Most people figured Russellville was playing its final home game of 2009 Friday, regardless of whether the Panthers won or lost a semifinal game with fellow Class 2A, District 1 
team Butler County.
If they were upset by the Bears, the season would be over. If they won, they would be headed on the road to meet the top seed in District 1, since this is an odd year and teams in districts 1 and 3 get priority if the seeding is equal..
The Panthers took care of business, thrashing the Bears 42-7 in a game that was only competitive for a quarter. It was Russellville's eighth win in the last nine games.
Meanwhile another team on a roll, Paducah Tilghman, was upsetting District 1 top seed Union County 34-7. The first time those two teams played, Union bounced the Blue Tornado 21-13. But Tilghman has gotten better as the season has neared a conclusion. After ending what had been a disappointing regular season with a 38-7 win over Louisville Holy Cross, Tilghman won its playoff opener 56-31 against Edmonson County from the RHS district. Once 3-6, the Blue Tornado will bring a 
6-6 record to the regional finals.
And because the survivor from the other bracket is a two seed, the top-seeded Panthers get to stay home with a regional championship on the line.
Coach John Myers had said he didn't want his Panthers to have to play from behind against Butler County, and they made sure that didn't happen.
On the opening kickoff, senior Quinlyn Bell returned the ball 65 yards to the Butler five. Then on first snap of the game, Damien Elam scored with ease. The first of six successful conversion kicks by Browning Smith put seven points on the scoreboard when the game was only 18 seconds old.
Butler came back with a 66-yard drive that ended with Jason Byrd's 26-yard touchdown run. Eight and a half minutes into the game, the score was tied. No one knew it then, of course, but that was to be the end of the visitors' scoring.
Russellville took the lead for keeps a minute and a half later on Devonta Bryant's 60-yard run.
Butler threatened to knot it again. Embry returned the kickoff 65 yards to the 40, but the Panther defense came to life. On the first play of the second quarter and Butler facing a fourth and three, senior Darren Murphy broke through to tackle running back Eli Embry for a loss, gaining possession for his team.
The Panther offense stumbled when Bryant had trouble handling quarterback D.J. Quarles' pitchout. Bryant fumbled and tried to run the ball instead of falling on it. Butler recovered for a 15-yard Panther loss and Butler possession on the Panther 41.
Again Butler's offense stalled, and again Murphy broke through for a tackle for a loss on fourth down, this time a 10-yard sack of Bears quarterback Cole Tynes back at the Butler 43.
Quarles connected with Elam on a 42-yard pass to the one-yard line, the only completion of the first half for the Panthers. On second down, Bryant scored from the two with 1:03 remaining in the half. Smith's kick  made it 21-0.
Less than a minute later, Russellville had built a 28-7 lead when Elam broke both tackles and loose along the south sideline for a 67-yard touchdown.
Russellville rushed for 174 yards in the first half alone. Combined with that 41-yard pass, the Panthers had piled up 215 yards total offense by the intermission.
The Panthers aded their fifth touchdown with 5:10 remaining in the third quarter. After a false start inside the five, Quarles ran for the score. That drive went for 57 yards on 11 plays,
Bryant finished with 103 yards on 12 carries and Elam added 96 yards on 9 tries.