By CHARLIE HUST
Paducah Tilghman put the finishing touches Friday night on an undefeated District 1, 3-A schedule, easily defeating Webster County 43-6 at Brooks Stadium in Paducah.
The Blue Tornado (5-5) finished the regular season with a four-game winning streak while the Trojans dropped their eighth straight contest, falling to 1-8 overall and 0-3 in district play.
Webster will complete regular season play Friday, hosting McLean County on Senior Night. The Cougars (3-6) suffered a 49-18 loss to Owensboro Catholic last Friday night.
It pretty much was all Tilghman, all night long as the Blue Tornado took advantage of four interceptions to score a season-high 36 points in the first quarter.
A 40-yard interception run to the WC 20 for Jordan Tyler started the PT scoring engine. Two plays later, Tre Coleman rumbled into the end zone from four yards out. The point after quickly made it 7-0.
Darrius Spivey-Nunn returned a punt for 40 yards to make it 14-0 and then the lightning-quick defensive back snagged a Dillon Baty pass on WC’s third possession of the game and raced to the Webster 23-yard line. PT quarterback Jessie Dunnigan hooked up with Tyrae Caldwell for a 22-yard scoring strike and a commanding 21-0 with 6:29 remaining in the opening quarter.
While the out-manned Webster offense sputtered, Tilghman added two more touchdowns including a 13-yard TD pass to Jazzdon Cole with :10 left in the period for the 36-0 lead and a running clock for the remainder of the game.
Webster began the game with a thin roster due to injuries, lost starters Zack Bruce and Dylan Rich midway through the first quarter. The Trojans settled for a season-low five first downs in the game and only 81 total yards, 20 on the ground and 61 through the air.
The Trojans got on the scoreboard with 5:32 to go in third quarter on a 32-yard touchdown pass from Baty to Quain Bush, the senior receiver’s first career touchdown. That cut the lead to 36-6.
Tilghman answered midway through the fourth quarter with an interception and 18 yard sprint to paydirt by Jordan Prather to set the final score.
Baty finished the game 7-of-18 passing for 61 yards and five interceptions. Bush was the top receiver with 32 yards while Ethan Drury had 19 yards on three catches and 10 yards on three receptions from Austin Chapman.
Peyton Bussell led the Trojans in rushing with 25 yards on eight carries.