The Russellville High School football team has now equaled its feat from last year.

In 2006, the Panthers won their first playoff game in nearly a decade before losing in the second round of the postseason.

RHS is now at that same point, but the Panthers are looking to take things further this year.

“This is probably the biggest game played in Russellville in the past 13 or 14 years,” Russellville coach John Myers said. “But at the same time, we need to go out and play this one just like every other game this year.”

Russellville advanced to the second round with a 34-12 win over Hart County last week.

Russellville (9-2) will have a familiar foe in the game.

The Panthers host Edmonson County - the same team they beat 49-6 on Sept. 7 in Brownsville.

The loss was the first of a three-game losing streak for Edmonson County, but the Wildcats have been playing much better as of late.

They have won five of their last six games, with the lone loss coming to Clay County on Oct. 12.

“Edmonson County is playing really well right now,” Myers said. “They are playing with a lot of confidence. They're going to come in kinda like Hart County - they're not going to have anything to lose and they're going to throw everything at us.”

The Wildcats (6-5) advanced to tonight's second round matchup by winning 35-29 at Butler County last week.

Butler County was the No. 2 seed in Class 3A, District 2 but also lost to Edmonson County in the regular season.

“(Last week's game) was at Butler County and they had a lot to play for because they had never won a playoff game before,” Myers said. “But I don't know if you'd call it an upset. It could have gone either way.”

Against the Bears, Edmonson County got a big game from running back Cody Batteiger, who rushed for 130 yards and three touchdowns.

“I expect them to try and establish their running game and if that doesn't work, they'll probably spread it out,” Myers said.

Hart County also tried to spread out Russellville - to the extreme point of using a unique formation with only three offensive linemen.

It was successful to a point against the Panthers, but they were able to adapt to the bizarre alignment.

“You just have to make adjustments when something like that happens,” Myers said. “Our kids responded in a very positive way.”

The Raiders did a good job of using short passes to keep the ball away from Russellville as much as possible.

“Hart County was able to control the clock and keep the ball out of our hands,” Myers said. “I'm sure Edmonson County has watched that film and will be trying to do the same thing.”

The Panthers may be without one of their top players.

Myers said senior fullback/linebacker Jamarcus Gordon is “doubtful” for the game because of an ankle injury he sustained in the first quarter against Hart County

“I didn't think it was as bad (last week) as it turned out to be,” Myers said.

Against the Raiders, junior Craig Matthews replaced Gordon at fullback and led all rushers with 146 yards on 12 carries.

“Craig is an outstanding player. When we sub him in for Jamarcus at fullback, we don't lose much,” Myers said. “What we do miss is Jamarcus' defensive presence. He and Craig both play on the defensive side of the football.”

A win would put the Panthers in the state quarterfinals against either Elizabethtown or Louisville Central.

Those two teams play tonight in Louisville. Central is the No. 1 ranked team in Class 3A and will host Russellville if both teams win.

If Elizabethtown wins and Russellville knocks off Edmonson County, the Panthers will get to host a third playoff game.