The Redskins took a punch in the mouth to open their playoff game Friday night, but delivered a knockout blow in response as they cruised to a 42-15 win over Bledsoe County in Pikeville.

The seventh seeded Redskins watched Bledose County's offense drive 71 yards in 10 plays to open the game.  The scoring drive was capped when quarterback Tyler Harvey hit Michael Gibbons for an 11-yard touchdown strike.  The point after was good and the Warriors led 7-0 early.

The Warrior offensive line had quite a bit of success on the opening drive, as 42 of the 71 yards came on the ground.  Bledsoe County was also able to convert a fourth and nine from Loudon's 25 on its way to the end zone.

"(Gibbons) is a good receiver for them.  They moved him around and got some bad matchups," Loudon Head Coach Jeff Harig said of the Warriors' opening drive.  "They were a little better offensively than I thought," he said.
The opening drive didn't leave Loudon reeling for long, however, as a botched onside kick gave the Redskins good field position, at Bledsoe's 44.

"We felt we could move the ball against them," Harig said after the game.  And move the ball the Loudon offense did as senior tailback Matthew Wallace opened the drive with an 18-yard pickup.
Wallace ran twice more, picking up a total of 17 yards, and moved the ball to the Bledsoe eight.
Quarterback Wade Plemons kept the ball this time and, eight yards later, Loudon was on the board.  K.C. Rader hit the point after to tie the game.

The Warriors took the ball on their own 35 and the ensuing drive didn't go as well as the first.
After two plays moved the ball three yards, Harvey was picked off by DeJay Johnson and Loudon took possession at the host five.

Wallace lost a yard on the first play, but he made that yard up and more as he powered into the end zone from six yards out.  Rader hit the point after again and Loudon led 14-7.
The Warriors began to put a drive together on their third attempt as they moved 12 yards in nine plays.  On third and eight from their own 42, however, Harvey was picked off again.

This time it was Brenden Phillips who intercepted a screen pass up the middle and he returned the ball to the 50.
It took Loudon a few plays to score this time - eight to be exact - but score they did as Jake Brown rushed untouched up the middle for a three-yard score.  Rader remained perfect on PATs, putting Loudon ahead 21-7.

A Bledsoe County three and out gave the ball back to Loudon again and the Redskin offense had 7:41 left in the half to move 65 yards to paydirt.
The Redskin running game worked quite well on the ensuing drive, as Loudon burned nearly six and a half minutes, throwing the ball just three times on an 11 play drive.  The score came on a throw, however, as Plemons rolled right and found Josh Berry for a 15-yard touchdown.  Rader again hit the PAT and Loudon held a commanding lead, 28-7 with 1:11 left in the half.

The Warriors went back to the air as they tried to begin a comeback before the half and it nearly worked.
Harvey connected with Gibbons for a 12-yard pass and a 23-yard pass to move the ball to the Loudon 32.  Harvey then found Chase Brown down the visitors' seven, but that's when the drive turned.

A swing pass out to Brandon Smith was fumbled and the Redskins came away with the ball.  Plemons took a knee from there and Loudon took a 21-point lead to halftime.
After the break it didn't take Loudon long to score as the Redskins took the ball first and moved 60 yards in four plays. 

After three plays netted Loudon 10 yards to its own 49, Plemons found some running room on the right side, got some blocks and raced 51 yards for the touchdown.  Rader hit his fifth point after of the game and Loudon's lead grew to 35-7.

The third turnover of the game came on Bledose's first drive of the half.  The Warriors moved 30 yards in five plays before Harvey threw a swing pass out to the right flat.  The backward pass was not caught, however, and Loudon's Luke Newman scooped up the loose ball.

He returned it to the Warrior 48 and that's where the Redskins began their sixth scoring drive.
It took Loudon six plays to find paydirt this time, but the drive culminated in Plemons rolling left and finding Johnson for a 12-yard TD. 

Rader finished the day perfect on PATs as he put Loudon ahead 42-7 and kicked the mercy rule into effect.
The Warriors added one more TD late on a swing pass from Harvey to Smith that the tailback turned into a 51-yard score.  Brown took the handoff up the middle for the conversion, cementing the final score.

"We felt, coming in, that they had a very good offense but on defense they were undersized," Harig said of Bledsoe County.
With the win, the Redskins will advance to the second round of the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) playoffs.  Thanks to a 29-0 win over Kingston, the Redskins will now have to travel to Polk County Friday night for that second round game.

"We'll have to play better defense to get (a win) next week," Harig said.
Game time for round two is set for 7 p.m. at Polk County High School.