Class 3A football finals preview: Paducah Tilghman vs. Belfry
It’s championship weekend for the 2021 UK Orthopaedics State Football Finals. Here’s a look at Saturday’s Class 3A state title game at Kroger Field.
Paducah Tilghman (8-6) vs. Belfry (8-6)
Kickoff: Noon Saturday.
RPI Ratings*: No. 15 Paducah Tilghman (.50560); No. 14 Belfry (.52337).
Cantrall Ratings*: No. 10 Paducah Tilghman (58.9); No. 4 Belfry (67.6).
Championship history: Paducah Tilghman (3-5) — Three titles, the last in 2009; Belfry (7-7) — Seven titles, the last in 2019.
Quick hits:
▪ Two of Tilghman’s state titles have come in Class 3A and the first of those was at Belfry’s expense in 1985. It was Coach Philip Haywood’s first trip to the state finals with the Pirates. Belfry’s only other finals trip to that point came in 1979 under Coach Dick Roddy.
▪ That 1985 Tilghman championship was the only under the late Allan Cox, who would take the Blue Tornado to the state finals four more times before his retirement in 1993. Tilghman has had nine different head coaches since. This is Coach Sean Thompson’s first season. Meanwhile, Belfry has had just one in Haywood, and he happens to be Kentucky high school football’s all-time wins leader with a record of 465-147.
▪ When Tilghman last won a title in 2009, it also entered the playoffs with a 4-6 record before catching fire and winning six straight, including a 21-0 championship victory over previously unbeaten Somerset.
▪ Both Tilghman and Belfry have been underdogs since the district finals, although calling the Pirates an underdog given their five state titles in the last decade might be a stretch. Tilghman knocked off its district top seed No. 6 Union County 31-28, No. 1 Christian Academy-Louisville 41-34 and No. 2 Glasgow 39-20. Belfry beat No. 12 Lawrence County 21-14, No. 8 Bell County 41-20 and No. 5 East Carter 48-26.
▪ In those playoff upsets, Tilghman 5-foot-7½ freshman quarterback Jack James and 5-foot-5½ sophomore running back Malachi Rider have been, er, huge. James overcame three interceptions and threw for 255 yards and three TDs against Union County while Rider rushed for 145 yards and a score. James threw for 312 yards and three TDs against CAL. Rider rushed for 172 yards and a TD against Glasgow.
▪ Belfry fifth-year senior Isaac Dixon (who’s listed at 5-foot-11, since we’re measuring) has crossed the 1,000-yard rushing milestone each of the past four seasons and has 1,610 yards and 24 touchdowns on the ground this year. His 124 yards rushing per game are seventh-best in Class 3A. Dixon rushed for 245 yards and four TDs in last week’s win over East Carter.
▪ Belfry’s run-mostly offense makes for Class 3A’s No. 5 rushing attack at 265 yards per game. Paducah Tilghman ranks No. 6 in rush defense, allowing only 135 yards per game. Tilghman’s more balanced offense has the No. 3 passing attack in the class with 212 yards per game. James’ 32 passing TDs are second only to Bardstown’s Brady Clark (39).
Paducah Tilghman standouts: Jack James, Fr. QB (2,663 yards/32 TDs passing); Malachi Rider, So. RB (1,170 yards/13 TDs rushing); Brian Thomas, Sr. WR (955 yards/12 TDs receiving); Camdon Marshall, Sr. WR/S (502 yards/nine TDs receiving, 58 tackles/one for a loss, four interceptions); Uriah Virzi, So. LB (96 tackles/5.5 for a loss); Turner Humphrey, Sr. LB (70 tackles/8.5 for a loss/4.5 sacks).
Belfry standouts: Isaac Dixon, Sr. RB/DB (1,610 yards/24 TDs rushing, 184 yards/three TDs receiving, 53 yards/one TD passing, 39 tackles, four interceptions/one for TD); Dre Young, So. RB (588 yards/seven TDs rushing; Caden Woolum, So. QB (237 yards/five TDs passing, 123 yards/five TDs rushing); Zayne Hatfield, Sr. RB/SS (599 yards/five TDs rushing, 27 yards/one TD receiving, 88 tackles, two interceptions/one for TD).
@HLpreps pick: Tilghman 38, Belfry 28.
*End of regular-season ratings.
State championships
At Kroger Field in Lexington
Tickets: Available by advance sale digitally at KHSAAtickets.org. No walk-up paper tickets sold.
Online: Subscription required for live video stream at KHSAA.tv. Pay-per-view live HD video at Go.PrepSpin.com. Free audio stream at KHSAA.net.
FRIDAY’S GAMES
Class A: Pikeville (13-2) vs. Russellville (12-1), Noon
Class 2A: Beechwood (14-0) vs. Lexington Christian (14-0), 4 p.m.
Class 4A: Boyle County (13-1) vs. Johnson Central (12-2), 8 p.m.
SATURDAY’S GAMES
Class 3A: Belfry (8-6) vs. Paducah Tilghman (8-6), Noon
Class 5A: Frederick Douglass (13-1) vs. South Warren (13-1), 4 p.m.
Class 6A: Male (13-0) vs. St. Xavier (13-1), 8 p.m.
This story was originally published December 1, 2021 at 6:00 AM.
