With Bailey Blair giving them a dual threat at quarterback and Skylar Pelfrey providing a bruising power option at running back, the Hazard Bulldogs could be poised for another deep run in the Class A playoffs. Both of the Hazard seniors were impressive Friday as Blair passed for 150 yards, running for one touchdown and passing for another, while Pelfrey added 119 yards and three touchdowns in a 43-26 win Friday at Harlan County.

“They are big and strong and athletic and have several seniors who have played two or three years. We knew this would be a tough challenge for us,” Harlan County coach Eddie Creech said.

Harlan County (0-2) had some stars of its own in the loss, rushing for 357 yards as a team, led by first-year senior Patrick Bynum with 138 yards on one carries and junior Ben Landis with 107 yards on 15 carries.

“It was a heck of a breakout game for Patrick Bynum,” Creech said. “Ben is like a bowling ball back there and runs very hard. I thought all our running backs ran hard.”

While the Bears had success moving the ball, they had very little stopping the Bulldogs, who punted only once. Harlan County was down by only nine going into the fourth quarter when Hazard scored twice on two plays — 38-yard run by Pelfrey and a 49-yard run by Reece Fletcher.

“We knew this was going to be a process,” said Creech of his squad, which lost 19 of starters from last year’s regional championship team. “We just have to keep working and improving.”

Harlan County struck first with a 14-play, 53-yard drive to open the game, a series that was aided by a Hazard off-sides penalty on a fourth-and-three play. Senior fullback Garry Henson went in from the 1 after bouncing off a Hazard defender. Antonio Roman’s extra point gave the Bears a 7-0 lead with 3:30 to play in the first quarter.

Hazard wasted little time answering as Blair found Andy Baker for a 23-yard catch that set up Blair’s 2-yard touchdown run with 56.6 seconds left in the opening period. Blair found Pelfrey for a two-point conversion.

Bynum broke free for an electrifying 58-yard touchdown run around left end as Harlan County took the lead again. Roman’s extra point made the score 14-8.

Pelfrey and Blair each picked up first downs in a three-play scoring drive in the second quarter that ended with Pelfrey going 7 yards for a touchdown. The first of five Jonah Helm extra points put Hazard on top at 15-14.

Harlan County appeared to have a Hazard drive stopped late in the first half, but Blair completed a pass on fourth down to tight end Mason Collins and then found Kyle Johnson open across the middle for a 17-yard touchdown pass with 9.5 seconds left.

A 47-yard run by Landis gave Harlan County a first down on the Hazard 23 early in the third quarter, but the drive stalled.

Hazard scored again when Pelfrey went in from the 7 after Blair teamed with Johnson for a 47-yard catch one play earlier. Helm’s extra point made the score 29-14 with 1:07 left in the third quarter.

A 20-yard run by Henson was followed by another big play by Bynum, who broke free for a 40-yard touchdown run, breaking several tackles along the way. Roman missed the extra point after the Bears were assessed a procedure penalty.

Hazard put the game away with two touchdowns against a tiring Harlan County defense, but the Bears closed the game with a 14-play, 80-yard drive that featured a steady diet of Tyler Casolari and Landis, who capped the march with a 1-yard touchdown run with 3:33 left.

Harlan County will travel to Tates Creek on Friday. Hazard will play at Letcher Central.

———

Hazard 43, Harlan County 26

Hazard 8 14 7 14 — 43

Harlan County 14 0 6 6 — 26

HC — Henson 1 run (Roman kick)

H — Blair 2 run (Pelfrey pass from Blair)

HC — Bynum 58 run (Roman kick)

H — Pelfrey 7 run (Helm kick)

H — Johnson 17 pass from Blair (Helm kick)

H — Pelfrey 7 run (Helm kick)

HC — Bynum 40 run (kick failed)

H — Pelfrey 38 run (Helm kick)

H — Fletcher 49 run (Helm kick)

HC — Landis 1 run (run failed)

HHS HCHS

First downs 19 16

Rushes-yards 31-270 50-357

Passing 153 6

Comp-Att-Int 10-14-0 2-6-0

Punts-Avg 1-30 2-31

Fumbles-Lost 1-1 0-0

Penalties-Yards 8-56 12-115

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING—Hazard, Pelfrey 13-119, Fletcher 3-72, Campbell 3-42, Blair 12-37. Harlan County, Bynum 9-138, Landis 15-107, Casolari 12-49, Henson 6-45, Wilson 2-9, Harris 4-5, Turner 1-3, Bailey 1-1.

PASSING—Hazard, Bailey 10-14-0-153. Harlan County, Harris 2-4-0-6, Wilson 0-2-0-0.

RECEIVING—Hazard, Baker 6-62, Johnson 2-64, Collins 1-18, Ford 1-9. Harlan County, Bynum 1-7, Flanary 1-(-1).