PADUCAH — For nearly three quarters, it seemed that Luke Salmons’ Corbin Redhounds were on their way to the Class 4A State Championship game.
However, everything changed in the final 12 and a half minutes of Friday’s Class 4A State Semifinal matchup against Paducah Tilghman.
The Blue Tornado scored with just 38 seconds left in the third quarter and went on to dominate the remainder of the game, scoring 21 unanswered points to secure a 31-14 victory.
Corbin finishes the season with a 12-2 mark while Paducah Tilghman improves to 14-0, and will face unbeaten Franklin County (14-0) in this week’s Class 4A state title game.
The Redhounds got on the scoreboard first thanks to an impressive drive that was capped off by an eight-yard touchdown run by Elam, giving Corbin a 7-0 edge at the 8:49 mark of the first quarter.
It didn’t take Paducah Tilghman long to tie the game at seven apiece after the Blue Tornado drove down the field and scored on a six-yard touchdown with 3:40 remaining in the first quarter.
The Blue Tornado defense managed to get their first stop of the game at the end of the first quarter which led to them gaining the lead for the first time in the contest as Russell Hancock connected with a 22-yard field goal to make the score, 10-7, with 11:38 left in the second quarter.
The two teams continued to battle throughout the quarter as the Redhounds managed to regain the lead at the 3:44 mark of the second quarter.
Elam continued to take what the Paducah Tilghman defense was giving him, connecting in short passes while Corbin’s ground game was picking big gains.
Elam’s second rushing touchdown, a 24-yarder, made the score, 14-10, in the Redhounds’ favor.
Corbin’s defense made two huge sacks to stop the Blue Tornado’s opening drive in the second half.
Paducah Tilghman drove to the Redhound 44-yard line before Corbin’s defense stepped things up a notch.
A sack that turned into a loss of seven yards along with an incomplete pass out the Blue Tornado in a third and 17 situation.
Jace Hatfield followed through with a sack that forced Paducah Tilghman to punt with under nine minutes remaining.
Both teams’ defenses continued to take over in the third quarter until Jack James found Martels Carter streaking over the middle of the field. Carter raced 38 yards for the score, giving the Blue Tornado a 17-14 lead with 35 seconds remaining.
Paducah Tillman made another defensive stop and answered with a three-yard touchdown run with 9:54 remaining in regulation, pushing the Blue Tornado’s lead to 24-14.
Corbin attempted to put a drive together, but stalled at Paducah Tilghman’s 49-yard line after Elam was sacked on a fourth and five situation.
The Redhounds continued to fight, but once again failed to convert on a four and seven situation, giving Paducah Tilghman the ball at Corbin’s 39-yard line.
The Blue Tornado put the game out of reach two plays later as Vanzale Hinton broke loose for a 30-yard touchdown run, giving his team a 31-14 advantage with 5:15 remaining in the game.
