RUSSELLVILLE – For once, Logan County put away a team early.

Just add it to the long list of firsts this year for the Cougars football program.

Logan County broke away from a tight first quarter and forced a running clock by halftime on its way to a 54-18 win over Warren Central to open the Class 4A playoffs in the first postseason game hosted at Cougar Stadium on Friday night.

The Cougars (11-0) had forced a running clock twice this season, but a blowout against the winless Dragons (0-11) on Friday marked the earliest point in a game they had been able to enforce the 36-point mercy rule.

“It felt great,” junior lineman Caden McKinnis said. “It felt very good because we were able to take our starters out so they didn’t have a chance of getting hurt so we can look to next week.”

The magic continues another week for Logan County, which just last week earned its first ever undefeated season. The winning streak stretches to 12 games now for the Cougars after breaking a 42-game losing streak in the 2016 finale.

Friday’s playoff win was the first for Logan County since 2009.

“It’s been a really great ride and the kids have enjoyed it,” Cougars coach Todd Adler said. “We were talking about this in the coaches’ meeting the other day, there’s no difference. The kids from last year to this year, they’re not getting a big head or getting arrogant. They’re just playing football and having fun and that’s what it’s all about for us.”

Sophomore quarterback Tyler Ezell accounted for four touchdowns in the first half and finished the game with 10 completions for 127 yards. Gary Hardy led the offense with nine carries for 83 yards.

Logan County pulled away from a touchdown deficit with a 20-0 second quarter thanks to two kickoff recoveries and Reggie Powell’s 85-yard kick return for a touchdown.

Since trying onside and pooch kicks, Adler said the Cougars have recovered about two per game this season.

“I think the second (recovery) really gave us momentum to keep it rolling,” Adler said. “I thought that was a big turning point in the game. It kind of popped their balloon because they rounded off 12 points in two minutes. I don’t think (our defense) has given that up all year.”

Warren Central made the most of its playoff opportunity by getting its offense on track in the first quarter. Jamale Barber threw two touchdown passes to Justin Borden, the initial one was the Dragons’ first offensive touchdown since Sept. 8 and the first passing touchdown all season.

Barber finished the night with three TD passes to Borden on 15, 10 and 22-yard completions.

“I thought the first quarter was going to be anyone’s ballgame,” Dragons coach Joel Taylor said. “Then you get two onside kicks in a row and a kickoff for a touchdown. Those are three major negative plays against us and positive plays for them. That’s a lot for a team to come back from that’s struggled at times.”

The Dragons’ first score came on fourth-and-goal to take a 6-0 lead at the 8:09 mark, which began a back-and-forth swing for the next three minutes. Logan County responded to Warren Central’s score with Third Bell’s 20-yard option run to take a 7-6 lead.

A long run from Barber on the ensuing drive helped set up his second TD pass to Borden on a 10-yard completion. Logan County took the lead back 18 seconds later when Powell returned the kickoff for a touchdown.

Then the rout was on.

Logan County recovered an onside kick and a pooch kick, each ending in Ezell rushing touchdowns to take a 28-12 lead into the second quarter.

The Cougars pulled away to force a running clock with Ezell’s 10-yard TD pass to Chandler Silvey with 19 seconds left in the first half to make it 48-12.

Logan County put in the backups to start the third quarter. Maurice Gordon scored in the fourth quarter on a 36-yard run and Barber got one last touchdown for the Dragons with his third TD pass to Borden.

Logan County moves on to host Hopkinsville in the second round of the Class 4A playoffs next Friday. The Cougars beat the Tigers in early October by a score of 13-12 thanks to Ezell’s game-winning touchdown run as time expired.

Warren Central ends the season on a 24-game losing streak.

“I just want to thank the kids that stuck it out with us,” Taylor said. “It was a season where you definitely saw a lot of character from these young men and kept playing and kept competing and kept believing. I thought we came out and played like we were really believers.”

LCHS 28 20 0 6 – 54

WCHS 12 0 0 6 – 18

First quarter

WC – Borden 15 pass from Barber (conversion failed), 8:09

LC – Bell 20 run (Lucas Arevalo kick), 6:31

WC – Borden 9 pass from Barber (conversion failed), 5:26

LC – Powell 85 kickoff return (Arevalo kick), 5:26

LC – Ezell 9 run (Arevalo kick), 1:47

LC – Ezell 1 run (Arevalo kick), 1:03

Second quarter

LC – Hardy 16 run (Arevalo kick), 10:59

LC – Blann 9 pass from Ezell (Arevalo kick), 6:49

LC – Silvey 10 pass from Ezell (kick failed), 0:19

Fourth quarter

LC – Gordon 36 run (kick failed), 10:47

WC – Borden 22 pass from Barber (conversion failed), 3:29{&end}