Week Three '4A' Preview

Now for the big schools playing a big district game…

(2) Henderson County @ Daviess County

And for the others…

--North Hardin @ Christian County
The Colonels fell in their opener against 3A power Bowling Green, but only by three points and in triple overtime. Next up for “County” is North Hardin, which is off to a quick 2-0 start.

--Bowling Green @ Warren Central
If there’s ever been a time for Warren Central to reclaim control of this rivalry, it’s now. Bowling Green continues to be plagued by injuries, and the Dragons seem poised to get the big win. But anything goes in this heated rivalry.

--Owensboro Catholic @ Apollo
The Aces fell hard to a cross-town rival last week (Owensboro). Now we’ll see if they can fare better against another rival, the Apollo Eagles. The Eagles will be a tough test; they also have won their first two games.

--Fern Creek @ St. Xavier
To say St. X made a statement last week against Lexington Catholic would be a gross understatement. Can the Tigers back it up against another breed of Tigers, these from Fern Creek?

--Dunbar @ Pleasure Ridge Park
PRP might be regarded as a top five team statewide, but unfortunately, they share a district with two of the top three 4A teams (X and Male). A win over a struggling Dunbar team would bolster PRP’s resume.

--Manual @ Trinity
The Crimsons got a big win last week, and they’ll look to build momentum with a big win this week. Of course, that would have to come against mighty Trinity, who lost to Montgomery Bell (TN) last week but still played well.

--Scott County @ Boone County
The Colonels took the week off last weekend; hopefully the idle week will get rid of the bad memories stemming from an opening rout versus Covington Catholic. Scott County will provide a tough test for Boone County however.

--Newport Central Catholic @ Ryle
It’s a classic small school vs. big school game here, but don’t expect Catholic to roll over easily here. Ryle lost to Glen Este (OH) last week, so this is their first game this season against Kentucky competition.

‘4A’ Game of the Week
--Madison Central @ Tates Creek
Huh? Why this for game of the week? This game features two teams on a roll. Creek has stepped it up, beating George Rogers Clark and Ballard to kick off the year. The Indians are rolling, winning their first games by a combined 103-7. Should be a real good one in Lexington.

Other ‘4A’ hosted games: Lone Oak @ Marshall County, Greenwood @ Ohio County, Breckinridge County @ Grayson County, Owensboro @ Meade County, Larue County @ Central Hardin, Moore @ Iroquois, Whitley County @ Shelby County, Butler @ Eastern, South Oldham @ Oldham County, Male @ Seneca, Carroll County @ Scott, Fulton County @ Lafayette, East Jessamine @ Woodford County, Leslie County @ North Laurel

Week Three '3A' Preview

Here we go...our 3A district games for the week...
Note: number in parenthesis corresponds to district

(3) Bullitt East @ Jeffersontown
(3) Valley @ Central
(3) Waggener @ North Bullitt
(3) Fairdale @ Doss
(7) Madison Southern @ Letcher County Central

Now, for our marquee games at 3A sites...

--Graves County @ Paducah Tilghman
The Blue Tornado fell to Fort Campbell and Warren Central in the first two weeks, and they'll have to step it up to beat Graves County, which has won its first two games.

--Somerset @ Warren East
So is Warren East for real? Wins over Monroe County and Todd County Central have been impressive but not definitive on the Raiders' true potential. The Briar Jumpers should test that potential nicely.

--George Rogers Clark @ Southwestern
The Southwestern Warriors split their first two games against solid 'A' competition (Danville and Somerset), while the Cardinals split their first two games against solid Lexington competition (Tates Creek and Bryan Station). This should be one of the better games this weekend.

--Franklin County @ Pulaski County
The Flyers impressed in their first victory over Somerset. After a bye week, they head to their first victim's home to take on Pulaski County, which was slaughtered last week at the hands of Danville.

--Cincinnati Elder (OH) @ Highlands
Elder won last week over Covington Catholic, but only by ten points. The Cincinnati power should be tested again by Highlands. The Bluebirds have rolled in their first wins of the season (Dixie Heights and Conner)

--Dixie Heights @ Covington Catholic
Speaking of Dixie Heights, it's been a miserable start of the season for the Colonels. Their prospects don't seem to improve this week, as they travel to their namesake across town for a highly-anticipated Northern Kentucky game.

--Harrison County @ Rockcastle County
Harrison County began its year losing to Boyle County, but only by a 15-point margin. The schedule doesn't get any easier though, as Rockcastle County continues to field some of the strongest teams in 3A.

--Henry Clay @ Bell County
The Blue Devils flexed their muscles against Boyle County last weekend and will look to do the same against Bell County. The Bobcats began their season with a narrow victory over Whitley County.

--Belfry @ Lawrence County
The Pirates are still catching their collective breaths from the first two weeks of action. Belfry owns a one-point win over Newport Central Catholic and then lost by one against Ashland Blazer. The Bulldogs may provide an easier test before district play begins.

'3A' Game of the Week
--Russell @ Ashland Blazer
The Tomcats fell to Raceland in week one, but got right back up and defeated Belfry the following week. Now, the Red Devils of Russell come to play, and a win over them would likely vault the Tomcats even higher up the 3A rankings.

