article Class 2A Notebook 10/25- Breaking Down The Contenders

As we enter the final week of the regular season the Class 2A District Standings have been finalized and the playoff brackets have been set. Though Class 2A remains as perhaps the deepest class in Kentucky, it is pretty apparent who the top contenders for the Title are as get set to enter November.

Today we are going to give a quick view of each of these Top Contenders and break them down. All stats, Strength of Schedule, and computer rankings will be via what has been submitted to the KHSAA and Calpreps.

Mayfield Cardinals

Record: 9-0

Best Win(s): 3A #2 Corbin (35-34), 6A #14 McCracken County (46-41)

Best Loss(s): None

Worst Loss(s): None

Biggest Strength: Balance and Offense. The Cardinals have been an Offensive Machine and have gotten it done both passing and rushing.

Biggest Weakness: None

Potential Weakness: It is hard to find fault in the Cardinals, but against their two stiffest tests Mayfield allowed 75 points and seemed to wear down toward the end of the game.

CAL Centurions

Record: 8-1

Best Win(s): #3 DeSales (12-7), 3A #7 Central (44-14)

Best Loss(s): 6A #3 Simon Kenton (41-14)

Worst Loss(s): None

Biggest Strength: DEFENSE! Outside of the early season loss to a very good Simon Kenton the Centurions have average allowing a meager 9.75 point per game.

Biggest Weakness: None

Potential Weakness: In their two toughest challenges the Centurions averaged 13 points and struggled to consistently move the ball on the ground.

DeSales Colts

Record: 7-2

Best Win(s): 5A #10 Fern Creek (27-14), 6A #18 North Hardin (41-14)

Best Loss(s): #2 CAL (12-7), 6A #12 Ballard (25-10)

Worst Loss(s): None

Biggest Strength: Defense, specifically Run Defense. The Colts have only allowed more than two Touchdowns once all season and sport five shutouts. They are allowing less than 70 yards rushing per game.The Colts definitely have a Championship Caliber Defense.

Biggest Weakness: Big play ability and a "go to guy" on Offense. Austin Tharp is the closest thing they have but he doesn't even have 600 combined yards. The Colts have attacked by committee but have struggled to find the home run hitter in their two losses.

Potential Weakness: Passing Game. The Colts have bounced between two QB's and have seemingly settled on Aaron Pfaadt. The bigger concern are the stats though. The two QB's have combined for a 40% completion percentage and have 6 Interceptions to 5 TD's.

LCA Eagles

Record: 9-0

Best Win(s): #5 Danville (42-40), #9 Somerset (41-28), #8 1A Kentucky Country Day (56-20)

Best Loss(s): None

Worst Loss(s): None

Biggest Strength: Explosive Offensive Playmakers. Dillon Wheatley, Logan Nieves, Brayden Miller, Ryan Stucky, etc all have potential to go off on any given night.

Biggest Weakness: Pass Defense. Danville lit the Eagles up for over 300 passing yards and Somerset found sustained success as well.

Potential Weakness: The Eagles have made their payday playing down in class. LCA played no teams from Class 4A or Higher and will be a question mark when they finally face a team with great size and depth at the L.O.S

Danville Admirals

Record: 7-2

Best Wins: 5A #6 Southwestern (35-34), 3A # Boyle County (43-15), 2A #9 Somerset (25-7)

Best Loss(s): #4 LCA (42-40)

Worst Loss (s): 3A #2 Corbin (28-7) in a game that Corbin dominated throughout.

Biggest Strength: Star Power! Zach Dampier, Don Harris, and Dmauriae VanCleave are as good of a trio as you will find in Kentucky.

Biggest Weakness: Defending Balanced Offenses. Three times the Admirals have taken on High Level Offenses capable of running and throwing and three times they allowed 28 points or more. In those three games they averaged allowing 420 yards per game.

Potential Weakness: Did Danville peak too early? Most had Danville as a top contender after

the first three weeks but the Ads have not only seemingly came back to the pack, they may even be the third highest favorite in the East.

Owensboro Catholic Aces

Record: 8-1

Best Win(s): 5A #4 Owensboro (34-29)

Best Loss(s): None

Worst Loss(s): Evansville Mater Dei (54-20) (not a bad loss loss in terms of the team, but the margin is alarming)

Biggest Strength: Offensive Balance. The usually pass happy Aces have went about it a little different. Behind standout RB Vonn Williams and consistent QB Will Warren you will be hard pressed to find a more balanced Offense as only 15 yards separate their rushing and passing totals.

Biggest Weakness: Run Defense. The Aces have allowed nearly 1500 rushing yards despite a schedule filled with teams who prefer throwing the ball.

Potential Weakness: Strength of Schedule, as compared to the other top contenders it is one of the weakest and the Aces have yet to see an elite level Defense comparable to the Top 3

Glasgow Scotties

Record: 7-1

Best Win(s): None

Best Loss(s): None

Worst Loss(s): 5A # 5 Greenwood (45-12)

Biggest Strength: QB Play. QB Dessi Austin has been outstanding. The Senior signal caller is completing 63% of his throws for 240 yards per game and has an eye popping 28 TD's compared to only 2 INT's.

Biggest Weakness: Weak Strength of Schedule. Of the Top Contenders noone has played an easier schedule than the Scotties and to be fair it is not even close. With a brutal Region Path will they be able to rise to the challenge of potentially beating both DeSales and CAL?

