Coffman's 3 TDs lead Sayre past Raceland 27-22 in Class A championship for school's 1st state title

Six years ago in 2018, when Sayre brought back its football program for the first time in 40 years, head coach Chad Pennington had his work cut out for him. A former NFL quarterback, Pennington was inheriting a Class A program that was having to start with next to nothing. The schedule was weak (they weren’t even promoted to varsity until 2020) and the talent was minimal. It was nothing short of a full-on rebuild.

Six years later, Pennington coached Sayre to the school’s first-ever state championship.

Behind three touchdown receptions from Louisville signee Brock Coffman, the No. 22 Spartans polished off a perfect season (15-0) on Friday afternoon at Kroger Field by taking down the Raceland Rams 27-22. It marked the third straight season (and fourth in school history) that Raceland came up short of winning the title in the final game. Coach Pennington’s son, Luke Pennington, threw all three of Sayre’s receiving touchdowns to Coffman, who finished with 12 catches for 143 yards.

“The one memory that’s in my mind right now,” Pennington said postgame, according to Josh Moore of the Herald-Leader. “Takes me back to 1986. I’m the ball boy for Halls High School as they defeat Germantown from Memphis 17-15 in Nashville for the state championship and a 15-0 record. There I was the ball boy, with a No. 10 jersey on. It just seems so full circle.

“I grew up on a Friday night bus. I love working with these young men. Saw how my father had such an impact on them and that’s what it’s about. We always talk about how can we develop these guys? How can we use the game of football to develop? That’s the true win. That’s the true victory. And then this makes it even sweeter.”

Raceland’s season ends with a 10-5 record and another tough defeat right at the finish line.

CHAMPIONS! Sayre @lexsayrefb 27, Raceland 22. The Spartans capture a state crown just 7 years removed from not having a football program at all. KHSAA Class A State 🏈 Championship pic.twitter.com/XTxtoXme7X

— Jared Peck (@HLpreps) December 6, 2024

The game started with a pair of lengthy touchdown drives for both teams. Sayre opened things up with a nearly six-minute long drive that resulted in Coffman’s first score. Raceland responded with an even longer drive that dipped into the second quarter. Jaxson Rister caught a short pass from Jonah Arnett on a trick play as the Rams got on the scoreboard, although the extra point was no good.

Raceland would intercept Pennington on the next possession and tacked on a 28-yard field goal from Jacob Waller to give the Rams their first and only lead of the afternoon. Coffman found the end zone for a second time right before the halftime break off a short pass from Pennington. Sayre took a 14-9 lead into the intermission.

Coffman wasn’t done poking holes in the Raceland defense either. Midway through the third quarter, he flew past the Rams’ defense for a 36-yard touchdown that put the Spartans in front 20-9. Raceland responded though on the very next drive, which was capped off by a one-yard score from Shannon Marushi. But the two-point conversion attempt was no good, keeping Sayre ahead 20-15.

It looked like Sayre was on the verge of a comfortable win after running back Charlie Slabaugh found paydirt off a four-yard run for the Spartans’ fourth and final touchdown, which made it a 27-15 advantage early into the fourth quarter. But Raceland once again came right back with a Waller touchdown run to make it a five-point game with plenty of time left on the clock.

The Rams’ defense would get the stop it needed. A bad punt from Sayre put Raceland in prime position to score, needing just 48 yards to march down the field and finally win a state championship. But a massive fourth down stop from Sayre with 90 seconds left shut down any hope of a Raceland comeback. The Spartans kneeled out the win from there and celebrated on the field as state champions for the first time ever.