Other '3A' hosted games: Trigg County @ Hopkins County Central, Caldwell County @ Union County, Casey County @ Marion County, Clinton County @ Anderson County, Estill County @ Clay County, Lynn Camp @ Perry County Central, Logan (WV) @ Johnson Central, Pike County Central @ Boyd County

Week Three '2A' Preview

Here’s our one district game being played this weekend in 2A:

--Lewis County @ West Carter

And for the hosted games from 2A:

--Madisonville-North Hopkins @ Fort Campbell
Fort Campbell lost all-everything Micah Johnson to graduation (and Kentucky), but it hasn’t slowed the Falcons so far. After two opening wins, one of 2A’s best host the Maroons of Madisonville-North Hopkins.

--Allen County-Scottsville @ Glasgow
It’s been a miserable start for the Scotties, especially considering last week’s lost to rival Barren County. However, the Scotties can turn it around against ACS, which picked up their first win last week at Monroe County.

--South Laurel @ Corbin
The Cardinals head south to take on Corbin, and both teams will be looking for that elusive first win. South Laurel was beaten badly by Mercer County last Saturday, while Corbin fell at home to Oldham County.

--Monroe County @ Wayne County
The Monroe County Falcons are scrambling here at the beginning, losing two home games against 3A schools. It will be a challenge for Monroe County to pick up their first victory in Monticello against the Wayne County Cardinals.

--Dayton @ Newport
Playing on their home turf last weekend, the Newport Wildcats dropped a 20-0 decision to their top rival, Newport Central Catholic. The Wildcats will stay in the ‘A’ Class this weekend, as the Greendevils come calling.

--Beechwood @ Lloyd Memorial
Another great Northern Kentucky contest this weekend will involve a top team from Class A and a solid team from Class 2A. Both Beechwood and Lloyd are coming off wins against tough 4A competition.

--Pikeville @ Prestonsburg
It’s been a very difficult start for Pikeville, which has lost convincingly to Henry Clay and East Jessamine. As for the Blackcats, they began their season last week by losing to Leslie County. Both teams need a win here.

--Knott County Central @ Sheldon Clark
No one seems to be talking about the Sheldon Clark Cardinals, which defeated Lawrence County and Boyd County in weeks one and two, respectively. The Knott County Central Patriots should offer a solid test for the Cards.

‘2A’ Game of the Week
--Western @ Breathitt County
The Bobcats are playing under the radar so far this year, but a win over Western would get everyone’s attention. The Warriors stomped North Laurel in their season debut last week

Other ‘2A’ hosted games: Ballard Memorial @ Reidland, Russell County @ Edmonson County, Adair County @ Hart County, Russellville @ Todd County Central, Lincoln County @ Garrard County, Bethlehem @ North Oldham, Mason County @ Fleming County, Raceland @ East Carter, Phelps @ Powell County, Knox Central @ Cawood

Week Three 'A' Preview

For this week, we’ll run through the district games, and then we’ll focus on the inter-class games that ‘A’ teams host.

'A' District Games
(7) Evarts @ Harlan
(8) Jenkins @ Paintsville

Other Games of Note

--Hopkinsville @ Mayfield
It was a horrendous season opener for Hoptown, as the Tigers were destroyed by visiting Male. So to get their first win of the season, the 3A power must travel to Mayfield, who Marshall County defeated last week.

--Calloway County @ Murray
It’s another great rivalry game in Western Kentucky, and both teams will be looking for their first wins on the season.

--Green County @ Metcalfe County
The Dragons got a big win last week against Hart County, but a trip to Edmonton to face the Hornets should offer a stiffer challenge. Metcalfe County is 2-0 on the season, winning by an average of 33.5 points.

--DeSales @ Louisville Holy Cross
Here’s a great matchup in the Louisville area between two solid teams. Holy Cross won their first two games of the season, while DeSales has split so far.

--Nelson County @ Bardstown
Much like Calloway County and Murray, this game will divide the whole county. County started the season upsetting Bullitt East. Bardstown is on its way to another great year by winning their first two contests.

--Taylor County @ Campbellsville
Yet another County-City battle. The Tigers of Campbellsville have struggled so far this season, but they have played a challenging schedule. Taylor County will look to turn it around on the road after being demolished by Metcalfe County last weekend.

--Simon Kenton @ Covington Holy Cross
Despite the maximum difference in class, this should be an entertaining contest in Northern Kentucky. Both teams opened the season with two solid wins, including two 4A wins already for Holy Cross.

--Frankfort @ Paris
Two teams that have gotten off to great starts this season will square off this Friday in Bourbon County. Frankfort walloped Western Hills last week by 33, while Paris is on the move after a solid win over Garrard County.

‘A’ Game of the Week
--Boyle County @ Danville
What was supposed to take place at County will take place at Admiral Stadium. Despite the change in location, the Rebels and Admirals should compete in another classic. It’ll be interesting to see how Boyle County recovers from a beatdown they took last week at Henry Clay.

