article BluegrassPreps.com 6th Region Weekly Rankings (12/4)

1. Fern Creek (1-0): Fern Creek started the season with a tough opening game against the team most everyone considered as their strongest 6th region challenger, PRP. After PRP jumped to a 4-0 lead, the Tigers went on a tear and were leading 35-13 at the end of the 1st quarter. They substituted heavily the entire game and still won 87-63. Starters played no more than 20 minutes in this blowout that set the rest of the region on notice that Fern Creek may be as good as last season when they went 16-0 against 6th region foes. Ahmad Price had 23 and Anthony Wales 19 for the Tigers. The big games this week are back to back on Friday & Saturday with Doss & Trinity respectively.

2. Doss (3-0): The Dragons were ranked #3 to start the season and with the PRP loss they jump up a spot after going 3-0 with wins against all 6th region teams (Southern, Bullitt East, and Moore). Each game produced double digit wins, but they were versus teams ranked 9, 13, & 14 in the pre-season rankings so they were favored in each. Stephon Franklin as expected is leading the team to these early victories and highly ranked gridiron star, Shawnkel Knight-Goff, has shown he can play well on the court under the new coaching staff. Knight-Goff had left the team toward the end of last season, so his return is valuable to Coach Stone. It is the Dragon's turn to take on Fern Creek this coming Friday, and it is expected to be much closer than the PRP game was for Fern Creek. Last time these two teams met was the regional championship and Fern Creek won a close game to advance to Rupp Arena, so there will be plenty of motivation for Doss in this one.

3. Butler (3-0): Butler opened the season up with a one point win vs Valley 77 to 76. Pendergrass is off to a good start for the season for the Bears with a nice showing. Pendergrass could be a surprise player in the region as his stats last season really did not pop off the chart, but he already has went for 27 this season and appears to be ready for a breakout senior campaign. Seneca and Beechwood also went down to the Bears who play Bullitt East & Moore this week.

4. PRP (2-1): The Panthers were not very impressive to start off the season when they faced Fern Creek and lost by 24. However, they came back beating Jeffersontown by 21 and then beat 7th Region Seneca by 14. This week they play a tough Manual team from the 7th and will be tested in that one to see if they have rebounded from their opening loss to Fern Creek. Gerald Gray scored 13 in the opener and looks to be an important part of the Panthers again this season. Trey Hill led in one of the others with 18, and BJ Robinson scored 31 to lead in a game. These 3 will be the scoring threats for the Panthers throughout the season.

5. Valley (0-2): The Vikings have not had a great start to the season. They lost at home to Butler by 1, 76-77, and they also lost to a solid Waggener team at home by a score of 57 to 64. The loss at home to Butler was in part due to the ejection of Curt Lewis who was given two technicals that really cost his team. He missed the following game as well so when he returns Valley should rebound from those early losses if he can control his emotions. If Coach Wheat can channel some of his own court demeanor he had at U of L when he was so calm & collected it will be a lesson that Curt Lewis will benefit from and so will his entire team.

6. Bullitt East (1-2): The Chargers have struggled to start off the year losing two in a row before gaining their first victory versus district opponent Whitefield Academy with a 20 point margin. However, they did play the #1 team in the state in their first game losing to Trinity, but they held a lead after the first quarter. They also had to play Doss in their 2nd game which they loss by 11. Those losses have to be discounted as this team will improve as the season moves along with Luke Ezell's leadership already showing.

7. DeSales (0-2): The Colts started off with two consecutive losses as well, but they played teams from outside the 6th or 7th that are near the top of their respective regions. The 1 point loss to Newport Central Catholic was at a neutral court and the loss to South Oldham was a game played away at South Oldham's home court where the score was 70-81.

8. Iroquois (2-1): The Raiders lost a close one at home to Atherton 65-67 or they would be undefeated and ranked probably higher. That was not a good loss, but they won against North Oldham and Eastern which are two very good wins that recent Iroquois teams have not been able to pull off. The team is led by Keelan Kennedy who averages over 20 PPG.

9. Fairdale (2-1): The Bulldogs opened up 2-0 and one of those wins was against the #8 team in the 6th, Holy Cross where they put 100 on the scoreboard. They also beat a Western team that has yet to win a game. Still, 100 points is impressive and they were about to be ranked higher until the loss on a neutral court to West Jessamine by 14, 77-91. It is obvious the Bulldogs can score, but their defense needs to pick up which it will. Coach Hicks is a hardnose coach who will get this team to defend better over the course of the season so I expect to see Fairdale rise once they play the teams in front of them. Markelo Sullivan is averaging a blistering 27 PPG after 3 high scoring affairs.

10. Jeffersontown (1-1): Starting with two road games the Chargers beat Moore by 1 and lost by 21 to PRP. Games against Eastern, Atherton, and Valley will tell quite a bit about the progress under Coach Duncan this early in the season.

11. Southern (1-1): Started off the year by losing by 18 to Doss and then beating Western by 18. Rickie Wright is the leading scorer this season for the Trojans.

12. North Bullitt (2-0): Two victories but not against any stellar competition. Things will come to light if North Bullitt is improved when they play Southern this week. On paper it should be close, the Eagles could drop if they fail to be competitive at home.

13. Holy Cross (1-1): Two opening losses in the first week drops the Cougars from a Top 10 spot. They did prove they can score with 85 points versus Fairdale. But they gave up a 100 spot in doing so.

14. Moore (0-2): The Mustangs have lost two straight and need to get out of the dog house with a victory. They will move up as they really are not that low of a team as #14. The problem is they play Butler & Waggener this week and that means they likely will be 0-4.

15. Western (0-3): First year Coach Jones is looking for his first win after starting 0-3. That might be tough unless they can beat Holy Cross. PRP is their other foe this week.

16. Bullitt Central (2-0): Started the year with two wins, but will need to get some credible wins to move up.

17. Whitefield Academy (1-2): Beat Beth Haven to move ahead of them, but lost the next two although they showed to be much more competitive than last season.

18. Beth Haven (1-1): They lost to Whitefield Academy so now they will need to beat 6th region opponents to move up.

19. Evangel Christian (0-0): Season gets under way this week.

Love the write-up. Thanks for helping me keep up with my old stomping ground.

Pulling hard for Whitefield as those group of seniors finish up their careers.