article BluegrassPreps Western Kentucky Power Rankings - August 25, 2019

BluegrassPreps 2019 Western Kentucky Power Rankings – Week 1 Edition

Well I hope you had a great opening weekend to the 2019 Kentucky High School football season and hope you got to go see some of your favorite team’s lace ‘em up one more time! We’ve gone from I think this and that to I saw this and that from THIS year’s squads.

The top story line this week is Perfect Weather! I can’t remember a year where the weather was this good on opening weekend! If you didn’t go out to a game this weekend, it’s on you because it was great events and the 3 games I saw were packed! Well the great (and leveling) thing about August is that it brings a completely NEW season and circumstances to ALL teams. And as we saw this weekend, ALL our teams have changed, but the anticipation for next week remains, whether you are looking to make big time adjustments and get your first win or to build on your Week 1 success! The season is Officially Underway! Get out to a game this week sports fans!

Disclaimer: I went to 3 games (Manual v Central, South Warren v Butler and BG vs Father Ryan), smoked 30 lbs. of pulled pork, flipped 100 burgers and 80 hot dogs at my daughter Lacrosse Picnic! So that necessitates a bullet round this week. You will get targeted info and we’ll move on!

Week 1 Games of the Week: CAN I PICK’EM OR WHAT!!!

#7 Paducah Tilghman 47 at #9 McCracken County 43 - This was a terrific game with Tilghman going up 2 early scores only to see McCracken get it really going in the 2nd quarter and lead at the break. But as last season’s game produced a dominant run game for Tilghman, the Blue Tornados ramped up the rushing and outlasted their county neighbors in a great way to start the season for Tilghman. Even though McCracken didn’t win this game, I am still very encouraged by their effort. Remember they were stomped last year 35-6. They had much more fire this year! Good for them! Great game to both teams!!!

#11 Graves County (5A) 38 at #13 Murray (2A) 35 – What a ballgame! Murray battled back late in this game after being down the whole second half and had the ball inside the Graves County 1 yard line with 3 minutes to go. And on 3rd and goal, the RB fumbled the ball. Graves recovered and that finished the terrific ball game. These are 2 teams to keep an eye on. But just a classic Purchase Area battle!

Week 2 Western Kentucky Game of the Week: Mayfield (2A) (1-0) at Hopkinsville (4A) (1-0) at the Stadium of Champions next Friday Night. Dynamite game right here sports fans! The Mayfield Cardinals got out of the 2019 gates in fine fashion disposing of the TN vaunted Lausanne Collegiate squad from Memphis last Friday night. They will now trek over to Hoptown for a battle with the confident Tigers. Hoptown erased some scrimmage irregularities and won at Kenwood TN by 2 scores. The ball will be in the air a lot I’m predicting Friday Night! Mayfield will travel well in this one! Pick up some Woodshed Barbeque is you have time!!!

Honorable Mention: Owensboro vs Evansville Central, Indiana and Bowling Green at McCracken County – Great games here folks!

Week 1 Top 10:

10) Graves County (5A) – Preseason Rank: 11 - 2019 Record 1-0; District Record 0-0] Week 1 Results: Win: 38-35 vs 2A Murray (0-1). So it doesn’t hurt to have a little luck! Murray fumbled late in the 4th quarter inside the Graves County 1 yard line with the game at 38 Graves to 35 Murray! Bend but don’t break Eagles! I thought this would be a great game and it was. Great win to start the year Eagles! And QB John Brown, is a player to join Cody Goatley! You’ll see Mr. Brown later! Week 2: BYE Week. Not a fan coming off a great emotion filled win and then sitting out the next week, but hey you can come see my Purples play your next opponent McCracken County this Friday night!

9) McCracken County (6A) – Preseason Rank: 9 - 2019 Record 0-1; District Record 0-0] Week 1 Results: Loss: 47-43 vs County Rival 3A Paducah Tilghman (1-0). I chose to keep McCracken still on #9 this week due to the fact they have improved IMO from last year and played Tilghman, who is a tough opponent well, even in defeat. Add that to the fact there is a lot of turmoil in the polls this week. No McCracken stats, but I’m impressed by this effort and score for the Mustangs! Week 2: vs Bowling Green (0-1). Well the Purples limp down 68-80 after suffering an opening week loss to Father Ryan. I’d say they would upset by that. But McCracken put up 43 points last week and BG only put up 21. Will be in interesting game! If I can schedule some work around the Purchase next week, I may try to sneak down for the game. Good luck Mustangs! I like Coach Clark’s team!