Other ‘A’ hosted games: Logan County @ Crittenden County, Webster County @ McLean County, Elizabethtown @ Fort Knox, Western Hills @ Kentucky Country Day, Henry County @ Owen County, Nicholas County @ Trimble County, Grant County @ Ludlow, CA-L @ Lexington Christian, Morgan County @ Bath County, Betsy Layne @ Cumberland, Middlesboro @ Pineville, East Ridge @ South Floyd, Magoffin County @ Allen Central

Week Two Thoughts

The second week of Kentucky high school football looks much like the first week—a split of games on Friday and Saturday, several bowl events and very few district games. However, the third reason does not mean that there were not significant things that came out of this weekend.

--Some games this weekend that were supposed to be really good, well, were not. First of all, St. Xavier destroying Lexington Catholic comes to mind. I fully expected Catholic to hang with X, if not beat the team that struggled to beat a handicapped Bowling Green squad in week one. But it wasn’t to be, as the Tigers handed the Knights a 47-0 beatdown. X’s district toady, Male, was just as disappointing in terms of creating drama. The Bulldogs marched down to Hopkinsville and left town with a 56-7 win. I’m telling you, I’m looking forward to St. X-Male just as much as St. X-Trinity. Seriously.

--Two other teams that turned potential close games into big routs were courtesy of Henry Clay and Owensboro. The Blue Devils scored the game’s last 46 points against 3A power Boyle County, while the Red Devils laid claim to the best team in Owensboro by taking down cross-town rival Owensboro Catholic by a 51-20 count.

--Despite the select blowouts, several games went down to the wire. How about Bowling Green, beating a solid 4A team in Christian County in three overtimes, despite having major injury problems to start the season? Or Trinity, which led Montgomery Bell Academy of Tennessee for most of the game before falling late, 23-21? Or Ashland Blazer, which rebounded from a week one loss to Raceland with an overtime upset win over Belfry? Or Larue County, who likewise rallied from a disappointing opener to defeat 4A power John Hardin? Or Barren County, which went to overtime to beat rival Glasgow for the first time in eight years? Or Southwestern, who defeated rival Somerset in the Ray Correll Bowl by six points? Plenty of great games in week two.

--So two weeks in…which teams are most impressive at 2-0? Undoubtedly, Tates Creek is on its way to improving from last season’s 2-8 mark. The Commodores have scored big wins over George Rogers Clark and Ballard, but they will be tested again next week by Madison Central, who likewise is off to a quick start, including a 33-7 win over Dunbar. In southern Kentucky, Warren East has faced poor competition, but is averaging 58.5 points per game nevertheless. Can the Raiders challenge Bowling Green in 3A’s District Two? Several Eastern Kentucky squads are off to impressive 2-0 starts, including Johnson Central, Clay County, South Floyd and Sheldon Clark. Metcalfe County and Russellville are both off to quick starts, along with Fulton City and County. There are plenty of 2-0 records, but it’s a district record, not an overall record, that counts.

--On the other hand, plenty of traditional powers have stubbed their collective toes out of the gate. Some great programs that have dropped two in a row to start the year include Campbellsville, Somerset, Pikeville, Glasgow, Owensboro Catholic, Paducah Tilghman, Franklin-Simpson, Dixie Heights and Dunbar. However, not one loss by these teams is a district loss, and many if not all are playing challenging schedules. Perhaps the only team here who should be truly concerned by their start is Glasgow, as the Scotties were smacked by Metcalfe County and fell to cross-town rival Barren County.

--Last week, I documented how poorly Kentucky teams did against out-of-state competition. This week: much better at 8-8.

--Three districts went undefeated this week. Class 2A, District 7 (Middlesboro’s), Class 4A, District 2 (Owensboro’s) and Class 4A, District 4 (St. Xavier’s) all left the field happy after this weekend’s games. However, Class 3A District 1 (Hopkinsville’s) all went down. In fact, that district only got a single win during week one (Union County beat Webster County).

--As a Scottsville native, I want to give a big congrats to Allen County-Scottsville head coach Brad Hood, who picked up his first win as ACS coach on Friday when the Patriots won at Monroe County 20-6. It’s a big win for a program that has struggled mightily over the past few years. It seems Coach Hood has the Patriots steering back in the right direction. Good work.

--Finally, congratulations to Henderson County for their 16-13 overtime win over Evansville North, IN. As has been well documented, it’s been a tough off-season for the Colonels, so their first win of the year is a sweet one to be sure. Henderson County faces a Kentucky opponent for the first time next Friday as the Colonels travel to Owensboro to take on Daviess County.

NOTE: MY INTERNET WAS ACTING UP LAST NIGHT. I'LL ADD LINKS WHEN MY INTERNET BEHAVES BETTER. AND IT WILL.

Sunday Morning Quarterback

One more time before college takes over Saturdays...

Teams That Impressed
--Henry Clay (d. Boyle County 53-10)
--Western (d. North Laurel 46-14)
--Mercer County (d. South Laurel 53-6)
--North Hardin (d. Whitley County 40-6)

Games of the Night
--Bowling Green d. Christian County 24-21 (3 OT)
--Montgomery Bell, TN d. Trinity 23-21
--Bellevue d. Shawnee 14-12

The analysis continues later today or tomorrow...

Saturday Morning Quarterback

Some interesting things took place on Week Two...

