The Russellville football team got a bit of a break last week when Paducah Tilghman upset Union County in the second round of the Class 3A playoffs.

That win (coupled with the Panthers’ 42-7 victory over Butler County) sealed a third straight playoff game at Rhea Stadium – this time with a region title on the line.

If Union County had won, Russellville would have had to make the two-hour-plus bus ride to Morganfield because both teams were district champs and it is District 1’s turn to host games when teams are seeded the same.

Instead, Russellville gets to play at home because the Blue Tornado were the No. 3 seed in District 1 in the regular season.

But just because Paducah Tilghman comes in with a less-than-impressive 6-6 record, that does not mean this is going to be an easy victory for the Panthers.

“They’ve been playing great these last three games,” RHS coach John Myers.

Paducah Tilghman has scored 128 points during its current three-game winning streak. That total includes 56 scored on Edmonson County in the first week of the playoffs.

The Blue Tornado has also shown they can win on the road. As the No. 3 seed, both postseason games have been on the road and both were solid victories. So playing at Rhea Stadium shouldn’t be that imposing of a task.

Tilghman will also be the most athletic team Russellville has faced in weeks.

Throughout the district schedule, the Panthers were always the most athletic team on the field.

That won’t be the case tonight.

“We’ve got some athletes, but they’ve got more of them,” Myers said.

Because of that, the Panthers will have to keep the big plays to a minimum.

“If we can keep them from doing that, and make them move the ball down the field – I think we have a good shot at beating them,” Myers said.

This is the second region championship game the Panthers have been to in the past three years.

In 2007, Russellville lost to Louisville Central 48-28 at this point in the playoffs.

With a win over Paducah, there’s a good chance the Panthers will once again meet Central.

Central plays host to Henry County tonight. The winner of that game will face the winner of Russellville and Paducah Tilghman next week in the state semifinals.

Russellville will get to host that game as well, if the Panthers advance past the Blue Tornado.

— OJ Stapleton is the editor of the News-Democrat & Leader. Contact him at 726-8394 or ostapleton@newsdemocratleader.com.