article BluegrassPreps Football Rankings (10/30)

Class 1A

With the playoffs starting, the teams in Class 1A had one last opportunity to make a statement or get momentum in their respective season finales. Beechwood made one final statement by crushing 2A Newport Central Catholic and will enter November as the prohibitive favorite. Paintsville, the consensus #2 team, followed suit by hammering 3A Fleming County. Perhaps the hottest team is Paris. The Greyhounds polished off Ludlow, proving they are ready for competition from rival Districts. With numerous teams earning First Round byes, a couple games stand out for this week's slate. Lynn Camp and Phelps have both show vast improvement and will look to continue the magic. Holy Cross finished just outside of the Top 10 and will draw Ludlow in what should be perhaps the most competitive game.

 

1. Beechwood -- BYE

2. Paintsville vs. Nicholas County

3. Kentucky Country Day vs. Dayton

4. Hazard vs. Pineville

5. Raceland vs. Bishop Brossart

6. Paris -- BYE

7. Pikeville vs. Harlan

8. Ludlow vs. Louisville Holy Cross

9. Williamsburg -- BYE

10. Frankfort vs. Bellevue

 

Class 2A

Following an action packed regular season that showed Class 2A flex it's collective muscle, the playoffs promise to bring even more drama and competitive football. The Top 5 teams in the Class have essentially stayed at the top throughout the season, just in varying order. All but Danville (who was open), closed the regular season with victories, the most impressive being Mayfield handling 3A Caldwell County. The back end of the Top 10 and the teams just outside looking in did not share the same fortune with Lloyd, Glasgow, Newport Central Catholic, Owensboro Catholic, Monroe County, and Prestonsburg all losing. Owen County and Green County each secured eye opening victories and will look to parlay that into First Round victories. Owen County will host Washington County, while Green County travels to Lloyd.

 

1. Danville vs. East Ridge

2. DeSales vs. Gallatin County

3. Mayfield vs. Todd County Central

4. Lexington Christian Academy vs. Leslie County

5. Christian Academy- Louisville vs. Carroll County

6. Somerset at Shelby Valley

7. Walton-Verona vs. Shawnee

8. Glasgow vs. Covington Holy Cross

9. Lloyd vs. Green County

10. Newport Central Catholic vs. Metcalfe County

 

Class 3A

Class 3A knows how to keep anxiety high until the very last game. In a week featuring numerous games against ranked competition from other classes, we saw several intriguing scores. Belfry will begin their quest for a thumb ring, taking the momentum of a rivalry win against 4A Johnson Central in comeback fashion. Corbin, Elizabethtown, and Central all took hard fought victories over ranked foes, each opens as the top-seeded in their respective Districts. Playing out of class was not as kind to Fleming County, Caldwell County, and Lexington Catholic. Probably the two most anticipated First Round games will feature Lawrence County making the long drive to take on Waggener, as well as a Top 15 showdown between Union County and Larue County, in a battle of two teams who won more games than most anticipated.

 

1. Belfry vs. Thomas Nelson

2. Boyle County vs. West Carter

3. Corbin vs. Knott County Central

4. Central vs. Pike County Central

5. Elizabethtown vs. Trigg County

6. Lexington Catholic vs. Bath County

7. Caldwell County vs. Hart County

8. Casey County vs. Morgan County

9. Larue County vs. Union County

10. Western Hills at Russell

 

Class 4A

The term "chalk" can be used to describe a lot of situations in sports, in fact "chalk" may even apply to the majority of the teams ranked in other classes. The one class where "chalk" got thrown out the window this season was Class 4A, where no ranking was safe and no win ever seemed to be a sure thing. Over the final few weeks the cream did appear to rise in Class 4A as the top contenders finally took form, thanks to District play. The defending Champions Johnson Central was the unanimous top team the majority of the season, but following back to back losses now see a playoff path with many more road games. Wayne County is the new team to beat, and looked the part handling a solid 5A Madison Southern. The other headline of the final week was a surprising Logan County capping off a perfect regular season by defeating Todd Central. The one positive to all the surprising scores and upsets this season is that the playoffs should open with numerous intriguing games. In the West, Warren East versus Hopkinsville and Allen County- Scottsville at Madisonville are huge showdowns. On the Eastern side, Greenup County travelling to Bourbon County and John Hardin trekking to Knox Central both raise eyebrows.

 

1. Wayne County vs. Valley

2. Ashland vs. Holmes

3. Johnson Central vs. Mason County

4. Collins vs. West Jessamine

5. Franklin-Simpson vs. Hopkins County Central

6. Western vs. Clay County

7. Knox Central vs. John Hardin

8. Logan County vs. Warren Central

9. Rockcastle County at Moore

10. Scott vs. Rowan County

 

Class 5A

The South may not rise again in Civil War terms, but in Class 5A the "South's" will definitely make their voice heard come November. South Oldham, South Warren, and Southwestern all finished the regular season with wins over ranked foes and all have bigger dreams for hardware. Madison Southern also has plans of a deep push, but they could not keep up with the rest of their "South" brethren by losing to 4A Wayne County. At first look, two games really stand out for the opening Round. Harlan County and Pulaski County know each other well and have played each other very close in recent years, so expect more of the same. Graves County is starting to get hot and are picturing visions of 2014, but they will need to go to South Warren and win, and that will be no easy task.

 

1. Covington Catholic vs. Bullitt East

2. Bowling Green vs. Owensboro

3. Christian County vs. Barren County

4. South Oldham - BYE

5. Madison Southern vs. Atherton

6. South Warren vs. Graves County

7. Southwestern vs. Perry County Central

8. Doss vs. Woodford County

9. Fern Creek vs. Anderson County

10. Apollo vs. Greenwood

 

Class 6A

Everyone is chasing the rabbit named Trinity. The Shamrocks, last year's Champion, are undefeated and Nationally Ranked. In a class filled with parity outside of the top three or four teams, it should be no surprise that even in the final week of the regular season that scores continued to be surprising. Manual ended a disappointing season by falling to Eastern, par for the course in a wild year of Jefferson County football. Lexington Public Schools equated themselves pretty well, led by an unlikely hero. Frederick Douglass carried the flag and even did so by downing Conner. They will now cannibalize each other with the ultimate goal of trying to unseat Scott County. Ryle proved to be the best of Northern Kentucky, but their path will be difficult in a Region featuring both St. Xavier and Male. The Raiders draw the toughest opening game against ranked Butler.

 

1. Trinity vs. Seneca

2. Scott County vs. George Rogers Clark

3. St. Xavier vs. Manual

4. Male vs. Conner

5. Ryle vs. Butler

6. Simon Kenton vs. Jeffersontown

7. Frederick Douglass vs. Lafayette

8. Pleasure Ridge Park at Cooper

9. Butler at Ryle

10. Tates Creek vs. Bryan Station