In what is arguably one of the biggest upsets in Kentucky high school football history, Hazard came from behind to knock off defending Class 1A champion Pikeville, 21-12, in a game played at Hillard Howard Field on Friday night.
The loss ends Pikeville’s run for a second straight championship. The Panthers finish 6-3.
Hazard, which began the season 0-5, including a 43-7 loss to Pikeville on Oct. 16, moved to 4-5 and will now play Paintsville (7-2) in the regional finals next Friday at Memorial Field in Paintsville.
Pikeville’s offense went the game’s final 29 minutes without scoring. Hazard iced the win when defensive back Max Johnson picked off a pass and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown with 2 minutes, 29 seconds left to play.
Johnson’s 10-yard TD run with 6:33 remaining in the third period put the Bulldogs ahead for good. He rushed 21 times for 107 yards.
Pikeville running back Blake Birchfield, who ran for 60 yards on eight carries, gave the Panthers a 12-7 lead on a three-yard run with 4:26 left in the first half.
The Panthers only other points came on running back Braden Thomas’ 12-yard touchdown run just over three minutes into the game.
Quarterback Isaac McNamee passed for 100 yards and Zac Lockhart passed for 49 yards.
Hazard quarterback Garrett Miller finished with 134 yards through the air. He hit Tyson Turner with a seven-yard TD pass to get the Bulldogs on the board.
At Pikeville
(Class 1A playoffs)
SCORE BY QUARTERS:
HZ (4-5)….0 7 7 7 – 21
PK (6-3)….6 6 0 0 – 12
Scoring:
First Quarter
PK – Braden Thomas, 12-yard run (kick failed), 9:49
Second Quarter
HZ – Tyson Turner, 7-yard pass (Jonah Helm), 11:54
PK – Blake Birchfield, 3-yard run (run failed), 4:26
Third Quarter
HZ – Max Johnson, 10-yard run (Jonah Helm kick), 6:33
Fourth Quarter
HZ – Max Johnson, 50-yard INT (Jonah Helm kick), 2:29
Next up: Pikeville’s season ends.