South Laurel’s tandem of Tyler Vaughn and J. D. Wright were too much for the Middlesboro Yellow Jackets Friday. They combined for 234 rushing yards and five touchdowns as the Cardinals beat the Jackets 42-13.

A blocked punt set up the first South score as Wright, a senior quarterback, capped a three-play, 24-yard drive with a 1-yard run. Austin Sprinkles’ kick made it 7-0 with 1:12 to play in the first quarter.

Vaughn’s five-yard TD run with 6:10 to play in the second made it 14-0.

Middlesboro got a big play from senior receiver Barton Poore to get back into the game. After a sack put the Jackets in a 3rd and 29 hole, MHS got a break when the Cardinals were called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. On the very next play Poore found himself all alone behind the defense and Roark scrambled away from trouble and hit him for an 83-yard touchdown pass play.

Patrick Knuckles’s kick made it 14-7 with 4:59 remaining in the first half.

Vaughn returned the kickoff 29 yards to the 31 and later broke a 34-yard run for a first down at the Jacket 12. One play later Wright scored from 13 yards out on a keeper and the Cardinals took a 21-7 lead into the half.

Vaughn added a 9-yard TD run and Wright one form 15 yards out in the third quarter as South stretched their lead to 35-7.

Vaughn led South with 172 yards on 21 carries in the game.

Other than the big play to Poore, the Jacket passing game was held in check. Roark completed 5-of-17 passes for 86 yards and was sacked three times for a total of 44 yards.

Josh Delauer’s 28-yard run in the first quarter was the only other offense the Jackets would muster until the fourth quarter.

Chase McWhorter added a 49-yard touchdown run on a 4th and long play in the fourth quarter to make it 42-7.

Middlesboro got a late spark from freshman running back Austin Baker. He ran for 46 yards on six fourth quarter carries, including a 6-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to make the final score 42-13.

The Jacket defense was led by senior tackle Jeffrey Poe who had ten tackles, two assists, a sack and a forced fumble. Matt Powers added eight tackles, Shay Patterson seven and Dalton Hughett six while Brandon Strunk recovered a fumble.

Middlesboro (3-7) will host Bath County (2-8) next week in the first round of the playoffs.

South Laurel (4-6) will be at either Whitley County or Letcher Central depending on how that tie-breaker shakes out.