Teams That Impressed
--St. Xavier (d. Lexington Catholic 47-0)
--Male (d. Hopkinsville 56-7)
--Central (d. Shelby County 56-28)
--Danville (d. Pulaski County 54-3)
--Owensboro (d. Owensboro Catholic 51-20)

Games of the Night
--Barren County d. Glasgow 26-23 (OT)
--Henderson County d. Evansville North, IN 16-10 (OT)
--Marshall County d. Mayfield 21-14
--Matewan, WV d. Shelby Valley 48-43
--Covington Holy Cross d. Holmes 27-26

Upsets?
--Larue County d. John Hardin 38-35
--Tates Creek d. Ballard 27-20
--Ashland Blazer d. Belfry 28-27 (OT)
--Allen County-Scottsville d. Monroe County 20-6

As was the case last week, much more analysis from this weekend's action coming either tomorrow night or Monday.

Week Two '4A' Preview

Now for the big schools hosting big games...

--Evansville North (IN) @ Henderson County
One of the more prevalent themes from week one was how many teams stepped out-of-state to play great competition. Henderson County played Castle, IN last weekend, and despite a lopsided loss, the exposure against tough competition should shore up the Colonels’ weaknesses.

--Whitley County @ North Hardin
Whitley County was more than competitive against one of 3A’s finest, Bell County. Now, the Colonels will get perhaps a stiffer test against the Trojans of North Hardin, which beat Fairdale by a touchdown in week one.

--Montgomery Bell (TN) @ Trinity
This one should be a treat. Montgomery Bell Academy is regarded as one of Tennessee’s finest prep football programs, and they have Kentucky experience this season already, defeating Dunbar 24-7 last week. Trinity, of course, is the defending 4A state champion.

--Tates Creek @ Ballard
The Commodores picked up a big win over George Rogers Clark to start the season, and now they will look to pick up a bigger win: the Ballard Bruins, who stomped Greenwood last week.

--Central @ Shelby County
This is the season opener for both teams. Central has to feel a little better about their district championship chances after seeing Bullitt East be upset at Nelson County last week. Shelby County, however, must go through Trinity and Ballard to claim the title.

--Woodward (OH) @ Scott County
Another of the 4A powers, the Cardinals open their season against a visiting Ohio team, continuing the trend of state powers testing themselves against out-of-state competition.

--Boyle County @ Henry Clay
A Saturday night shootout in Lexington to be sure, Boyle County slid past Harrison County in week one, while Henry Clay shut down and shut out Pikeville in the Pike County Bowl.

--Dunbar @ Madison Central
Against heavily-favored Montgomery Bell, the Bulldogs put up a fight before losing 24-6. But the oft-overlooked Lexington team must pay attention to the Indians of Madison Central, who walloped West Jessamine 70-0 in their opener.

‘4A’ Game of the Week

--Lexington Catholic @ St. Xavier
The Knights were one of the few teams that sat out the first week of the season. So why not open their campaign at St. X, which grinded their way to a 15-7 win over Bowling Green, which coincidentally was the team that Lexington Catholic beat for a state title last season?

Other ‘4A’ Games: Calloway County @ Graves County, Portland (TN) @ Greenwood, Madisonville-North Hopkins @ Apollo, Hopkins County Central @ Daviess County, Bullitt East @ Bullitt Central, Doss @ Pleasure Ridge Park, Nelson County @ Butler, Meade County @ Fern Creek, Manual @ Eastern, Seneca vs. Simon Kenton (at Woodford County), Fairdale @ Southern, Glen Este (OH) vs. Ryle (at Tippert Stadium), Covington Holy Cross @ Holmes, Lloyd Memorial @ Scott, Highlands @ Conner, Jeffersontown @ Lafayette, Union County @ Woodford County, George Rogers Clark @ Bryan Station

Week Two '3A' Preview

Let me clarify something real quickly. Until district games start in earnest, I’m putting a game under a class preview based on the who the home team is. For example, Male @ Hoptown would be under 3A, while Boyle County @ Henry Clay will be under 4A. This shouldn’t be much of an issue when district games begin in a couple of weeks.

--Male @ Hopkinsville
One of 4A’s finest makes the long trip to Western Kentucky to take on the Tigers. Hopkinsville opens of their season against the Bulldogs before traveling to Mayfield next week.

--Warren Central @ Paducah Tilghman
Due to weather, the Dragons only played one half against Franklin-Simpson but still won 28-0. This week might offer a stiffer test, as the Blue Tornado figure once more to be a force in 3A’s first district.

--Christian County vs. Bowling Green (at Franklin-Simpson)
The Purples resembled a mesh unit after their loss to St. Xavier last weekend. Despite not being 100%, the highly-regarded 3A power should be favored against the Colonels from Christian County.

--Trigg County @ Franklin-Simpson
As mentioned above, Franklin-Simpson only played a half against Warren Central, so the Wildcats should be well-rested for another batch of Wildcats, these from Cadiz.

--Campbellsville @ Marion County
The Eagles fell to a much larger school in week one (Central Hardin). So this week, they play a team one class smaller in Marion County, who opened the year losing at Bethlehem.

--Cincinnati Elder (OH) @ Covington Catholic
The Colonels were firing on all cylinders against Boone County last weekend, but they’ll need their best effort against Elder, a Cincinnati power which will also play Highlands next week.

--Breathitt County @ Madison Southern
Southern’s trip to Bryan Station last week resulted in a loss, so the Eagles will look for their first win against traditional 2A power Breathitt County.

