[Old School Hound]

I always have looked forward to Corbin-Pikeville football games. Pikeville has always played bigger than their 1A designation. Much to Hoot Gibson's chagrin, Pikeville is a school that competes well with the bigger boys and there is much historical precedence to support that. Let's look at a brief history of the times that the Hounds of Corbin have knocked heads with little beast from the east, the Pikeville Panthers.


Corbin and Pikeville have played ten times, with Corbin winning seven of those ten.  Eight of those ten games were in my lifetime, with several of them being while I attended Corbin High School, so I remember the games well. Six of the ten games have been played at Corbin, with four being held in Pikeville.  Corbin and Pikeville had never met up until the 1956 season, when Coach Bill Tucker and the Redhounds welcomed Pikeville to Campbell Field. The homestanding Hounds came away with a 34-19 win in the inaugural game between the schools. Corbin , under the legendary Walt Green,  returned the favor the following year and went to Pikeville. It wasn't much of a favor for the Panthers, as Green's Hounds souplexed the Panthers 62-0 .

After the '57 debacle , the two schools didn't play again for twenty years.  Fast forward to the Hounds heyday under the great , Archie Powers.  Powers' Hounds welcomed Pikeville to Corbin in 1977 in the state AA state semifinals. The Hounds were coming off a state championship in '76 over Mayfield and were hoping to advance to Hangar Field in Richmond for a shot at back-to-back titles. The Hounds did , in fact, advance by beating the Panthers 27-7. This game would mark the first of three straight games between the two that would occur in the AA state semis.

Two years later, in 1979 , Corbin again welcomed the Panthers to Campbell Field in the state semis. This was a Corbin team that I remember feeling like was state championship bound.  Corbin had a stretch in '79 when they recorded six straight shutouts, with only a strong Churchill , TN team being able to score on Corbin. I was very confident in the Hounds' chances against Pikeville in the '79 game. In fact, I thought we'd win convincingly. Turns out, I needed a wakeup call. I got one.  Pikeville completely shutdown the Hounds offense, posting their own shutout, 16-0

The following year, 1980, Corbin returned to Pikeville for the first time since the 62-0 pasting of the Panthers in '57.  It wasn't 62-0 this time but it was convincing, a 42-13 Corbin win in the state semifinal affair. The Hounds would go on to Cardinal Stadium the following week and win another state championship, beating Fort Campbell.

A home and home series in '84 and '85 saw the two schools split two games, with Pikeville winning 27-10 at the W.C. Hambley Sports Complex  and Corbin winning 43-8 at Campbell Field the following year. Pikeville's most lobsided win in the series occurred in 2005, when the Panthers shutout Steve Jewell's Hounds 34-0.  Both times that Pikeville came to Corbin and won they held the Hounds scoreless. 

Corbin would return to Pikeville in 2008, for what has turned out to be their last trip to the home of the Panthers.  Jewell's Hounds came away 23-15 winners in '08. The schools did not meet again until 2022 , when Pikeville came to take on the Hounds in the Pigskin Classic. The Hounds came back from an early two score deficit to win 24-19.

And now we pull the curtain up on the Luke Salmons era. Coach Salmons begins his Corbin tenure in style, hosting the Hounds old AA rival from the '70's. It should be a dandy. If you're not there to see it at the new $13 million complex on the banks of Lynn Camp Creek on August 23, you're gonna miss something special. There's no place I'd rather be in Kentucky on that evening. Hope to see you there.


Series record:  7-3 in favor of Corbin.   Corbin has won 3 of 4 at Pikeville  and 4 of 6 at Corbin.  Total points scored in the series is 265-158 in favor of Corbin.

[Statebound19]

Nice !!! Good history!! I think pikeville notch a win this year to close gap to 7-4

Pikeville -28
Corbin -14

[Panther Thunder]

I believe, from my homework, that the 1956 game was a direct result of Corbin getting the nod over Pikeville as the 1955 “mythical” State Champion. Without a playoff to determine a winner, most took to the polls or ratings to determine a state champion. In fact, from my understanding, Pikeville decided to claim the 1955 title as well, which, without a playoff, why not?

