The injury-riddled Harlan County football team was no match for visiting Corbin on Friday night at Coal Miners Memorial Stadium, dropping a 53-6 decision to the Redhounds.
Corbin (4-3) entered the district game riding a three-game losing streak, but controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the football from the outset.
Harlan County senior Jayce Brown recovered an onside kick to open the contest, but Corbin turned the Black Bears over on downs and then needed just four plays to open the scoring on a 20-yard pass from junior Mason Salmons to senior Cam Estep.
The Redhounds struck again just three plays into the ensuing drive by Harlan County when senior Eli Pietrowski intercepted a pass by senior quarterback Gunner Burkhart and returned it 30 yards to pay dirt.
Following a Harlan County punt, Corbin scored its third touchdown of the opening quarter on a 25-yard pass from Salmons to sophomore Zach Thomas, and the point-after kick by junior Sebastian Witherington made it 19-0.
The physical Corbin defense recorded three tackles for lost yardage during the opening quarter and limited Harlan County to minus-7 yards rushing and minus-5 yards in total offense.
Corbin opened its 27-point second quarter on a 45-yard touchdown run by senior Cole Stevens on the second play, and his 7-yard scoring run with 7:50 remaining in the stanza made it 33-0 following the extra point by Witherington.
After forcing the fifth punt of the first half by Harlan County, Salmons connected with Thomas on a 43-yard scoring strike on the first play of the Redhounds’ drive to start a running scoreboard clock.
Three plays into the ensuing drive by the Black Bears, Thomas intercepted a Burkhart pass and sprinted 54 yards into the end zone to stake Corbin to a 46-0 lead at halftime.
Corbin coach Joshua Salmons kept his starters on the bench for the entirety of the second half, and the Black Bears were able to produce their lone touchdown of the game on a 22-yard run by Brown late in the third quarter.
Freshman Brody Hart capped the scoring for Corbin on a 21-yard TD run early in the fourth quarter.
Harlan County junior Colby Shepherd recovered a muffed punt late in the game, but the clock ran out and dropped the Black Bears to 4-3 on the season.
Salmons completed eight of his 14 first-pass attempts for 190 yards, and Stevens rushed for a game-high 81 yards on five first-half carries. Corbin amassed 319 yards on 30 offensive plays.
Harlan County was held to just 54 yards of total offense, with junior Jonah Sharp rushing for a team-high 34 yards on nine carries.
Next up for Harlan County is a home district game Friday against Perry Central, while Corbin travels Friday to face district foe Whitley County.

Corbin — 19 27. 0 7 — 53
Harlan County — 0 0 6 0 — 6

C – Estep 20 pass from Salmons (kick failed)
C – Pietrowski 30 interception return (kick failed)
C – Thomas 25 pass from Salmons (Witherington kick)
C – Stevens 45 run (Witherington kick)
C – Stevens 7 run (Witherington kick)
C – Thomas 43 pass from Salmons (Witherington kick)
C – Thomas 54 interception return (kick failed)
HC – Brown 22 run (kick failed)
C – Hart 21 run (Witherington kick)