DevilMayCare

Middle of the 6th Still 2-0, Trinity. Pikeville went quietly in order in the top half of the inning.

End of the 5th Still 2-0, Shamrocks. T had runners at 2nd and 3rd, but were unable to extend the lead.

Game 2 Bottom of the 5th Trinity 2 Pikeville 0 Ethan Dillon has played a hand in both runs, driving in one and scoring the other. Trinity pitcher Jakob Schweitzer is dealing from the mound, allowing three hits so far.

Russell County (31-10) could only muster three hits - one of which was a controversial two run dinger by Mayes Gosser - but it was enough to advance over Simon Kenton (27-14). Owen Loy came on in relief for the Lakers to bail them out of a 3rd inning jam. He was superb the rest of the way, allowing 1 hit in 4.2 innings of work. Russell County will face the winner of Trinity/Pikeville in the quarterfinals tomorrow morning at 10am.

2024 Schedule Aug 9 at North Oldham** Aug 16 vs. Fern Creek** Aug 23 at North Bullitt Aug 30 vs. Providence (IN) Sep 6 at Western Sep 13 vs. Jeffersontown Sep 20 at Atherton Sep 27 - BYE Oct 4 vs. Nelson County Oct 11 vs. Kentucky Country Day* Oct 18 at Campbellsville* Oct 25 vs. Bethlehem* Nov 1 at Butler **Scrimmage *District This is an exact replica of last season's schedule, which the Cougars managed a .500 record against. The district may be 1As most competitive from top to bottom, with Campbellsville, KCD, and Bethlehem all boasting successful programs in recent years. If Holy Cross is going to improve on last year's mark (6-6), expect to see a healthy dose of RB Jamari Pennebaker (1,279 yards/13 TDs). QB Jamie Jones and leading tackler Aiden DeWees (LB) are other notable returnees.

2024 Schedule Aug 9 vs. Ohio County** Aug 16 at Green County** Aug 23 vs. Daviess County (J. Allen Builders Bowl) Aug 30 at Warren Central Sep 6 vs. Allen County-Scottsville Sep 13 at Adair County* Sep 20 at Russellville Sep 27 vs. Butler County* Oct 4 vs. Glasgow* Oct 11 - BYE Oct 18 vs. Greenwood Oct 25 at Hart County* Nov 1 vs. Warren East **Scrimmage *District The Wildcats reached 7-0 last year and a season high #7 in 3A before dropping a few hard fought battles down the stretch, including a three point defeat to Hart County for the district title. The district was the deepest in the class in 2023, and could be in 2024, as well. There are impact graduation losses to be addressed, but the Wildcats should be in the thick of it once again.

2024 Schedule Aug 9 at Henderson County** Aug 15 at Marshall County** Aug 23 at Madisonville-North Hopkins Aug 30 at Crittenden County Sep 6 vs. Caldwell County Sep 13 at Murray Sep 20 vs. Hopkins County Central* Sep 27 at McLean County* Oct 4 vs. Trigg County* Oct 11 - BYE Oct 18 vs. Hancock County* Oct 25 at Webster County* Nov 1 vs. Greenwood ** Scrimmage *District The Braves claimed their fourth straight district championship last year, and look primed to make it five in a row with the return of QB Jarren Johnson (2,091 yards rushing/33 touchdowns). Complimentary pieces include RB Willem McPeake (1,084 yards/11 touchdowns) and the defensive duo of Amare Black and Kamden Davis, who combined for 200+ tackles and nearly 20 sacks last season.

An ambush gathering under cover of the morning fog. Pic cred to @StXTigersFB on twitter/x.

