LOG MOUNTAIN — In order to reach the elite level of mountain football, the Harlan County Black Bears know they must go through Bell County.

The Bears’ first attempt didn’t turn out like they had hoped as the defending 4A state champs grabbed a big lead early and coasted to a 41-14 win Friday at Bell County.

Harlan County coach Tom Larkey said he knew coming into the game that the speed of Bell County, especially that of sophomore tailback Cory Davenport, could pose problems to the normally stingy Black Bear defense. That concern quickly turned into reality.

After a holding penalty backed the Bobcats deep into their own territory, Davenport broke loose around the end for a 54-yard run. One play later, junior fullback John Dudley Hilton rumbled into the end zone from 26 yards out to put Bell County on the scoreboard. Hilton added the extra point to give the Bobcats a 7-0 lead.

“I don’t think our kids were ready for the type of speed and athletes that were on the field in the first half,” Larkey said. “I knew when Cory Davenport got loose he is a threat every time he touches the football. We just weren’t coming up on the outside and making the play quick enough, and John Dudley did a good job running the ball at the fullback position.”

The ensuing kickoff sailed out of bounds to give Harlan County good starting field position on its 35. Two straight runs by senior quarterback T.J. Green set up a third and one, but the Bears were unable to convert as sophomore Cody Taylor fumbled the ball on the next play, giving possession back to Bell County.

Three plays later, a 22-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Ben Madon to receiver Cody Davenport gave Bell County a 13-0 lead. Hilton picked up an errant snap on the extra point attempt and completed a pass to tight end Justin Patterson for the two-point conversion.

Harlan County was unable to get anything going on its next possession as the Black Bears went three and out and gave the ball back to Bell County on the Harlan County 48.

The Black Bears appeared to have stopped Bell County, but Madon took a fake punt around the left side for 28 yards on a fourth-and-nine play to keep the drive alive. The Bobcats quickly capitalized as Cory Davenport punched it in from 6 yards out, only three play later. Hilton added the extra point to make the score 22-0.

After trading punts, Harlan County started out with its best field position of the night on the Bell County 48. Green connected with sophomore Marcus McMillian on a 32-yard pass play to give the Bears their first points of the game. Josh Jenkins added the extra point to bring Harlan County to within 15.

That was the lone bright spot of the first half for Harlan County as the Bobcats tacked on two more touchdowns to take a 35-7 halftime lead.

The Harlan County defense that had served as the strength of the team in previous weeks allowed the Bobcats to gain 248 yards rushing in the first half, including five plays eclipsing more than 25 yards.

“Coach Canady worked hard and had a good defensive plan. If they don’t go out there and give the effort and get lined up in the right spots fast enough, then you are going to get beat,” Larkey said. “Most of the mistakes on defense were mental mistakes. I have never had an offense that has easily gone down the field and scored on a Bell County team. To beat them you have to play good, mistake free defense.”

The Bobcats’ defense held Harlan County to only 79 yards rushing in the first half. Bell County coach Dudley Hilton said he knew his defense had to contain Green in the ‘wildcat’ formation.

“We knew that he is a hard-nosed kid,” he said. “He is like the bunny rabbit, he keeps on ticking and that is what he did, he ticked all night long. We kept just pounding and pounding.

“I didn’t know what we could do. I’m the type of coach that doesn’t really have a good game plan, I just do what you let me do. I thought they let me do some passes there early and we did that.”

After a Bell County touchdown stretched he lead to 41-7, the Harlan County offense went on its longest drive of the night. The Bears sustained a 19-play drive that took 10:33 off the clock. The drive stalled on the Bell County 20 as the Bears failed to convert on a fourth down attempt.

Harlan County scored its final touchdown of the night as Green capped a 71-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown plunge with 1:35 remaining in the first quarter.

After the game, Larkey said the Harlan County football program has a lot of work ahead to become one of the best in the region.

“These kids just have to continue to work,” he said. “It takes a year-round effort to build a football team and a football program, and I think we will eventually get there.”

The Bears will travel to Pulaski Southwestern on Friday in the first round of the 5A playoffs. The Warriors defeated Harlan County 35-8 in the first game of the regular season.