--Russell @ Greenup County
The number one team in the state in 2A took the first week off, so the Red Devils will open their season at the nearby Musketeers, which won their first game at East Carter.

--Perry County Central vs. Letcher County Central (at Hazard)
District game! Both of these teams will need this win if they hope to contend for a playoff spot in 3A’s 7th District.

‘3A’ Game of the Week

--Belfry @ Ashland Blazer
The Tomcats were upset by Raceland in week one, and it doesn’t get any easier, as the Belfry Pirates come to town fresh off a very good win over Newport Central Catholic.

Other ‘3A’ games: Todd County Central @ Warren East, Russellville @ Logan County, Providence (IN) @ Waggener, Breckinridge County @ Valley, Iroquois @ Atherton, Metcalfe County @ Taylor County, Casey County @ Russell County, Dayton @ Grant County, North Oldham @ South Oldham, Pikeville @ East Jessamine (at Corbin), Campbell County @ West Jessamine, Bourbon County @ Rockcastle County, Evarts @ Clay County, Wayne County @ Knox Central, South Point (OH) @ Johnson Central, Montgomery County @ Mason County

Week Two ‘2A’ Preview

Continuing on across the state...

--Owensboro @ Owensboro Catholic
Both teams were stomped in their season openers against out-of-state competition. Both the Red Devils and Aces will be more than ready to get their first win of the season against their inner-city rival.

--Barren County @ Glasgow
While this series has been historically dominated by Glasgow, look for a close game here. The Scotties are sliding, losing their opener to Metcalfe County by 26 points. Barren County is on the rise, despite losing their opener to Garrard County.

--North Laurel @ Western
The Warriors and their speedy running back Justin Collins welcome the Jaguars, who looks to get their season on-track after being pounded by Johnson Central in week one.

--John Hardin @ Larue County
The emerging athletic superpower John Hardin travels east to Hodgenville to take on the Hawks. Interestingly, John Hardin beat the Seneca Redhawks in week one.

--Central Hardin @ Elizabethtown
While cross-town John Hardin travels out-of-county, Elizabethtown will host a great county rivalry, as the Central Hardin Bruins come calling. Both teams won their opening game of the year.

--Lexington Christian vs. DeSales (at Iroquois)
After being demolished by Mercer County in week one, the Eagles will look to rebound by tangling with the DeSales Colts in Louisville. The Colts were impressive last week against Southern.

--Louisville Holy Cross @ Christian Academy-Louisville
It’s not a St. X-Trinity Holy War, but this matchup should be a good test for the Centurions, which defeated cross-town foe Kentucky Country Day last weekend.

--South Laurel @ Mercer County
The Titans notched a titanic victory last weekend against Lexington Christian; we will find out just how good this merged school is when the Cardinals come calling.

‘2A’ Game of the Week

--Newport Central Catholic @ Newport
It will be the game to watch this weekend in Northern Kentucky. Catholic came within a two-point conversion of beating Belfry; now they take on another 2A foe: their rival Wildcats.

Other ‘2A’ games: Crittenden County @ Caldwell County, Murray @ Lone Oak, Massac (IL) @ Heath, Fulton County @ Reidland, McLean County @ Muhlenberg South, Allen County-Scottsville @ Monroe County, Grayson County @ Butler County, Bardstown @ Washington County, Evangel Christian @ Moore, Oldham County @ Corbin, Paris @ Garrard County, Trimble County @ Henry County, Leslie County vs. Prestonsburg (at Hazard), Hancock County (TN) @ Cawood, Matewan (WV) vs. Shelby Valley (at South Floyd), Knott County Central @ Magoffin County

Six > Four?

Here's media coverage of the KHSAA's decision to change the football alignment from four classes to six classes for the 2007-2008 football seasons...

Courier Journal
Herald-Leader
Advocate-Messanger
Official Realignment
KHSAA Letter To Schools

More on this story that will change the foundation of Kentucky football throughout the year.

Week Two ‘A’ Preview

Some big games that will be held at the small schools…

--Dixie Heights @ Beechwood
The Colonels were ravaged in week one by Highlands, and the road doesn’t get any easier. Beechwood opens their season ranked third by Kentuckypreps.com.

--Fort Campbell @ Fort Knox
In this battle of the Forts, expect Campbell to come out on top. The Falcons defeated traditional power Paducah Tilghman 20-14 in overtime in week one.

--Southwestern @ Somerset
Here are two teams expected to be powers in their classes that got off to poor starts on the season. The Briar Jumpers were stomped 70-31 by Franklin County, and the Warriors narrowly lost to another ‘A’ power, Danville.

--Middlesboro @ Lynn Camp
This Eastern Kentucky matchup features similar circumstances with two teams carrying 0-1 records. Middlesboro returns to state play after being defeated by Knoxville Central, TN, and Lynn Camp will look to bounce back from a loss to Leslie County.

--Pulaski County vs. Danville (at Somerset)
In the first game of the Ray Correll Bowl, the Admirals of Danville face Pulaski County, which belongs to the same district of Danville’s first conquest of the year—Southwestern.

