Paducah Tilghman Blue Tornado ?

2024 Outcome: 15-0, Class 4A State Champion ?

2025 Outlook: Everyone likes the view from the top until they look down and see what's coming for them.

Class 4A will be loaded with the addition of Highlands to a deep pool that already includes Boyle County, Franklin County, Covington Catholic, Corbin, Johnson Central, and Ashland. 

The Tornado weaved a path of destruction from Paducah to Lexington in 2024, but the storm will be downgraded from an F5 next season. It's to be expected when you glance at the firepower walking the stage next spring. 

? Jack James (QB) | Martels Carter Jr. (ATH) | Vanzale Hinton (ATH) | Michael Hinton (RB/LB) | Jakevion Perry (WR) | Josh Campbell (WR) | Shemari Thomas (WR) | Nick Fox (OL) | Julian O'Malley (LB) | Jimmy Mooney (LB) | Xsavier Cleary (DL) | NyYon Fitzgerald (DL) | Kylan Ware (LB) | Jayden Morris (LB)

The defense is riddled with key losses, leaving the offense to light the way early on.

? Jarvis Strickland (OL) | Demarkus Wilson (RB) | Avery Thompson (WR) | Stone Crowe (QB) | Brady Sanderson (LB) | Hank James (DB)

That side returns some high end talent, namely Strickland, the state's top rated overall prospect in the ‘26 class, and Thompson, who holds several DI offers.

The schedule has yet to see the light of day, but Mayfield is a certainty, eagerly anticipating an opportunity to cleanse its palate of consecutive losses to Tilghman after winning the previous seventeen. 

I was worried a little with how many seniors are graduating. I think Tilghman will be just fine next year which is crazy seeing how many starters they lose. The jv and freshman squads got a ton of playing time against a lot of the varsity squads PT played against. Also the stable of receivers that have shown they can compete with our starters this year.

That's an unreal amount of production lost on both sides of the ball. They've been plugging in guys the last several years after graduation and have a good system and stable of players coming up. 

I'm not sure what I expect yet. Obviously 4A will be a gauntlet to get through again, so it could get interesting. I know several teams lose some key pieces, but it would be tough to lose more than PT is. 

@BigBlue92 mentioned those key minutes by a lot of the young guys, I think that definitely will pay off, it's just too early to make any type of prediction for me because I just don't know. Looking forward to it though. 

Any idea on the new PT schedule?  
Will it be similar to last season or quite a bit different?  Or too early to tell?

I was wondering if they are scrimmaging OC this year or possibly playing them.

Bump.

Rising Soph Issac James is a name to watch (no relation to QB Jack James I don’t believe). I could see James playing LB and it’s possible that he could get some carries at RB too.

It will be interesting to see who steps up at WR along side of Avery Thompson.  The Tornado lost their top 5 WRs in terms of receiving yards.  There’s definitely some young talent there. 

On 12/12/2024 at 10:41 PM, TilghmanPride said:

That's an unreal amount of production lost on both sides of the ball. They've been plugging in guys the last several years after graduation and have a good system and stable of players coming up. 

I'm not sure what I expect yet. Obviously 4A will be a gauntlet to get through again, so it could get interesting. I know several teams lose some key pieces, but it would be tough to lose more than PT is. 

@BigBlue92 mentioned those key minutes by a lot of the young guys, I think that definitely will pay off, it's just too early to make any type of prediction for me because I just don't know. Looking forward to it though. 

Always have, always will.

When you take speed/talent in the abundance that PT has on the regular + how well coached they are from top to bottom? The last four season's are the result.

From an outsider looking in, and I'm sure I speak for many others? The results of the last few years is of no surprise.

The fact that hasn't been the norm (ie: Mayfield, Beechwood, Bowling Green, Danville..until recent years, Highlands, Pikeville, etc), however.....is.

Safety Hank James has added a few offers in the last week, including UK.

The Cats join a list that includes Maryland, New Mexico, Miami (OH), Troy, Arkansas State, Toledo, and UMass.

 

2025 Paducah-Tilghman Blue Tornado

Aug 8 at Madisonville-North Hopkins (Scrimmage)
Aug 15 vs. Owensboro Catholic (Scrimmage)
Aug 23 at McCracken County
Aug 29 at Graves County
Sep 5 vs. Mayfield
Sep 12 - OPEN
Sep 19 vs. Franklin-Simpson (District)
Sep 26 vs. Allen County-Scottsville (District)
Oct 3 vs. Logan County (District)
Oct 10 - BYE
Oct 17 at Warren East (District)
Oct 24 at Calloway County (District)
Oct 31 vs. Christian County

Per Coach Thompson, Central ended up coming up with a different game for September 12th, so Tilghman is still waiting on a couple of contracts to be finalized before they release their 2025 schedule.

That's a pretty soft schedule for PT. I get they have to play traditional games, but what on earth is that Christian Co. game? 

We heard a lot from the PT camp in 2024 about being the "best in the state," but many of us also looked at their schedule and scoffed about the prospects of them beating the big school top dogs. This schedule does little to convince anyone to put them in the conversation of stacking up against the 5A and 6A big boys.

I wish the Central game didn't fall through.  That would have been a good one!

2 hours ago, VF111 said:

That's a pretty soft schedule for PT. I get they have to play traditional games, but what on earth is that Christian Co. game? 

We heard a lot from the PT camp in 2024 about being the "best in the state," but many of us also looked at their schedule and scoffed about the prospects of them beating the big school top dogs. This schedule does little to convince anyone to put them in the conversation of stacking up against the 5A and 6A big boys.

Are Christian and Hopkinsville consolidating in 2026? Maybe that game was scheduled with the plan to play the new school that year.

18 minutes ago, WKU52 said:

Are Christian and Hopkinsville consolidating in 2026? Maybe that game was scheduled with the plan to play the new school that year.

Exactly why.