The 1955 Panthers would go 11-0, outscoring opponents 345-34 on the season. The closest contest of the year was a 13-12 victory against Prestonsburg. Pikeville defeated Harlan 28-7 in the Big Sandy Bowl at Paintsville in a matchup of two unbeatens. Corbin defeated Newport 27-21 in the Recreation Bowl. Pikeville’s booster said “We would like to meet Corbin for the state championship- we’ll play the Redhounds any place they desire.” Morehead’s Chamber of Commerce planned to host the “Strawberry Bowl” on December 3rd to let the two teams battle it out in conjunction with the Kentucky Mountain Strawberry Growers Association (no, really). Pikeville had agreed to the matchup and Corbin was in serious negotiations to take part.

However, the KHSAA did not allow the game to take place (even with an ask for a special allowance) as it was not scheduled prior to October 1st. (Fun fact: Henderson also claimed the title in 1955 with a 10-0 record)

Pikeville in 1956, after the departure of one of the best coaches in PHS History, Clayton Powers, did not have the same caliber team, but went 8-2-1 against a much tougher schedule that included Lafayette, Belfry, Raceland, Prestonsburg, Paintsville, Fleming, Paducah Tilghman (1st game in PT’s new stadium: imagine that trip in 1956), and Corbin.

[Micro-Brew]

Pretty cool information in the above posts!

[Panther Thunder]

1984


2005


2008

[Old School Hound]

Good stuff, fellas. Hope you all can make the game in 9 days.

[jetpilot]

Great thread all around. Big props to OSH and PT.

For all the young folks on here though a little context: In the last 39 years Corbin has won by 8 and 5 and Pikeville has won 34-0.

[Hatz]

The ‘79 game was a surprise to me. I did not anticipate Corbin losing before the Finals that year.

[Old School Hound]

The ‘79 game was a surprise to me. I did not anticipate Corbin losing before the Finals that year.

You and me both, my friend. Lot of Corbin fans in disbelief after that one, including Old School.

[jetpilot]

I remember the Corbin radio guy was super classy. Said something like we really thought we had the horses to win it all this year, but now we have to get behind Pikeville and wish them luck.

[Bull got out!]

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[Old School Hound]

           


Less than a week away!!!!

[PHSForever]

Thanks for posting that 1984 game. That was my senior year. Good seeing that film. Some big runs by Danny Passidomo (34), great TD catch by Kelvin Mullins (5), nice interception by Richard Justice (7), big QB hit on later interception by John Friend (64), saw Coach Mac’s brother on the line, Robbie Rowe making plays everywhere (RIP 45), Paul Todd Case with a nice game throwing and running (10). We really thought we could get to the championship game that year. Hated losing to Beechwood in the semis.

[jetpilot]

Thanks for posting that 1984 game. That was my senior year. Good seeing that film. Some big runs by Danny Passidomo (34), great TD catch by Kelvin Mullins (5), nice interception by Richard Justice (7), big QB hit on later interception by John Friend (64), saw Coach Mac’s brother on the line, Robbie Rowe making plays everywhere (RIP 45), Paul Todd Case with a nice game throwing and running (10). We really thought we could get to the championship game that year. Hated losing to Beechwood in the semis.

Dang...all those guys were great. You guys were climbing the mountain and led the way to the Pikeville 3-peat which then led the way to multiple championships in the mountains. Great legacy, you should be very proud.

[Old School Hound]

II know one thing for certain, , Corbin fans of old, like Old School, respect the heck out of Pikeville and what they've been able to accomplish over the decades. As mentioned in my original piece, the Hounds and Panthers were old AA rivals back in the late 70's/early '80s, meeting three times( '77, '79, and '80) in the state AA state semifinals. Pikeville dealt Corbin one of it's most disappointing losses in the '79 game, a 16-0 shutout of Corbin at Campbell Field. That was a Corbin team that many felt would claim a state title.

In their two wins at Campbell Field , the Panthers have outscored the Hounds 50-0 . So, the plan for Pikeville should be clear. Hold the Hounds scoreless and they're likely to win convincingly.