Potential Weakness: Rushing Defense. By and large Glasgow has done a pretty respectable job against the run, but against their lone toughest foe the Scotties were torched by Greenwood for over 400 yards on the ground.

Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds

Record: 5-4

Best Win(s): #10 Covington Holy Cross (21-0), #11 Lloyd Memorial (28-18)

Best Loss(s): 6A #8 Conner 27-14, 6A #19 Campbell County (33-28)

Worst Loss(s): 3A #1 Belfry (41-8), 6A #10 Cooper (45-14)

Biggest Strength: Program Experience and Linebacker/DE Play. The Breds have became a fixture in the State Finals and always play a brutal schedule that allows them to peak late. As the Defending Eastern representative the Breds will be a tough out. They also have a very solid collection of DE's and Lb's with great size that will present matchup problems for msot 2A teams they face.

Biggest Weakness: Lack of Big Play ability. NewCath has solid Offensive pieces and are well equipped to move the sticks, but do not have high level athletes with the ability to make sudden change points. In a class littered with players with home run ability and stingy defenses this could make a Championship difficult.

Potential Weakness: Passing Efficiency. NewCath is averaging a passing TD per 25 attempts and only 7 yards gained per pass attempt average. By contrast they have throw two more INT's than TD passes.

Covington Holy Cross Indians

Record: 6-3

Best Win(s): #11 Lloyd Memorial (42-0)

Best Loss(s): vs. 1A #3 Beechwood (40-33)

Worst Loss(s): vs. # 8 NewCath (21-0), vs. Taft, OH (27-19)

Biggest Strength: Two Dominant Two-Way Players. Xavier Abernathy and Derrick Barnes are elite level athletes and have bee dominant on each side of the ball. From a shear athleticism standpoint they are both probably Top 10 players in the Class.

Biggest Weakness: Passing. The Indians have only mustered 69 passing yards per game and in their three defeats they completed 39% of their passes, averaged only 65 yards per game despite throwing it 54 times, and had as many INT's as TD's.

Potential Weakness: Third Down Efficiency. Against Newport Central Catholic the Indians constantly struggled in 3rd Down situations after moving the sticks otherwise pretty well.

Great article!

Great Article, I just disagree with Owensboro Catholic schedule. Not many teams in this top 10 would beat Owensboro except Mayfield. DeSales and CAL could. The others I don't think beat Owensboro High School.

Not many on here would beat Evansville Mater Dei when they were healthy.

I disagree with Owensboro Catholic schedule. Not many teams in this top 10 would beat Owensboro except Mayfield. DeSales and CAL could. The others I don't think beat Owensboro High School

One team does not a schedule make. Of the teams listed Calpreps has OCath with the third weakest strength of schedule behind only Holy Cross and Glasgow. Those two actually have a negative rating for their SOS.. OCath has a 0.1 rating for schedule strength

Do they (calpreps) count out- of- state teams? I know Lit Ratings do not

Do they (calpreps) count out- of- state teams? I know Lit Ratings do not

They do

Mater Dei is ranked #2405 Nationally, #60 overall in Indiana, and #1 in Class 2A in Indiana

OC played 3 teams with losing records

Danville played 3 teams with losing records

Mayfield played 4 teams with losing records

LCA played 4 teams with losing records and a TON of 1-A schools. I disagree. BUT at least your using a formula from somewhere on the SOS.

On Danville's best loss and worst loss, i think those should be reversed

If OCath and DeSales advanced, who would get the home field?

If OCath and DeSales advanced, who would get the home field?

DeSales

Even Year, Even Region Hosts.

DeSales is Region 2 and OCath is Region 1.

Regardless of who wins Region 2 or what their seed is, they will host the Region 1 winner.

Glasgow is a team that intrigues me... I like there chances if they can come together.. They could have a run but it will be a tough road with the likes of Desales, then a CAL, then. Mayfield... That my friend is a gauntlet to run to make a title apperance..

So you think Glasgow and O Catholic would beat NCC and Holy Cross? Come October, I tend to lean on defense and think some of these teams give up too many points to 1A and 2A teams. I truly expect the same cast as usual will be there in the end.

Mayfield v CAL (or DeSales) in semi

Danville v NCC is semi

So you think Glasgow and O Catholic would beat NCC and Holy Cross? Come October, I tend to lean on defense and think some of these teams give up too many points to 1A and 2A teams. I truly expect the same cast as usual will be there in the end.

 

Mayfield v CAL (or DeSales) in semi

Danville v NCC is semi

????

I just listed their profiles as I put them together?

No respective order for how I view the playoffs will play out... you guys will get that prediction soon enough when the Bluegrasspreps.com 2A Playoff Preview is released!

So you think Glasgow and O Catholic would beat NCC and Holy Cross? Come October, I tend to lean on defense and think some of these teams give up too many points to 1A and 2A teams. I truly expect the same cast as usual will be there in the end.

 

Mayfield v CAL (or DeSales) in semi

Danville v NCC is semi

O Catholic has given up only 48 points to 2-A teams. About 28 pts were given up by JV Defense

????

 

I just listed their profiles as I put them together?

 

No respective order for how I view the playoffs will play out... you guys will get that prediction soon enough when the Bluegrasspreps.com 2A Playoff Preview is released!

I was misreading it as a ranking. My mistake.