KHSAA Class 3A football final: Players to watch, picks for Belfry-Paducah Tilghman

Saturday’s Class 3A football state championship game will be a true East-West showdown.

Separated by 420 miles and located on opposite ends of the state, the Belfry and Paducah Tilghman football teams faced similar rocky roads on their way to the final.

Belfry (8-6), located on the Kentucky-West Virginia border, started the season with five straight losses against some of the state’s top teams before hitting its stride in late September and riding senior running back Isaac Dixon into the final.

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Paducah Tilghman (8-6), located on the Kentucky-Illinois border, started 1-4 but has pulled off three straight upsets (Union County, Christian Academy and Glasgow) to reach the state finals for the first time since 2009.

Two of the state’s most successful small-school programs will meet at noon Saturday in the 3A final at the University of Kentucky’s Kroger Field. It’s a rematch of the 1985 3A final, which the Blue Tornado won 29-14.

Here’s a closer look at the matchup:

History

Belfry is 7-7 all-time in state finals and is in the championship game for the 12th time since 2003. Coach Philip Haywood is the state’s all-time winningest coach with a career record of 465-147 in 47 seasons, including the last 38 at Belfry. He led the Pirates to the 2019 title with a 30-20 victory over Bell County.

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Paducah Tilghman is 3-5 in state finals, last appearing in 2009 when it beat Somerset 21-0 for the 3A crown. Three different coaches led the Blue Tornado to titles – Randy Wyatt (2009), Allan Cox (1985) and Dan Haley (2A in 1973). Sean Thompson, the head coach at Crittenden County from 2018-20, is in his first season as the Blue Tornado’s head coach.

Players to watch

Dixon, Belfry’s senior running back, took advantage of Senate Bill 128 to return for a fifth season and has prospered. Dixon has carried 155 times for 1,610 yards (10.4 yards per carry) and has scored 28 touchdowns (24 rushing, three receiving, one interception return). Senior Zayne Hatfield (83 carries, 599 yards, five TDs) and sophomore Dre Young (96 carries, 588 yards, seven TDs) are the other top running backs. Belfry has attempted just 20 passes this season, and all five of sophomore quarterback Caden Woolum’s completions have resulted in touchdowns. The top tacklers are Hatfield (88), senior lineman Zachary Savage (84) and junior lineman Brayden Spears (84). Dixon has a team-high four interceptions.

Paducah Tilghman freshman quarterback Jack James has completed 188 of 357 passes (52.6%) for 2,663 yards and 32 touchdowns with 13 interceptions. His top targets are seniors Brian Thomas (52 catches, 955 yards, 12 TDs) and Camdon Marshall (36 catches, 502 yards, nine TDs). Sophomore Malachi Rider leads the rushing attack with 1,170 yards and 13 TDs on 208 carries (5.6 yards per carry). The top tacklers are sophomore linebacker Uriah Virzi (96), senior linebacker Turner Humphrey (70, 4 ½ sacks) and junior linebacker Chris Allen (59, 13 ½ tackles for loss). Marshall has a team-best four interceptions.

By the numbers

Belfry is 8-1 in its past nine games, the only loss coming to Class 4A finalist Johnson Central (48-22) on Oct. 29. The Pirates average 31.8 points per game and allow 22.9.

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Paducah Tilghman is 7-2 over its past nine games with losses to Union County (21-19) and Hopkinsville (34-6). The Blue Tornado avenged the Union County loss in the second round of the playoffs, winning 31-28. Paducah Tilghman averages 33.5 points per game and allows 24.7.

Picks

Jason Frakes, The Courier Journal – Belfry 30-27. Frakes was 11-1 in the state semifinals and is 226-34 for the season.

J.L. Kirven, The Courier Journal – Paducah Tilghman 17-13. Kirven was 7-5 in the state semifinals and is 190-70 for the season.

Jonathan Saxon, The Courier Journal – Belfry 24-21. Saxon was 5-7 in the state semifinals and is 81-42 for the season.

Kent Spencer, WHAS-11 – Paducah Tilghman 24-17. Spencer was 11-1 in the state semifinals and is 220-40 for the season.

Gabriel Stovall, The Courier Journal – Paducah Tilghman 31-21. Stovall was 6-6 in the state semifinals and is 119-48 for the season.

Dominique Yates, The Courier Journal – Belfry 20-14. Yates was 9-3 in the state semifinals and is 211-49 for the season.

Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @kyhighs.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: KHSAA Class 3A football final: Top players, picks for Belfry-Paducah