The Harlan Green Dragons face a tough task when they travel to play Class A favorite Pikeville on Friday.
The Green Dragons (8-3) are looking to advance to their first regional final game appearance since 2009but to accomplish the feat they’ll have to find a way to knock off the Panthers.
Pikeville is 8-0 since starting the season with consecutive losses to both Corbin and Covington Catholic.
The Panthers are averaging 43.3 points per game while surrendering only 12.8 points per contest.
They can hurt teams through the air and on the ground as quarterback Isaac Duty has completed 71-of-100 pass attempts for 1,149 yards and 14 touchdowns. He’s only thrown one interception.
His main targets are Tayvian Boykins (27 receptions, 369 receiving yards and three touchdowns), Wade Hensley (21, 423, 6) and Grant Scott (13, 195, 2).
Blake Birchfield leads Pikeville with 1,347 rushing yards while finding paydirt 25 times.
Carson Wright is a force in defense, leading the way with 102 tackles while sharing the team lead with four sacks with teammate Deonte Stevens.
The defending state champions have won six playoff games in a row while going 25-4 in the postseason since 2015.
The Panthers own a 13-2 mark against Harlan with the Green Dragons’ lone wins coming in 2009, and 2012.
Harlan will attempt to find a way to slow Pikeville’s offense down behind the ground attack of Jayden Ward.
Ward leads Harlan with 1,376 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns. Darius Akal has totaled 666 rushing yards and eight touchdowns while quarterback Donovan Montanaro has passed for 439 yards and seven touchdowns while rushing for 447 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Dylan Middleton leads the Green Dragons with 74 tackles and five sacks.
Harlan enters the game averaging 34.3 points per game on offense while surrendering only 16.6 points per contest.
