5A Madisonville NHopkins (3-0) at 4A Paducah Tilghman (3-0)

I got the call from the bullpen from our main Tornado @TilghmanPride asking me to sub for this game thread, so you are left with me here.  When I found out it was this game specifically, I immediately recalled last season's game where Madisonville bled the game down and used their stud SR RB Marqezz to eeke out a 25-22 stunning win over a high-flying Tornado team that had just upended rival Mayfield the week before 55-29.  But the Tornado's made a lot of mistakes in this Madisonville game including critical dropped passes, penalties and turnovers that turned the game.  I would guess that Coach Sean Thompson has not forgotten about this game.  The timing is tough for the Tornado's because of all the hoopla (and rightfully so) around the rivalry game with Mayfield.  I mean the second longest rivalry matchup in the history of the state is very significant.  But I feel the Tilghman players likely had a hangover from that last year and hey Madisonville is a tough team and a tough place to play.  Onward! 

Madisonville North Hopkins Maroons Information:

Maroons Head Coach Chris Price, now in his 6^th season along Hanson Road, comes in this season off an 8 and 3 record in 2025.  Coach Price's Maroons are now 3 and 0 on the year defeating Union County, Henderson County and Hopkins County Central by a combined 175 to 50 score.  JR QB Alex Richards is the returning QB for Madisonville and passed for nearly 100 yards vs Hendo.  The primary RB for Madisonville is SR Ryder Sandidge who carried the ball 32 times for nearly 350 yards and 5 TDs vs the punch-drunk Colonels.  JR Jeremyah Sharp also had 2 catches for 22 yards in that game.

Defensively for Madisonville, SO Lennon Sutton led the Maroons with 7 total tackles vs Henderson County.    

Paducah Tilghman Blue Tornado's Information:

Blue Tornado's Head Coach Sean Thompson comes into his 6^th season along Washington Street after a  very fine 12-2 2025 campaign ended on the road at a strong Franklin County team by the score of 21-14.  In 2026, Coach Thomson's team has come out of the gates strong again winning games vs McCracken County, Graves County and arch-rival Mayfield by a combined score of 146 to 59.  The Blue Tornado's are led this season at QB by JR Xavier Isable who threw for nearly 550 yards and 4 TDs vs McCracken.  JR Isaac James is the leading rusher for Tilghman and had nearly 100 yards and a touchdown vs the Mustangs.  Coach Thompson is blessed with a really strong stable of WRs led by JR Avery Thompson who had 8 catches and 2TDs vs McCracken County. 

Defensively, the Blue Tornados were led in tackles vs McCracken by JR Wyatt Gower with 13 on the night.  That's a lot of JR's coach!  Lot to look forward too! 

Game Information:

The Blue Tornado's have played the stronger schedule by a sizeable margin, but they did last year as well.  Difference this year is that this game will be played in Paducah and that certainly is a big difference. 

I was really impressed with the determination and effort that Coach Price's Maroons played with when they came to Bowling Green in Round 1 of the 2024 playoffs and it took a significant BG effort that night to win that game.  I think the same thing will be true here in this game.

Paducah Tilghman must use last season's setback and get the ghosts of Rivalry glory out of their minds and back to business on the gridiron to erase last years setback. Plain and simple.

It should be a good one in Paducah on Friday!   

Who wins this Western Kentucky matchup?

2 hours ago, Purple88 said:

5A Madisonville NHopkins (3-0) at 4A Paducah Tilghman (3-0)

I got the call from the bullpen from our main Tornado @TilghmanPride asking me to sub for this game thread, so you are left with me here.  When I found out it was this game specifically, I immediately recalled last season's game where Madisonville bled the game down and used their stud SR RB Marqezz to eeke out a 25-22 stunning win over a high-flying Tornado team that had just upended rival Mayfield the week before 55-29.  But the Tornado's made a lot of mistakes in this Madisonville game including critical dropped passes, penalties and turnovers that turned the game.  I would guess that Coach Sean Thompson has not forgotten about this game.  The timing is tough for the Tornado's because of all the hoopla (and rightfully so) around the rivalry game with Mayfield.  I mean the second longest rivalry matchup in the history of the state is very significant.  But I feel the Tilghman players likely had a hangover from that last year and hey Madisonville is a tough team and a tough place to play.  Onward! 

Madisonville North Hopkins Maroons Information:

Maroons Head Coach Chris Price, now in his 6^th season along Hanson Road, comes in this season off an 8 and 3 record in 2025.  Coach Price's Maroons are now 3 and 0 on the year defeating Union County, Henderson County and Hopkins County Central by a combined 175 to 50 score.  JR QB Alex Richards is the returning QB for Madisonville and passed for nearly 100 yards vs Hendo.  The primary RB for Madisonville is SR Ryder Sandidge who carried the ball 32 times for nearly 350 yards and 5 TDs vs the punch-drunk Colonels.  JR Jeremyah Sharp also had 2 catches for 22 yards in that game.

