, while Trey Person adds 132 rushing yards and one touchdown.
In the receiving game, Cam Estep leads the Redhounds with 60 catches for 988 yards and nine touchdowns. Noah Cima follows closely with 37 receptions for 955 yards and 13 touchdowns, while Colton Creekmore has 45 catches for 796 yards and 13 touchdowns. Eli Pietrowski rounds out the group with 18 receptions for 267 yards and three touchdowns.
Defensively, the Redhounds have forced five fumbles and recorded 15 interceptions, with Estep and Nashawn Brooks each contributing four picks. Corbin has also registered 25 sacks, led by Malachi Brown with six.
