Sophomore running back Brayden Sizemore ran for 215 yards and four touchdowns as Knox Central closed the regular season Friday with a 53-14 rout of the visiting Middlesboro Yellow Jackets.
Sizemore was part of a 345-yard ground attack by the 5-5 Panthers as he carried the ball 17 times. Zach Carroll added 56 yards and a touchdown on seven carries. Quarterback Landen Daughtry had 38 yards rushing and completed four of seven passes for 41 yards
Middlesboro fell to 4-5 with the loss, struggling the past two weeks with several key players lost for the season due to injuries, including quarterback Deakon Partin.
Freshman quarterback Bryson Heck played well as he filled in for Partin, completing a touchdown pass to Xavion Shehan as Middlesboro scored in the second quarter after Knox had reeled off the first 33 points. Heck teamed with Kordell Partin for the two-point conversion. Heck completed 13 of 15 passes for 146 yards
Sizemore scored once in the first quarter, then again in the second as Knox took a 12-0 lead with 11:30 left in the first half,
Daughtry scored on a 6-yard run with eight minutes to play in the half. Kobe Woolum hit the first of five extra points for a 19-0 lead.
Nathan Dunn returned a fumble for 50 yards for a touchdown with 7:45 left in the half before Woolum’s extra point.
Donovan Smith, who led Knox with 14 tackles, also returned a fumble for a touchdown as the Panthers’ lead grew to 39-8 at halftime.
Sizemore added a 37-yard touchdown run in the third quarter followed by Woolum’s kick.
Carroll’s 10-yard run and Woolum’s kick late in the third period closed the scoring for Knox.
Colby Lawson went 22 yards for a Middlesboro touchdown in the fourth quarter. Sebastian Kyle hit the extra point.
Joseph Killion led the Middlesboro defense with 11 tackles. Vincent Smith added nine. Amarie Houston had an interception.
Middlesboro will play host to Paintsville on Friday in the first round of the Class A playoffs. Knox Central will travel to Belfry in the 3A playoffs.