Quarterback Zach’s going to win tonight. The big question: Which Zach?
When Hopkinsville comes to Logan County tonight in the second round of the Class 4A football playoffs, two guys named Zach will be the focus of both teams’ offenses. Only one of them win and advance in the playoffs.
When these same two teams met on Sept. 23—also at Cougar Field, it was Logan’s Davin Yates who bested the Tigers’ Zach Moss. Yates connected on 11 of 17 passes for 166 yards and a pair of touchdowns in Logan’s 49-28 victory. He also ran 11 times for 85 yards and a TD. Moss also totaled 166 yards and went 11 for 28 and three touchdowns, but he was intercepted three times, twice by Jack Delaney. He picked up 18 yards rushing but scored a TD.
Yates has led the Cougars to the First District championships and 10 wins in 11 games. Moss’ Tigers are 6-5. They finished third in the district but earned another game by coming from 17 points down to beat Franklin-Simpson last week. The Cougars romped over Allen County-Scottsville.
The Kentucky High School Athletic Association’s RPI rates the Cougars as over an 8-point favorite to win tonight.
In that win earlier this season, Ryan Rayno—who finished the regular season as the top rusher in 4A—carried the ball 25 times for 202 yards and three touchdowns. Rayno’s Travis Henry impersonation was a key second-half ball-control factor in turning a 21-21 tie into a 21-point Cougar win.
Kyla Bilyeu kicked all seven of her extra point tries. Zane Batten caught three passes for 58 yards and a score. The other TD catch was a 38-yarder by Harper Butler. JunVontre Dillard rushed for a touchdown and caught three passes.
Elijah Hawkins led the defense with 10 tackles, 8 of them solos. Hunter Holloway and Peyton Taylor also had big totals.
The only featured offensive player for the Tigers in their 39-37 loss to the Cougars last year who returns is highly athletic receiver Daisjuan Mercer, who totaled 83 yards and two touchdowns in passes a year ago this week and made five catches for 122 yards and two touchdowns this September.
Coach Todd Adler is 6-3 against the Tigers. The margin comes from three wins over the traditional power in the last two seasons.
When Logan edged Hopkinsville in last year’s playoffs, it marked the final game for ultra-successful Tiger coach Craig Clayton. Hoptown is now coached for the second stint by Marc Adam Clark, a graduate of LCHS. Funeral services were Sunday in Auburn for his step-father, long-time Presbyterian pastor Grant Minton.
Game time is 7 p.m. tonight. It will be carried live on all of WRUS’ platforms.