8) Logan County (4A) – Preseason Rank: 10 - 2019 Record 1-0; District Record 0-0] Week 1 Results: Win: 55-20 over 2A Butler County (0-1). Poor ole’ Butler County never saw what hit them! And unfortunately for them, Rex Henderson ain’t walkin through that door! Logan County came out and did what they needed to do in order to check the box for this one. Many play well for the Cougars and you will see some of them later! Week 2: vs 5A Muhlenberg County (0-1). The car Muhlenberg County is drivin after getting tomahawked vs Trigg County 40-0 looks like the car John Candy and Steve Martin drove in Planes, Trains & Automobiles!

Another week another meat grinder for the Mustangs!!!

7) Owensboro (5A) – Preseason Rank: 8 - 2019 Record 1-0; [District Record 1-0] Week 1 Results: Win: 42-0 over 5A Breckinridge County (0-1). Really good team against a team that won’t make the playoffs. Comin right down the middle of the road with that one! No stats, but not sure you need them here. Week 2: vs Evansville Central, IN (0-1). The Bears went on the road last Friday to Terra Haute South Vigo and came home with a loss 28-12. So the Bears will want to turn things around in Owensboro on Friday. This will be a big test for O I think. Let’s see what you got Red Devils! Let’s Go O! Beat the Hoosiers!!!

6) Paducah Tilghman (3A) – Preseason Rank: 7 - 2019 Record 1-0; [District Record 0-0] Week 1 Results: Win: 47-43 at 6A McCracken County (0-1). Every year you start the season with a new team and you think you know what will happen but until you get it done with the new guys you really don’t know. I’m sure there was some of that for the Blue Tornados, but I was impressed with how they took McCracken’s punch in the 2nd Quarter and responded by handling McCracken in the second half largely on their potent ground game! RB Damian Ford had a big night! You’ll see him later. Week 2: vs Holy Cross (Louisville) at Louisville Central as part of the Central BSN Bowl. This should be an entertaining game. Tilghman will have to make the 4+ hour trip over to Louisville to play a team from Louisville who trucked poor ole’ Green County 37-ZIP! While I think it could be a good game, I think Tilghman wears the Cougars down and their speed will be the difference in the game.

5) Hopkinsville (4A) – Preseason Rank: 6 - 2019 Record 1-0; District Record 0-0] Week 1 Results: Win: 35-21 vs Kenwood, TN (0-1). I don’t have much on this game, but think this is a solid win for the Tigers after struggling in the Todd County Central scrimmage. Big Test Coming… Week 2: Western Kentucky Game of the Week: vs 2A Power Mayfield (1-0). A very tough opponent for the Tigers here, but that’s why you play! Suit up and give it your best Hoptown! Good luck Tigers!

4) Madisonville – North Hopkins (4A) – Preseason Rank: 5 - 2019 Record 1-0; [District Record 0-0] Week 1 Results: Win: 41-0 at 3A Union County (0-1). Madisonville has lost to Union County two straight years in head-scratching fashion. But not this year! The Maroons drove up Route 56 and took care of business this year! What did surprise me – you ask? Of the 540 yards Madisonville rolled up, 380 were passing yards! While this doesn’t totally surprise me considering I saw them in the Hoptown 7v7 and they were awesome Day 1, I’ve always associated Madisonville as a run team. If you now add this TOUGH passing component into their offense – LOOK OUT! Oh and Union County only earned 114 yards on the night! I see ya Maroons!!! If Union County was a tougher team I would have moved you to 3! Week 2: at 6A Marshall County (1-0). The Marshalls blew the doors off poor ole’ Ballard Memorial last week. But the Maroons are another animal. I look for Madisonville to take a couple series to get going due to the 1.5 hour bus ride over, but once they get it going Marshall County won’t be able to stop them.

