It’s a big play in a big game that Lone Oak outside linebacker Tanner Riley had made once before.

Last year, Riley picked off a quick screen pass in the Purple Flash’s win at perennial power Lexington Catholic. Riley did it again in Friday night’s 13-10 win over Madisonville at Flash Field, turning the momentum in a win that gave Lone Oak its fourth Class 4A First District title in the past five seasons.

Two plays after Lone Oak (7-2) had tied the score late in the third quarter, Riley jumped on the route and picked off Madisonville quarterback Tray Carr. Riley’s return to the Maroons’ 11-yard line set up Parker Throgmorton’s second field goal of the game on the final play of the third quarter, and Lone Oak’s stout defense made the lead stand.

“I saw the other receiver start to run-block so I knew what was coming,” Riley said. “I just got by him and jumped on it.”

Lone Oak held Madisonville’s potent offense, which had averaged 52 points in its last seven games, to a mere 46 yards in the second half. Carr, perhaps far western Kentucky’s best dual-threat quarterback, was held to 65 yards on 20 carries and had a tough night passing the ball, completing just six of 18 throws with a pair of interceptions.

“They whipped us up front,” Madisonville coach Will Weaver said, “and we had a lot of trouble running the ball.”

Riley had the first takeway and cornerback Jarred Hill, who also scored the Flash’s lone touchdown in a spell as Lone Oak’s wildcat quarterback, came up with the other. He picked off Carr in the fourth quarter and ran it back for an apparent touchdown, but the score was negated by an illegal block penalty that was well behind and away from the return.

“Tanner’s a pretty smart kid,” Haskins said. “You might beat him once, but if you go back to the well again, he’ll probably get it. Our defensive line was really tough against the run. Their only touchdown came on a couple of blown man coverages, but our defense really controlled the second half. We won that game with defense.”

Lone Oak trailed 10-3 at the half and was having trouble throwing the ball — quarterback Cole Ousley was just 3-for-12 for 27 yards and an interception in the first half under constant pressure.

After Lone Oak stopped a Madisonville fake punt near midfield with 3:52 remaining in the third quarter, it went to the wildcat formation with Hill taking the snap. Hill’s 31-yard run on third down set up a first-and-goal at the 9, and two more Hill runs delivered the game-tying touchdown.

“Our offensive line did that,” Haskins said. “They didn’t even honor the pass and went eight in the box, but our guys blocked it. Jarred is the catalyst for us in that. There’s some trickery involved in it, but if we get good blocking, we’re going to be able to move it.”

After Carr threw his second interception, Madisonville had the ball for only three plays in the final 11 minutes and was forced to punt it midway through the fourth period. Ousley hooked up with running back D’Juan Sherrill on a 28-yard screen pass that put the ball at the Madisonville 15, and the Flash got one more first down and ran the clock out by taking a knee on three straight snaps.

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Lone Oak 13,

Madisonville 10

SCORING

First Quarter

LO – Parker Throgmorton 20 FG, 7:09. Lone Oak leads 3-0.

Second Quarter

M – Austin Collard 38 FG, 5:55. Tied 3-3.

M – Deonte Hines 23 pass from Cameron Tandy (Collard kick), 1:23. Madisonville leads 10-3.

Third Quarter

LO – Jarred Hill 4 run (Throgmorton kick), 1:19. Tied 10-10.

LO – Throgmorton 27 FG, 0:00. Lone Oak leas 13-10.

TEAM STATISTICS

First Downs: Madisonville 10, Lone Oak 9. Rushing att.-yards: Madisonville 35-125, Lone Oak 37-103. Passing, yards: Madisonville 7-19-2 69. Lone Oak 8-18-1 75. Total yards: Madisonville 194, Lone Oak 178. Penalty yards: Madisonville 4-42, Lone Oak 3-28. Fumbles-lost: Madisonville 0-0, Lone Oak 1-1.

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

Rushing – Madisonville: Carr 20-65, Hines 8-36, Tandy 6-23, Summers 1-1. Lone Oak: Sherrill 12-40, Hill 7-49, Wright 3-8, Jones 3-6, Owen 1-7, Ousley 11-(-7).

Passing – Madisonville: Carr 6-18-2 46. Lone Oak: Ousley 8-18-1 75.

Receiving – Madisonville: Tandy 3-(-1), Summers 2-42, Hines 1-23, Perry 1-5. Lone Oak: Sherrill 3-36, Colon 2-25, Hill 1-5, Wright 1-5, Jones 1-4.