--East Jessamine vs. Pikeville (at Corbin)
The Jaguars of East Jessamine picked up a solid win over Pulaski County in week one, but they’ll be tested by Pikeville, who despite losing by 31 to Henry Clay, is ranked high in many ‘A’ polls.

‘A’ Game of the Week

--Marshall County @ Mayfield
The Marshals regarded by most as the best 4A team west of the Lakes. Their standing will be tested when they roll into Mayfield, which beat Caldwell County by four touchdowns in their opener.

Other ‘A’ Games: Ohio County @ Hancock County, Edmonson County @ Caverna, Fort Knox @ Fort Campbell, Western Hills @ Frankfort, Gallatin County @ Owen County, Shawnee @ Bellevue, Carroll County @ Ludlow, Pendleton County @ Bracken County, Rowan County @ Raceland, East Carter @ Fairview, Lewis County @ Bath County, West Carter @ Nicholas County, Pineville @ Berea, Jelico (TN) @ Williamsburg, Allen Central @ Paintsville, Harlan @ Hazard, Jackson County @ South Floyd, Cumberland @ Jenkins

Things From Week One

The first week of high school football has come to an end, and there are several notes worth discussing...

--Some of the margins of victory this weekend were outragously large. For example: Campbell County wins by 70, Mercer County wins by 63, Madison Central wins by 70, Shelby Valley wins by 73, and so on and so forth. We can learn three things from this: 1) there are many unapologetic coaches out there, and 2) there are some teams that are not ready to compete. Don't blame it on the coaches; many teams take a week or two to get the gears going. If these matchups were replayed later this year, I'd bet that many of them would be closer games (say 40-50 points).

--But not every game this weekend was a blowout. Consider the game between Corbin and Rockcastle County at the Bob Allen Pigskin Classic in Danville. The final score (keep in mind we are playing football) was 2-0, with Rockcastle County coming out on top. I'd be willing to bet that this at least ties the lowest scoring game in Kentucky high school football history. The back end of the Pigskin Classic saw hometown favorite Danville outlast 3A power Southwestern 33-30. The Admirals scored on a 72-yard touchdown pass with a minute remaining to get the victory.

--At Western Kentucky University, two teams that fell one game short of a state championship last season squared off in the Rafferty's Bowl. St. Xavier and Bowling Green both looked rusty, but the Tigers were good enough to score a 15-7 victory. In the nightcap, Franklin-Simpson (who is considered to be Bowling Green's top challenger in 3A's District 2) was dismissed quickly by Warren Central.

--Meanwhile, in Lexington, two teams started the season in grand style. Mercer County and Franklin County were dominant over Lexington Christian and Somerset, respectively. Also, don't overlook Tates Creek or Bryan Station, who both got off to great starts this season after disappointing 2005 campaigns.

--But the game of the week might have been in far eastern Kentucky, where A power Newport Central Catholic visited 2A heavyweight Belfry in the Pike County Bowl. Belfry won 7-6, but only because Newport Central Catholic went for two late in the game after scoring a potential-tying touchdown. The gamble did not pay off, but I have to hand it to Coach Bob Schneider for making the call. The old adage says to go for the win on the road, while play for overtime at home. It was a gutsy call, but it was the right one considering the game counts for nothing in the context of district play.

--Another theme I noticed was how many teams faced competition from out-of-state, and got their collective butts kicked. The state of Kentucky was 4-9 against teams from Indiana and Tennessee. Manual, Owensboro Catholic and Middlesboro lost by a combined 105 points! However, testing your team early against the best of what not only the state, but the geographic region has to offer is a fantastic way to identify and correct weaknesses. Look for these teams to improve over the following weeks.

--But who had the best week? Without a doubt, it was Pike County Central. Why? The Hawks notched a 28-21 win over East Ridge, who happens to be a district opponent. This was the only game played this weekend that will affect the state playoff races.

Here is the tentative schedule for next week's previews:

Tuesday: A
Wednesday: 2A
Thursday: 3A
Friday: 4A

Note: Games will be designated into categories by home site. For example, Newport Central Catholic @ Ryle will be previewed Friday, as the home team Ryle is 4A.

Sunday Morning Quarterback

From the Bowls on a wet Saturday in some areas...

Teams That Impressed
--Mercer County (d. Lexington Christian 63-0)
--Covington Catholic (d. Boone County 44-2)
--Male (d. New Albany, IN 49-6)
--Metcalfe County (d. Glasgow 33-6)
--Madison Central (d. West Jessamine 70-0)
--Woodford County (d. Henry County 53-0)
--Franklin County (led Somerset 56-17 at half)

Games of the Night
--Rockcastle County 2 Corbin 0
--Danville 33 Southwestern 30
--Pike Central 28 East Ridge 21 (district game)
--St. Xavier 15 Bowling Green 7
--Waggener 32 Oldham County 24
--Jeffersontown 19 Montgomery County 14

Much, MUCH more on the first weekend of high school football either late tonight or sometime tomorrow.

Saturday Morning Quarterback

It will be a fixture here on the blog.