The man's name commands attention and the utmost respect from anyone that followed high school football around these parts in the 90s and 00s. The six class generation of younger coaches, athletes, and fans may never fully appreciate Yeagle's work. I hope I'm wrong. I hope his legacy transcends generations. Purely from a football perspective, everything I've ever read about Mike Yeagle paints the portrait of a master motivator, tactician, and coach who understood the details and nuances required to excel at not only his job, but everyone else's too. He struck me as someone who could coach every position on the team with equal proficiency. A football coach in its purest form. His name carries the same weight in Kentucky high school football that Saban and Rockne do in the college ranks, or Belichik and Lombardi in the NFL. Residents of Fort Mitchell already know this, as does everyone who coached or played against his Beechwood teams. I pulled this from a dynasty piece I wrote a few years ago: 'Beechwood football was already an established small school power when Yeagle took the reins from Bernie Barre in 1991, but the Tigers engulfed the 1A landscape like a monsoon under its new boss, claiming a state title in each of Yeagle's first four seasons. Despite being 1A for all those years, the Tigers routinely played up in class and won way more than they lost, even scoring several wins over 3A power Covington Catholic. One of the high points during the Yeagle dynasty was a stretch of 38 wins in a row from 1996-1998. Beechwood was Kentucky's team of the decade for the 1990s, winning seven championships in nine years from 1991-1999.' Mike Yeagle is a name I've always held with extreme reverence. His likeness belongs on Kentucky's Mount Rushmore of coaches, in my opinion.

If any other 3A school scheduled like that, it would be noteworthy. This is business as usual for the Jackets. The late, great Ty Scroggins laid the blueprint for Central's dominance from in the late 00s and early 10s. I admire the fearless attitude toward scheduling they've maintained. If they could lure Trinity into a home and home, I'm sure the Rocks would be on the schedule.

2024 Schedule Aug 23 vs. Manual Aug 30 at Saint Xavier Sep 6 at Butler Sep 13 at LaSalle (OH) Sep 20 vs. Bullitt East Sep 27 vs. Central Hardin Oct 4 vs. Elizabethtown* Oct 11 - BYE Oct 18 vs. Christian Academy of Louisville* Oct 25 at LaRue County* Nov 1 vs. WEB DuBois *District With the return of the bulk of their starters - namely Mr. Football hopeful Cortez Stone - the Jackets will take aim at a seventh state championship. Central is always at or near the top of the contender conversation, but they'll begin this season in pursuit of back-to-back 3A champions and district mate CAL.

2024 Schedule Aug 23 vs. Butler County Aug 30 at Rossview (TN) Sep 6 vs. Russellville Sep 13 at Greenwood Sep 20 at Allen County-Scottsville* Sep 27 at Calloway County* Oct 4 vs. Paducah Tilghman* Oct 11 - BYE Oct 18 vs. Hopkinsville* Oct 25 at Warren East* Nov 1 vs. South Warren *District With what they lost from last season, the question isn't "can the Cougars challenge Tilghman for the district?", but rather "can they fend off WE and ACS to repeat last year's second place finish?". The offense should revolve around the arm of quarterback Ridge Holman, who threw for 2,400 yards and 24 touchdowns as a sophomore.

2024 Schedule Aug 9 vs. Madison Southern** Aug 16 vs. Nelson County** Aug 24 vs. Woodford County Aug 30 at Bardstown Sep 6 at Elizabethtown Sep 13 vs. LaRue County Sep 20 at Boyle County* Sep 27 vs. Wayne County* Oct 4 at Russell County* Oct 11 - BYE Oct 18 at North Laurel Oct 25 vs. Lincoln County* Nov 1 - BYE *District ** Scrimmage With Peyton Smith's (RB) transfer to Frederick Douglass and graduation losses like Hayes Johnson (OL/UK commit), Kaden Smith (LB/WR/EKU commit), and leading tackler Taylor Hansford (LB), what can we expect from the Cardinals this season?

Sounds like a classic. The fine details of baseball seem magnified 10× compared to other sports. The series of events following the pop-up in the bottom of the 10th - Washington base runners blanking on the infield fly rule and LaRue's quick thinking and execution to secure the outs at home and third - are a perfect example.

East has been raking all year, but the story here is the zero in the run column by Boyd County. Andrew Tomolonis was dealing from the mound, as he's done all season for the Raiders. @16thBBall Fan, your guys had Boyd's number this year. This team might surprise some people in Lexington.