The much-anticipated first Jerry Claiborne/Toyota of Hopkinsville Bowl was held on Saturday night at the Stadium of Champions in Hopkinsville, but it might as well have been held at Perdue Field. The Trigg County fans outnumbered the rest of the stadium by far and their support showed to be beneficial as Trigg County beat Hopkinsville 24-17. It was the first time Trigg County has ever defeated Hopkinsville. The closest the Cats have ever come to beating them was back in 1960 when the game ended in a 6-6 tie. The game turned in the second half when Trigg County’s defense allowed only 61 yards of total offense from Hopkinsville, most of which came solely from big plays.

Following a game that saw Christian County almost throw the game away to Paducah Tighlman in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter, Hopkinsville entered the field with much intensity and fire in their very young players.

Trigg County stood glaring at them from the opposite side of the field with a somber veteran gape that showed no fear. That was evident from the opening kick off.

Both teams started slow, as they alternated possessions around mid-field for the entire first quarter. Neither team could find a rhythm as they both played outstanding run defense to keep each other from moving the chains and forcing punts.

The first score of the game did not come until 8:32 left in the 2nd quarter when Hopkinsville’s Joe Harris received a screen pass in the middle of the field from Marshall Stewart and took it 42 yards for the score.

Harris did a “Reggie Bush like” front flip as he entered the inzone and was quickly penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct, the first of two penalties resulting from behavior like that from the young Tigers team.

Trigg County head coach Shannon Burcham was screaming on the sideline that the screen developed too early up the middle and possibly could have been an illegal play that would have brought the touchdown back off of the board.

Like usual, the debate fell on deaf ears and more questionable calls followed soon there after.

On the following kick, Trigg County’s Brandon Bridges ran 97 yards for the score, but a very questionable block in the back call put the Cats back on their own 35 yard line.

Hopkinsville was able to stop the disgruntled Cats on their possession and get the ball back. Then came a hand-off, a short gain, and a cloud of dust, then again, and again, and again. Hopkinsville was able to march the ball close to Trigg County’s red zone and Jim Adkins booted in a 41-yard field goal with 3:37 left in the 2nd quarter.

On the pursuing kickoff, however, Brandon Bridges received the kick, faked a reverse lateral, and then took it 90 yards to the inzone, and this time it counted.

Trigg County entered halftime with all of the momentum on their side and they looked poised to come out and have a very effective second half. Hopkinsville’s Cardell McGregor took it into his own hands to try and keep that from happening.

McGregor ran back the second half kickoff 84 yards to put the Tigers back up by 10. It was a good effort, but little was done to stop the oncoming Cats in the second half.

For the rest of this story, read this week's Cadiz Record.