Teams That Impressed
--Highlands (d. Dixie Heights 48-0)
--Tates Creek (d. George Rogers Clark 17-14)
--Warren East (d. Monroe County 56-26)
--Campbell County (d. Bourbon County 70-0)
--Johnson Central (d. North Laurel 40-6)

Teams That Struggled
--Boyle County (d. Harrison County 21-6)
--Bell County (d. Whitley County 24-20)

Surprising Results
--Nelson County d. Bullitt East 23-20
--Raceland d. Ashland Blazer 21-16
--Fairview d. Paintsville 28-14

Games of the Night
--Belfry d. Newport Central Catholic 7-6
--Allen Central d. Betsy Layne 26-20 (3 OT)
--Fort Campbell d. Paducah Tilghman 20-14 (OT)
--Edmonson County d. Grayson County 39-36
--Hazard d. Perry County Central 28-24

More analysis coming later this weekend.

The First Scores

As of 10:15 EST on Friday night, here are some scores that catch my eye immediately...

--Tates Creek 17 George Rogers Clark 14
The highly regarded Cardinals of 4A's 8th District fell to the Commodores on the road. This win proves that Tates Creek is worth watching in the football battles of Lexington.

--Montgomery Bell (TN) 27 Paul Dunbar 7
One of Tennessee's finest pick up the win in Lexington, but the Bulldogs hung tough and should gather confidence heading into their Kentucky schedule.

--Bell County 24 Whitley County 20
One of 3A's finest scramble to a win on the road at Whitley County.

Let's Go Bowling!

The beginning of every high school football season means bowls, bowls and more bowls. A football fans delight, teams from all over the state will congregate in many locales to kick off the season in style. Let’s look at who’s playing who, where, when and what it means.

Rafferty’s Bowl (Western Kentucky University)
--St. Xavier vs. Bowling Green (Sat., 5:00)
--Franklin-Simpson vs. Warren Central (Sat., 7:00)
The game of the weekend features the runners-up from 3A and 4A last season. The Tigers and Purples are both touted this season as state championship contenders. And the night cap isn’t bad either, as the Dragons play about a mile from their home field.

Pike County Bowl (Belfry/Pikeville)
--Shelby Valley vs. Phelps (Fri., 6:00)
--Newport Central Catholic vs. Belfry (Fri., 8:30)
--East Ridge vs. Pike County Central (Sat., 8:00)
--Pikeville vs. Henry Clay (Sat., 8:00)
One of the best bowls in the state will feature two recent state champions squaring off against each other (Newport C.C. and Belfry), a district game (East Ridge and Pike Central) and a can’t miss A-4A matchup (Pikeville and Henry Clay).

Bob Allen Pigskin Classic (Danville)
--Corbin vs. Rockcastle County (Sat., 5:30)
--Danville vs. Southwestern (Sat., 8:00)
This collection will all contend for their respective districts, but two (Danville and Rockcastle County) are considered serious contenders for a state championship.

St. Joseph Bluegrass Bowl (Lexington Catholic)
--Mercer County vs. Lexington Christian (Sat., 5:30)
--Somerset vs. Franklin County (Sat., 8:30)
I’ll promise to abstain from the “remember the titans” comments this season. Anyway, both games figure to be entertaining.

Old Rivalry Bowl (Male)
--Shawnee vs. Atherton (Sat., 3:30)
--Brentwood, TN vs. Manual (Sat., 5:30)
--Male vs. New Albany, IN (Sat., 8:00)
This tripleheader will be highlighted by the Bulldogs’ season opener against their rival from across the river. Bluegrasspreps.com has Male ranked #1 in 4A. The Bulldogs can begin to affirm that ranking with a win here.

Recreation Bowl (Montgomery County)
--West Jessamine vs. Madison Central (Sat., 5:30)
--Lafayette vs. Mason County (Sat., 8:00)
Two teams from 3A battle two powers from 4A in what figures to be a competitive night of football.

Death Valley Bowl (Lincoln County)
--Lincoln County vs. Pleasure Ridge Park (Fri., 6:30)
--East Jessamine vs. Pulaski County (Fri., 8:30)
My eyes will be on PRP, which opens the season ranked right behind St. Xavier and Male in perhaps the toughest district in high school football, 4A District 4.

Harrison County Alumni Bowl (Harrison County)
--Harrison County vs. Boyle County (Fri., 7:30)
The young Thoroughbreds will hope to pull the upset against the Rebels, who, as usual, are ranked near the top of the 3A chase.

Cumberland Valley Bowl (North Laurel)
--Holmes vs. South Laurel (Fri., 6:30)
--North Laurel vs. Johnson Central (Fri., 8:30)
The Battle of London won’t be decided until later this season, but fans can get a good look at both teams as they play solid opponents.

Pioneer Bowl (Lynn Camp)
--Lynn Camp vs. Leslie County (Fri., 8:30)
--Williamsburg vs. Knox Central (Time TBA)
The headliner here will be the host team taking on Tim Couch’s alma mater. Both teams will be challengers to their district titans Somerset and Middlesboro, respectively.

Alliance Bowl (Marshall County)
--Mayfield vs. Caldwell County (Fri., 6:00)
--Marshall County vs. Daviess County (Fri., 8:30)
--Lone Oak vs. Ballard Memorial (Sat., 6:00)
--Heath vs. Graves County (Sat., 8:30)
The best teams in the Alliance Bowl will be in action on Friday night. Mayfield will continue to dominate the first district in Class A, and Marshall County will be a factor in their district with nine returning starters on defense.

