BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Daric Pugh rushed for 239 yards and two touchdowns – both in the fourth quarter – to lift the Pikeville High School football team to a 42-28 victory over Beechwood in Thursday’s Class A championship game at Houchens Industries/L.T. Smith Stadium.
A crowd of 5,726 saw Pikeville (13-2) capture its fourth state title and first since 1989. Beechwood, seeking its first state title since 2008, finished 13-2.
Brett Slusher had two touchdown runs in the third quarter to give Beechwood a 21-14 lead, but it was all Pikeville from there.
Wyatt Battaile’s 67-yard touchdown pass to Blake Charles on the final play of the third quarter tied the score at 21.
Pugh sandwiched touchdown runs of 54 and 49 yards around a 29-yard touchdown run from Charles to give Pikeville a 42-21 lead in the fourth quarter. The Panthers finished with 504 yards of offense (327 rushing, 177 passing).
Kyle Fieger’s 7-yard touchdown pass to Aiden Justice completed the scoring with 1:39 remaining.
Fieger finished 21 of 32 for 173 yards and two touchdowns. Slusher rushed for 78 yards on 16 carries.
* At halftime, the Kentucky Football Coaches Association named Paintsville’s Kash Daniel the Class A Player of the Year and Paris’ Brian Washington the Class A Coach of the Year.