Pikeville used a solid second-half performance and the Panthers pulled away to beat defending Class A champion Paintsville, 43-21, in the season opener played at Hillard Howard Field on Friday night.
Running back Blake Birchfield carried 25 times for 204 yards and three touchdowns. He had scores of 9, 13 and 1 yard.
Brayden “Hootie” Thomas added 69 yards and two scores on nine rushes. Quarterback Isaac McNamee capped the scoring with a 12-yard run.
Paintsville running back Harris Phelps rushed for 66 yards on 15 attempts and a touchdown. He also returned a kickoff 85 yards for a score.
Both teams are back in action this coming weekend as the Tigers host Beechwood (1-0) at Memorial Field on Friday. The Panthers battle Bourbon County (1-0) in the Pike County Bowl on Saturday night.
At Pikeville
SCORE BY QUARTERS:
PV (0-1)…..6 0 0 15 – 21
PK (1-0)…..8 7 14 14 – 43
Scoring:
First Quarter
PV – A.J. James, 3-yard run (kick blocked), 8:32
PK – safety, intentional grounding on Tigers, 4:17
PK – Blake Birchfield, 9-yard run (conversion failed), :01
Second Quarter
PK – Brayden Thomas, 29-yard run (Aaron Chang kick), 1:28
Third Quarter
PK – Blake Birchfield, 13-yard run (Aaron Chang kick), 10:08
PK – Blake Birchfield, 1-yard run (Aaron Chang kick), 5:50
Fourth Quarter
PK – Brayden Thomas, 1-yard run (Aaron Chang kick), 10:33
PV – Harris Phelps, 85-yard kickoff return (Harris Phelps run), 10:20
PV – Harris Phelps, 30-yard run (Carson Holbrook kick), 9:14
PK – Isaac McNamee, 12-yard run (Aaron Chang kick), 6:52
Next up: Paintsville (0-1) vs. Beechwood (1-0), 7:30 pm, Aug.27; Pikeville (1-0) vs. Bourbon County (1-0), Pike County Bowl, 8:30pm, Aug 28.