Pella Bowl (Murray)
--Murray vs. Dyer County, TN (Fri., 7:30)
--Calloway County vs. Dyersburg, TN (Sat., 7:30)
Both Kentucky teams in this bowl had disappointing 2005 seasons, but both teams are expected to turn it around in 2006.

BB&T Bank Bowl (Dunbar)
--Dunbar vs. Montgomery Bell, TN (Fri., 7:00)
The Bulldogs have high hopes for this season despite losing many of their skill players to graduation. Tennessee power Montgomery Bell will provide a stiff test.

Wildcat Chevrolet (Trigg County)
--Trigg County vs. Madisonville-North Hopkins (Fri., 7:30)
The Wildcats might suffer a down year this season, but they still are top contenders for a district title. The Maroons look to turn their fortunes around with new coach Shannon Burcham, who was an assistant at, oddly enough, Trigg County last season.

T.J. Sampson Bowl (Barren County)
--Metcalfe County vs. Glasgow (Sat., 6:00)
--Barren County vs. Garrard County (Sat., 8:30)
Fans of the Trojans and Scotties will get to see their team, and their bitter rival, kick off the season. Both of the “home” teams should get the win over their opponents.

Berea Grid-Iron Classic Bowl (Berea)
--McCreary Central vs. Powell County (Sat., 6:00)
--Berea vs. Clinton County (Sat., 9:00)
Let’s have a big hand for Clinton County, which returns to football after a long absence.

R-Cubed Bowl (Central Hardin)
--Ohio County vs. Elizabethtown (Sat., 6:00)
--Central Hardin vs. Campbellsville (Sat., 9:00)
Four of central Kentucky’s finest come to E-Town. All four of these teams will be solid in their respective classes.

Ray Adams Charger Classic (Papa John’s Stadium)
--Montgomery County vs. Jeffersontown (Sat., 12:00)
--Hancock County vs. Louisville Holy Cross (Sat., 3:30)
--Fairdale vs. North Hardin (Sat., 7:30)
The best game here figures to be the one in the middle, as both the Hornets and Cougars figure to be competitive for a district championship.

Oldham County Bowl (South Oldham)
--North Oldham vs. Frankfort (Sat., 10:00 A.M.)
--Waggener vs. Oldham County (Sat., 6:30)
--South Oldham vs. Fort Knox (Sat., 8:30)
The best game will probably be the earliest, as Frankfort will be a strong challenger to Danville in Class A’s fourth district.

Laurel Bowl (Pineville)
--Pineville vs. Jackson County (Sat., 6:00)
Bart Elam comes from Union College to try to improve the Mountain Lion’s fortunes. A season-opening win over the Jackson County Generals, which enter their first season in Class 2A.

---

All times and sites are subject to change.

(Part of) Week One

After many practices and a couple scrimmages, high school football teams from across the state are ready to go. The season begins Friday and continues into Saturday. There is only one district game being played this weekend (Pike County Central vs. East Ridge), that doesn’t mean there are significant games being contested, and all of them will have significant ramifications on solving the power structure in 2006 Kentucky high school football.

Many of the games this weekend will be played as bowl games, but there are many contests that draw my attention outside of the bowl-sphere. Such as…

--Dixie Heights @ Highlands (Fri., 7:30 P.M.)
The Bluebirds of Highlands are considered to be one of the state championship favorites in 3A. They will be tested in the first week by 4A power Dixie Heights, which lost only 5 starters to graduation.

--Fort Campbell @ Paducah Tilghman (Fri., 7:30 P.M.)
Both the Falcons and the Blue Tornado will be rebuilding this season, but both are still good enough to contend for their respective district crowns.

--Boone County @ Covington Catholic (Sat., 1:00 P.M.)
The Colonels, who narrowly lost to state champion Lexington Catholic in the second round of the playoffs, will be challenged by the neighboring Rebels, which return eight starters on offense.

Other games of note: Raceland @ Ashland Blazer, Larue County @ Bardstown, George Rogers Clark @ Tates Creek, Owensboro Catholic @ South Spencer (IN), Henderson County @ Castle (IN), Owensboro @ Mater Dei (IN)

Tomorrow, we’ll go bowling with a preview of every bowl next weekend…

Rankings

Since this is my first year blogging about Kentucky high school football, I've decided to postpone ranking the teams by class until the third or fourth week of the season. So, to start, everybody's number one! When things start to shake out, I'll issue my top ten for each class every Monday.

Look for week one previews sometime early next week.

What To Expect

High school football is unique from every other high school sport in that most all of the games are played on Friday, with some exceptions on Saturday. So what will this blog focus on during the week when the games aren't being played?

Here is a rough outline of what to expect week to week on the blog. Of course, this is subject to change.

Monday: Weekend Review
Tuesday: A and 2A Preview
Wednesday: 3A Preview
Thursday: 4A Preview
Friday: Overall Preview, with features like "Top 10 Games of the Day," "Teams that CAN'T Lose" and "Playoff Implications" (those subject to change as well)...
Saturday: "Quick Thoughts From Friday Night"

The first week will not stick to this schedule. I will be unable to post from Tuesday to Thursday, so all the previews will be posted on Monday, August 14th.