For the first time since they moved up to Class 5A, Hayden has qualified for the playoffs.

Blake Adams ran for 261 yards and three touchdowns, as the Wildcats defeated St. Clair County 40-21 on Friday night.

Hayden used almost half of the first quarter to drive 79 yards and get on the scoreboard, as Adams scored from 14 yards away.

The Saints’ Justin May responded by scoring on an 80-yard touchdown run moments later, and Kylee Harrell hit the point after to give the visitors the lead at 7-6 with 5:51 to go in the opening quarter.

After the Cats turned the ball over on downs, Leonard Johnson scored on the first play of St. Clair’s possession, a scoop-and-score fumble recovery and 20-yard runback. Colton Shirley ran in the 2-point conversion with 2:36 still left in the first quarter.

The Saints tied the game when quarterback Taylor Mickens hit Grayson Beatty for the 32-yard scoring pass. Hayden answered right back with an 85-yard drive, capped off by Adams’ second touchdown on a 9-yard run. Patrick Ward’s extra point gave the Wildcats a 21-14 lead with just under four minutes left in the half.

Hayden took control early in the second half after the defense forced a punt, and Adams scored his third touchdown of the night on a 25-yard run in the third quarter. Hayden’s defense forced a Saints punt, which was muffed and the Saints had a first and goal at the seven.

A dazzling 17-yard run by Colton Shirley resulted in another Wildcat touchdown, followed later by a Johnson score from three yards away, after he had run for 39 yards to set up the score.

The Saints added a late score when Michael Fisher hit Nyjil Cotton for a 33-yard touchdown toss.

Adams’ 261 rushing yards came on 25 carries. Johnson added 150 yards on 12 runs, and Shirley gained 62 yards on 10 rushes.

Jeremy Standfield tallied ten tackles (two for loss), and Shirley had six tackles and three pass break-ups — one of which saved a touchdown. Travis Putman had four tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble.

The win improves the Cats to 6-3 overall and 4-3 in the region and qualifies Hayden for the third spot in Class 5A region 6. The victory also gives the Wildcats their first winning season in 11 years — the last time they made the post-season.

Hayden will travel to Athens to take on East Limestone, the second seed from Region 8 in the first round of the playoffs on Nov. 6. But first, they’ll finish off the regular season when they host Curry next Friday.