Defensively for Madisonville, SO Lennon Sutton led the Maroons with 7 total tackles vs Henderson County.    

Paducah Tilghman Blue Tornado's Information:

Blue Tornado's Head Coach Sean Thompson comes into his 6^th season along Washington Street after a  very fine 12-2 2025 campaign ended on the road at a strong Franklin County team by the score of 21-14.  In 2026, Coach Thomson's team has come out of the gates strong again winning games vs McCracken County, Graves County and arch-rival Mayfield by a combined score of 146 to 59.  The Blue Tornado's are led this season at QB by JR Xavier Isable who threw for nearly 550 yards and 4 TDs vs McCracken.  JR Isaac James is the leading rusher for Tilghman and had nearly 100 yards and a touchdown vs the Mustangs.  Coach Thompson is blessed with a really strong stable of WRs led by JR Avery Thompson who had 8 catches and 2TDs vs McCracken County. 

Defensively, the Blue Tornados were led in tackles vs McCracken by JR Wyatt Gower with 13 on the night.  That's a lot of JR's coach!  Lot to look forward too! 

Game Information:

The Blue Tornado's have played the stronger schedule by a sizeable margin, but they did last year as well.  Difference this year is that this game will be played in Paducah and that certainly is a big difference. 

I was really impressed with the determination and effort that Coach Price's Maroons played with when they came to Bowling Green in Round 1 of the 2024 playoffs and it took a significant BG effort that night to win that game.  I think the same thing will be true here in this game.

Paducah Tilghman must use last season's setback and get the ghosts of Rivalry glory out of their minds and back to business on the gridiron to erase last years setback. Plain and simple.

It should be a good one in Paducah on Friday!   

Who wins this Western Kentucky matchup?

Great write up as always! I'm biased but I'm going with Tilghman as always.

They need to go undefeated in the regular season to have a chance for home field advantage through out the playoffs.

I can't imagine Madisonville beating Tilghman two years in a row. Blue Tornado gets revenge.

@Purple88 ,thanks again so much! You always come through.

The more I look at this matchup this morning, the more I think this is an underrated game.

Tilghman better be prepared, these guys have a lot of weapons themselves. I know the competition they played thus far isn't the greatest, but I don't know that's it's that bad to do what Madisonville did to them.

We'll see how legit they are and I think this may be closer than a lot expect.

Did Chance McPike return to the game last Friday against Mayfield? I know he went out after that kickoff. Hoping he's available Friday night.

42 minutes ago, PTown Dad said:

Did Chance McPike return to the game last Friday against Mayfield? I know he went out after that kickoff. Hoping he's available Friday night.

I don't believe he ever returned. I haven't heard anything as far as availability for this week.

PT has to come down from that unique high only a rivalry win can produce. Maybe their heads were still in the clouds last year.

MNH was tough at the line of scrimmage last season and Kirk LaGrange was a menace for the Maroons against PT. I don't know what they've got this season in regards to line play and having an anchor in the middle of the defense like LaGrange. All I know is, they score in bunches and haven't been met with much resistance yet.

The Tornado won't be caught off guard, because they remember a year ago

MNH will put up a fight, but I think Tilghman will be ready this time.

PT wins this one.

Last year in this game, Madisonville ran the ball over 40 times and controlled the clock. They were 4/7 passing.

This time around they seem to be more balanced when they need to be.

The Madisonville run defense so far has been nothing short of superb. PT on the other hand looks to have made a statement this year by showing they aren't just a passing team and can tote the rock also. This could determine who wins this one. They shut the PT run game down pretty well in that game last season. PT had 21 carries for only 52 yards. The PT run defense will have their hands full with Sandidge and company, but that defensive line is pretty stout, so again, just great matchup.

I've looked over the stats from this year over and over and found what footage I could of Madisonville. I think they are better than what they are getting credit for.

I can absolutely see a good, close game here again. There's going to be a lot of talent on the field tonight.

Really hoping to avoid the rain for this game. Several chances from game start to finish time. It's rained at times today depending on where you live in Paducah and it will be scattered tonight. I've been rained on more than my fair share of games over the years, hoping tonight isn't going to add to the list.

37 minutes ago, TilghmanPride said:

Really hoping to avoid the rain for this game. Several chances from game start to finish time. It's rained at times today depending on where you live in Paducah and it will be scattered tonight. I've been rained on more than my fair share of games over the years, hoping tonight isn't going to add to the list.

We need some rain up north.

https://www.youtube.com/live/SfNjztaI94w?feature=shared

M will receive to start the game.