Warren East’s promising 2017 season ended Friday with a frustrating offensive night.

The Raiders were shut out until the fourth quarter and shut down most of the evening by visiting Hopkinsville. Three Mitchell Degenhardt touchdowns lifted the visiting Tigers to a 21-7 win at Jim Ross Field in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs.

The Tigers (5-6) ended East’s season for the second straight year. Last season, Hoptown ran away to a 54-0 first-round win.

This year’s matchup – the Raiders’ first home playoff game since 2014 – wasn’t as lopsided, but the outcome was never really in doubt. By the time Warren East’s offense finally got moving in the fourth quarter, the home team was already stuck in a 21-0 hole.

“I think they were definitely the more physical team tonight,” Raiders coach Jeff Griffith said. “I think unfortunately that’s the way it goes.

“Sometimes we were the more physical team this year, but tonight you’ve got to give Hopkinsville credit. They brought a physical game plan and executed and did a good job.”

Warren East (6-5) totaled only 34 first-half yards as they fell behind 14-0 by halftime.

Hopkinsville scored the first half’s only two touchdowns, both coming on throws from quarterback Javier Bland to the running back Degenhardt.

The first came on a pass from Bland to Degenhardt in the flat. A Warren East defender was just a tick late getting over to break up the pass. Degenhardt secured the catch and sprinted down the numbers of the left side of the field, going in to put the Tigers up 7-0 with 6:17 left in the second quarter.

Five minutes later, Bland and Degenhardt connected to make it 14-0 with 1:07 to play in the first half. The second TD connection came on a 24-yard tunnel screen where Degenhardt caught the ball past the left side of the line, then followed his blocks through the middle of the field for the score.

Meanwhile the Raiders were held scoreless in the first half, failing to take advantage of four early drives that started near midfield.

“Particularly in the first half, we had some field position early in the first quarter a couple of times and we couldn’t really do anything with it,” Griffith said. “I think that ultimately was the difference in the game.

“We had a couple of breakdowns defensively, but I think overall we played well defensively. We had our opportunities there in the first half to get points on the board and we didn’t do it.”

The Raiders’ offense stayed stagnant through the third quarter, with the score remaining 14-0. East quarterback Nolan Ford threw an interception late in that period – his third of the game – that was returned by the Tigers’ Kyren Palmer down to the Raiders’ 13-yard line.

Degenhardt ran for a 2-yard TD five plays later to give Hopkinsville a 21-0 lead.

“I thought after we settled down we played very well,” Tigers coach Craig Clayton said. “I thought we had a good shot at Warren East just because of certain matchups that we saw.”

Warren East finally got moving in the fourth quarter. A 39-yard Ford pass to Jastin Proctor set up the Raiders with first-and-goal from the HHS 6-yard line. Ford ran in for a 1-yard TD two plays later, making it 21-7 Tigers with 6:23 to play.

WEHS couldn’t get any closer after that and fell in its first playoff game under Griffith, who wasn’t named as the team’s new head coach until May.

The Raiders notched wins over local rivals Greenwood, Warren Central, Edmonson County and Allen County-Scottsville in Griffith’s first year.

Plenty of players are set to return in 2018, including the freshman QB Ford, the junior receiver Proctor and junior running back Thomas Maxey.

“We return quite a few starters on offense,” Griffith said. “We return about half of our defense and several kids that have played a lot.

“I’m certainly optimistic at this point. We’ll take some time off, recharge our batteries and get to work in January.”

Hopkinsville will play at Logan County next week in the second round of the Class 4A playoffs.

HHS – 0 14 0 7 – 21

WEHS – 0 0 0 7 – 7

Second quarter

HHS – Degenhardt 39 pass from Bland (Harton PAT), 6:17

HHS – Degenhardt 24 pass from Bland (Harton PAT), 1:07

Fourth quarter

HHS – Degenhardt 2 run (Harton PAT), 10:06

WE – Ford 1 run (Cano PAT), 6:23{&end}