And you may find yourself...looking at the Class 3A bracket and realize the semifinalists look awful familiar. Belfry, Central, Corbin, and Elizabethtown have combined to participate in 30 state championship games while taking 14 championship trophies home with them. All four teams won convincingly on Friday night, cruising to regional titles and setting themselves up for a week that includes Thanksgiving practice on Thursday and the biggest Friday night of the season.

 

Defending champion Belfry picked off Russell on the opening drive and scored two minutes into the game to take a 7-0 lead. A second score set up by a long Noah Corbett run pushed the lead to 14-0 and a Kevin Browning punt return just before the quarter break put the Pirates up 21-0. After that it was smooth sailing to Coach Philip Haywood's 13th regional title in 14 years, as Belfry (12-1) topped Russell 43-12. The ground-heavy Pirates ran for 386 yards while holding the Red Devils to 235 yards of total offense, one hundred yards fewer than their season average.

 

Belfry's next opponent will be Corbin, who fought off Casey County for a second time this season, winning 38-17. Corbin (12-1) had all they could handle with Casey and lead by just six points entering the final frame. Jonah French scored from 32-yards out to give the Redhounds some distance from the Rebels and after recovering a Casey fumble, Corbin's Cameron Sizemore hit AJ Moore with a 20-yard touchdown pass to set the final margin.

 

Corbin coach Justin Haddix's realizes the task ahead of his Redhounds in the semifinals. Haddix told the Times-Tribune, "Belfry is a really good football team, and we've got to come out and play. This is one more step to No. 15, and we know we've got a big test in front of us. Our kids are excited, and we will be ready to play just like Belfry will be. Not a lot of teams get to play the day after Thanksgiving, and we get that opportunity, and we're excited." (BACK TO BACK: REDHOUNDS CAPTURE REGION 4 TITLE, NOW SHIFT FOCUS TO DEFENDING STATE CHAMP BELFRY | Sports | thetimestribune.com)

 

On the western side of the bracket, Central (8-5) spotted Lexington Catholic seven points and then roared to a 30-7 victory to move into their ninth state semifinal in eleven years. The Yellowjackets' attack was balanced all evening as quarterback James Simpson threw for 230 yards and two scores and two runners, Corey Johnson and Chereioun Jones each cleared the century mark on the ground.

 

"Everybody played pretty well," Central coach Ty Scroggins told the Courier-Journal. "They made a lot of stops when they needed. The offense was good running the ball and passing. The speed pretty much killed (Lexington Catholic) on the outside." (Metro Roundup: South Oldham wins in dramatic fashion, Central races away to victory | | USA Today High School Sports) Central is now set to host Elizabethtown in the semifinals. The Jackets and Panthers were district rivals from 2007-14 and Central won each of the eight meetings between the two.

 

Elizabethtown's win over Caldwell County wasn't exactly pretty, and there were quite a few oddities during the game, but when the dust settled the Panthers were hoisting a second consecutive regional championship trophy. Jay Becherer return an interception and a punt for touchdowns in the second half to seal the victory and make amends for his three first half fumbles. Becherer knew he needed to make a play and he told the News-Enterprise, "I was just going to fly to the ball and try to make some type of play, whether it's a tackle or picking up a fumble or something." (PREP FOOTBALL: Panthers rally started with return touchdown (11/2) | TheNewsEnterprise.com)

 

E'town (10-3) tallied only 216 yards but took advantage of other scoring opportunities while holding high-octane Caldwell County to 260 yards themselves.

 

And you may ask yourself...how will the semifinals turn out? Both games have the potential to be close and both also have the possibility of becoming a blowout. All four teams will have to execute their game plans and avoid turnovers.

 

Belfry 28 Corbin 14

Corbin has pointed to this game since the last game of 2015, a 42-14 loss to Belfry. Ranked second from the preseason to today, the Redhounds have spent all season looking up at the mighty Belfry Pirates, planning their revenge. Unlike last year, Belfry has to travel to Campbell Field. Make no mistake, Corbin will be ready. But it won't be enough. Corbin can, and will, score but the power running game of Belfry will gradually wear away at Corbin, allowing the Pirates to make a seventh consecutive appearance in the state championship game.

 

Central 26 Elizabethtown 21

Outside of Belfry, perhaps no one in Class 3A is playing better than Central right now. Early in the season, after his team lost four straight to open the year (three of those teams are still playing), Ty Scroggins talked about how he had a good 3A team. The last two months have proven so, with the Jackets defense holding five of its last eight opponents to single digits. E'town is no slouch, however, and will bring a big play offense into the River City looking for their first state championship appearance since 2003. But behind Johnson and Jones, Central will run to Western Kentucky University one more time.

 

When Friday night is over, the two best programs in Class 3A will be preparing for yet another championship matchup, their sixth in ten years. Same as it ever was...

Belfry and Cenrtal seem to attract each other like magnets

Belfry may lead Corbin by 28.... by the end of the first quarter.

have you seen Corbin this year?