3) Bowling Green (5A) – Preseason Rank: 2 - 2019 Record 0-1; District Record 0-0] Week 1 Results: Loss: 24-21 vs Father Ryan, TN (1-0). Well that sucked Purples fans. I want to open by saying I think Father Ryan is a good football team. Their Oline was big and rugged. Their RB played very well and their QB will be playing at a Power 5 School in a couple years, but BG should not have lost this game IMO. A combination of things doomed the Purples including COSTLY penalties (especially personal foul penalties – those have to stop), poor first half play calling and an inability to get off the field on defense on 3rd down in the second half. I am going to say this once and be done. As our good friend @Kilowatt59 mentioned earlier, I just don’t understand Vito Tisdale’s utilization in this game. He was kind of an afterthought of “where’s Vito at”? I do NOT know everything that goes on behind the scenes, but I know one of the highest recruited athletes (Alabama and Clemson have given this young man a football scholarship if you were wondering what caliber we are speaking about) BG has ever had should touch the ball more than 1 punt return in a game where BG needed offense. I’m not asking for a steady diet. I’m asking for more of the Tre Fant approach for those of you who might recall how that stud athlete was used on offense by BG. I will ask you, if Vito Tisdale does not play offense last year at St Xavier, does BG have a chance to win that game? Very simple question. I’ll move on. I will say that I thought Sophomore QB Spencer Newman played his heart out. The young QB didn’t expect to be in this position, but played with a punchers mentality the whole night and threw a nice deep ball, scrambled well when asked to and gave BG a chance. The only INT he threw was the WRs fault IMO as it hit his hands from where I could see. So I’m encouraged there. Defensively, BG got beat by 2 bombs the first half and then a long 3rd down pass in the second setting up the winning FG. BGs ceiling can still be high, but it can also be a door stop. Much work to do! Onward. Week 2: at 6A McCracken County (0-1). This should be interesting to see how BG comes through practice this week then drives 2.5 hours over to Paducah to take on a dangerous McCracken County team. Is it Friday yet?

2) South Warren (5A) – Preseason Rank: 3 - 2019 Record 1-0; District Record 0-0] Week 1 Results: Win: 33-20 vs 6A Butler (0-1). South Warren looked good in their opening act of the 2019 season. Their skill guys and defense were good, but to me their best unit is easily their talented offensive line. Every time South had a 3rd or 4th and short they handed the ball off to one of two young but talented SO RBs to lumber behind a big OL that wore the Butler front 7 down. South will be a tough out in the playoffs and their schedule is very serviceable now. All good for the Spartans! Week 2: Play the Opening Act at the German American Bank Bowl at WKU vs 4A Warren East (1-0). This game is Friday August 30 at 6 pm. I think Nolan Ford is a terrific QB for Warren East, but just can’t see how they will be able to stop the South OLine or run vs South.

1) Mayfield (2A) – Preseason Rank: 1 - 2019 Record 1-0; District Record 0-0] Week 1 Results: Win: 45-22 vs Lausanne Collegiate, (Memphis) TN (0-1). Thanks to our good friend @Mayfieldsportsfan for providing updates during this one! Mayfield takes control early with a precision passing game and Lausanne had no answer. And Mayfield also had 3 rushing TDs. Kade Neely is a special player you will see him later. Week 2: Western Kentucky GAME OF THE WEEK! at 4A Hopkinsville (1-0). Mayfield will come into this game pretty darn confident, but obviously are too well coached to take the Tigers lightly. Hopkinsville can cause Mayfield some problems early, but I look for the Cardinal coaches to make the adjustments needed to win the game by about 14 to 21 points. Plan to make the drive over to Hoptown Cardinal Fans!!!

Next 10 – 11 to 20:

11) Glasgow (3A) –Week 1 Results: Win 35-13! It’s the Nick Mitchell Show in Glasgow! SR RB put up 161 yards and 4 TDs to lead Glasgow over Larue County! Nice win! Next week: At Russellville = 2-0 Glasgow!

12) Greenwood (5A) –Week 1 Results: Win 28-21 vs Franklin Simpson. I’ve been wrong many times predicting football games, but the degree to which I would have bet this game would have went the other way is enormous! I had to look at the score about 4 times before I felt close to be willing to believe it. But hey – Good for Greenwood! I hope the Gators use this momentum to have a great season! Next week: vs Warren Central, who scored 56 points! Am I in the twilight zone!!!

13) Franklin Simpson (4A) – Week 1 Results: Loss 28-14 at 5A Greenwood. Everybody has a bad game. But I wouldn’t have picked this in a million years. This loss doesn’t mean you’re done Wildcats, but you need to do some soul searching. That’s in order! Your back at Shadetree Stadium next week, which is good, but a usually rugged Meade County squad comes to town. No rest this week!

14) Apollo (5A) – Week 1 Results: Win 66-56 over 4A Warren Central. I wasn’t sure who would get the controller last as the Nintendo game reached epic levels, but Coach Hawkins squad gets it done! Could the Dragons be rising?! I hope so. Now a trip for the Eagles over to emotionally drained Caldwell County.

15) Owensboro Catholic (2A) – Week 1 Results: Win 68-27 vs 5A Ohio County. Team Air Raid buzzed the Eagles. No stats, but good start for the Aces! Next up: a trip across town to a wounded 6A Daviess County team that got mauled last week at Central Hardin.

