Larry French’s Middlesboro Yellow Jackets are primed and ready to continue to defend their Class 2A, Region 4 crown Friday when they hit the road to play Shelby Valley.
Shelby Valley is ranked 11th overall in Class 2A, according to the KHSAA’s RPI Rankings (.60696) while Middlesboro is 15th (.57270).
Shelby Valley (10-25 in postseason play) and Middlesboro have met five times with the Yellow Jackets holding a 3-2 edge.
Middlesboro won in 2003 (55-14), 2008 (35-0), and 2012 (54-0) while the Wildcats won in 2015 (56-13) and 2018 (42-0).
The Yellow Jackets (7-3) are led by quarterback Cayden Grigsby.
He’s completed 73-of-112 pass attempts for 1,280 yards, 16 touchdowns, and four interceptions. Grigsby has also 1,002 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Kameron Wilson leads the way with 32 catches for 548 yards, and nine touchdowns while Rylee Foster has 26 receptions for 383 yards, and three touchdowns.
Vincent Smith has 645 rushing yards, and 10 touchdowns while Jack Yoakum has totaled 250 rushing yards and four scores.
Richie Logan leads Middlesboro with 80 tackles while Wilson and Tyler Sturgill each have three interceptions apiece.
The Yellow Jackets enter the contest with a 43-35 playoff record.
