Pikeville and Belfry battled back and forth right to the very end as the host Panthers held on for a thrilling 20-18 victory in the Pike County Middle School football championship game played at Hillard Howard Field on Tuesday night.
The Panthers, now 6-2, avenged a 20-14 loss to the Pirates earlier in the season. Belfry dropped to 6-2.
Pikeville running back Brenden Anthony scored on a two-yard run with 6 minutes, 15 seconds left in the opening quarter to put the Panthers ahead to stay at 8-0 following his conversion run.
He added a 46-yard touchdown run with 4:55 to play in the third period to make it 20-18. Quarterback Isaac Duty hit Brayden Hall with a 77-yard TD pass play in the second quarter.
Belfry running back Isaiah Stanley had TD runs of 2, 5 and 52 yards in the loss.
At Pikeville
SCORE QY QUARTERS:
BF (6-2)……6 6 6 0 – 18
PK (6-2)……8 6 6 0 – 20
Scoring:
First Quarter
PK – Brenden Anthony, 2-yard run (Brenden Anthony run), 6:16
BF – Isaiah Stanley, 2-yard run (run failed), 1:06
Second Quarter
PK – Brayden Hall, 77-yard pass from Isaac Duty (pass failed), 7:47
BF – Isaiah Stanley, 5-yard run (run failed), :39
Third Quarter
PK – Brenden Anthony, 46-yard run (run failed), 4:55
BF – Isaiah Stanley, 52-yard run (run failed), 4:40
Fourth Quarter
No scoring