16) Caldwell County (3A) – Week 1 Results: Emotional and Hard Fought Win 19-14 vs 5A Christian County. Caldwell County found the way through the emotional waters to get the win on a night they remembered their late Coach and 2 players. Wow! Condolences Tigers! Next up: The Apollo Eagles come calling. Should be a great game!

17) Trigg County (3A) – Week 1 Results: Wildcats knock the saddles clean off the poor ole Mustangs from Muhlenberg County 40-0! Next up: The Fort Campbell Falcons fly over to Cadiz for a match! I love Trigg in this game! Go Wildcats!

18) Crittenden County (1A) – Week 1 Results – Win 43-14 vs Fort Campbell. The Rockets cast changes but the results stay the same. Way to kick off the year Rockets! Next up: A trip over to Webster County who is now 1-0 also! Good luck Rockets!

19) Henderson County (6A) – Week 1 Results – Win 20-7 vs Evansville Reitz, IN. Good win right here Colonels and welcome aboard Colonel Fans! Next up: At Evansville North, IN. Let’s go Colonels! Beat the Hoosiers!!!

20. Todd County Central - Week 1 Results - Win 21-20 vs Calloway County. Good tough win for the Rebels! This team has some guys... Next up: at Ft Knox. Rebels have a great shot at 2 and 0! Go Rebs Go!!!

Week 1 Players of the Week:

*I don’t have all stats available, so please add as you see fit!

1) Hayden Reynolds – QB – Madisonville North Hopkins – 331 passing yards with 4 TDs vs Union County – Add WR Deljaun Johnson with 9 catches 278 yards and 3 TDs! Outstanding!

2) Tyler Ezell – QB – Logan County – 211 yards and 3 TDs vs Butler County!

Gary Hardy – RB – Logan County – 6 carries for 110 and 2 TDs!

3) John Brown – QB – Graves County – 371 yards and 4 TDs vs Murray!

4) Harold Hogg - RB – Apollo – 192 yards and 3 TDs!

5) Damian Ford – RB – Paducah Tilghman – 234 yards rushing and 4 TDs!

6) Nolan Ford – QB – Warren East – 6 for 12 for 126 yards and 3 TDs; Add 5 carries for 63 yards and 2 more TDs vs Russellville!

7) Caleb Kimble – RB – Fulton County Pilots – 229 rushing yards and 3 TDs in the Pilots big win over Gleason, TN!

8) Mason Wilson – QB – Webster County – 200 passing yards and 2 TDs vs Hopkins County Central!

GREAT WORK GENTLEMEN!!!

Week 1 “Teams Trending Down”

Franklin Simpson (4A) – Down – Reports I received suggest many players playing both ways and fatigue a severe factor. The Friday Night Lights are bright for the young kids. Regroup Wildcats! A long way to go!

Bowling Green (5A) – Down – Purples don’t get a pass here because I’m a Purples Fan! Simply put they played below their talent level and significant adjustments are needed. Was this the wakeup call the Purples needed? You tell me…

Teams “Trending Up”

Fulton County Pilots (1A) – Up – You can’t stop the Pilots! You can only hope to contain them!!! I bet the grape juice was flowing in the Pilots locker room after their big win on Friday night!!! Way to represent the State Pilots!!! Best of luck on your 42-14 beat down of Gleason, TN! I’ve got my eye on you when you travel to South Fulton TN next week Pilots! Let’s go Pilots!!!

Caldwell County (2A) – Up – After many grey days in Princeton attending to very difficult issues, the Tigers finally took the 2019 field and battled a quality Christian County team and earned a very hard fought 19-14 win! Happy for the Tiger Community for getting this win to help console the bigger issues! Hang in Tiger Faithful!!!

Drew Hartz- Owensboro Catholic 34-40 404 yds 6 TDs

Drew Hartz- Owensboro Catholic 34-40 404 yds 6 TDs

ZB, thank you for adding this! This is a special effort that would have made the list had I known about it in advance!

I likely have OCath too low.

Greenwood caused me problems from a ranking standpoint this week.

Does anyone know when the NKY power rankings come out?

Does anyone know when the NKY power rankings come out?

They will be out soon.

They will be out soon.

Thanks RAM

Does anyone know when the NKY power rankings come out?

Hey DRKARK, I think CWB likes to put alot of stats in the NKY Power Rankings and I think several of the top NKY teams don't put their stats out until Tuesday or Wednesday of the next week. So they will be out pretty soon!

Hey DRKARK, I think CWB likes to put alot of stats in the NKY Power Rankings and I think several of the top NKY teams don't put their stats out until Tuesday or Wednesday of the next week. So they will be out pretty soon!

Thank you