article Louisville Power Rankings - August 30, 2019

Louisville Power Rankings

Top 10

1. Trinity (1-0): Tradition-rich Trinity flexed its collective muscles in the opening week of the 2019 high school football season, topping visiting Carmel (Ind.) 41-14. Quarterback Nathan McElroy, who has earned the role of starting signal-caller, completed 17 of 24 pass attempts for 207 yards and three touchdowns while throwing one interception.

The Shamrocks are set to host Warren Central (Ind.) on Friday.

2. Male (1-0): Reigning Class 6A State Champion Male won its 2019 season opener as well, pulling away to defeat visiting Floyd Central (Ind.) 42-13.

The Bulldogs piled up 400-plus yards of total offense in the winning effort.

Helping to lead Male to the victory, University of Kentucky commit Izayah Cummings hauled in seven receptions for 173 yards and four touchdowns.

Male is poised to host rival Ballard on Friday.

3. St. Xavier (1-0): Behind a Douglas Bodhaine-led aerial attack, St. Xavier picked apart DeSales 37-8 in a high school football season opener.

Bodhaine completed passes to five different receivers, passing for over 290 yards. Michael Duddy, Elijah Byrne and Meki Smith emerged as top targets for the Tigers.

Defensively for the Tigers in the season opener, Hale Bohler recorded a team-high 10 tackles.

St. Xavier is slated to face host Henry Clay in the Bluegrass Bowl at 6 p.m. on Friday.

4. Christian Academy of Louisville (1-0): Determined Christian Academy of Louisville managed to outlast South Oldham 6-0 in overtime in a season opener.

Brandt Babin led Christian Academy of Louisville to the hard-fought win. Babin was held out of the endzone but rushed 23 times for 131 yards.

Former University of Louisville quarterback Hunter Cantwell is in his first season as the Centurions' head coach

Christian Academy of Louisville is set to face Christian County in the Toyota of Hopkinsville Jerry Claiborne Bowl on Friday.

5. South Oldham (0-1): Despite being held scoreless, South Oldham came out of the season-opening loss to Christian Academy of Louisville with some positives.

South Oldham and Christian Academy of Louisville finished the season opener with similar yardage. The Dragons rushed for 148 yards in the loss to the Centurions.

Six South Oldham running backs rushed for positive yardage and quarterback Anthony Pierce completed half of his passing attempts one week ago.

South Oldham is scheduled to visit Eastern on Friday.

6. DeSales (0-1): The Colts were limited as St. Xavier pulled away to win in the season opener. However, DeSales is expected to show signs of improvement in its next outing.

In the Colts' 2019 debut versus St. Xavier, quarterback DeMarcus Avery completed seven of 13 pass attempts for 100 yards and one touchdown while throwing one interception.

DeSales is due to host Butler on Friday.

7. Ballard (1-0): Ballard dominated in its opener, dismantling host Doss 50-7.

Several players contributed to Ballard's convincing victory. Ballard excelled offensively and defensively throughout the game versus Doss, limiting the Dragons to only one touchdown.

The Bruins have a tough test in front of them. Ballard will be looking to pull off an upset when it visits Male on Friday.

8. North Hardin (1-0): The Trojans are fresh off defeating Waggener 48-14 in the Fairdale-hosted King of the Bluegrass Bowl.

North Hardin quarterback Logan Coleman completed 19 of 25 pass attempts for 355 yards and five touchdowns but threw four interceptions in the season-opening game versus Waggener.

The Trojans amassed 544 total yards one week ago. Lavell Wright led North Hardin on the ground, rushing 31 times for 175 yards and two touchdowns.

A North Hardin-Elizabethtown matchup looms for Friday.

9. Manual (1-0): Making noise in its season opener, Manual knocked off reigning Class 3A State Champion Central 7-0. The Crimsons sowed much improvement throughout their 2019 debut.

Sophomore running back JuWuan Northington, one of the state's top players in the Class of 2022, scored Manual's lone touchdown.

The Crimsons are prepared to visit Fern Creek on Friday.

10. Butler (0-1): The Bears showed much improvement in a season-opener versus South Warren. One of the state's top high school football programs, South Warren beat the Bears 33-20 in the Rafferty's Bowl at Western Kentucky University.

Quarterback Chaz Burks paced Butler in the season's opening week, completing 10 of 24 passes for 211 yards and two touchdowns.

Following the loss, Butler quickly turned its focus to DeSales, which awaits on Friday.

Big Risers

1. Fern Creek (1-0): Defeating an out-of-state opponent, Fern Creek upended host Jeffersonville (Ind.) 25-6 to start the season 1-0. The Tigers used a balanced offensive attack to notch the win.

2. Oldham County (1-0): Fresh off a 10-win season, Oldham County started 2019 victorious, beating Eastern 27-12. The Colonels limited Eastern to around 200 yards of total offense.

Big Droppers

1. Central (0-1): The Yellow Jackets were held scoreless in a loss to Manual. Central failed to carry any momentum from its latest state title campaign over into the 2019 high school football season.

2. Moore (0-1): The Mustangs were limited in a loss to Lexington Christian. Held to 16 points, Moore showed some inexperience throughout the season opener.

Game of the Week

Ballard at Male

Longtime rivals Ballard and Male are prepared to meet in an early-season showdown between two of Louisville's most tradition-rich high school football programs on Friday. The Bulldogs rolled past the Bruins 47-0 when the two teams met on August 24, 2018. However, the 2019 edition of the Ballard-Male gridiron get-together isn't expected to be as lopsided.

Kickoff for the Ballard-Male football game is set for 7 p.m.

Last Week's Game of the Week

Pulling off an upset, Manual shut out Central 7-0 last week. One of Louisville's most-improved high school football programs, Manual entered 2019 looking to record its sixth winning season in seven years.

Manual used a stellar defensive effort to beat Central. The Crimsons reached the endzone for the game's lone touchdown at the 7:06 mark of the third quarter.

Player of the Week

Douglas Bodhaine, St. Xavier, Quarterback, Sr.

Strong from start to finish in St. Xavier's opener versus DeSales, Bodhaine completed 12 of 18 passes for 292 yards and three touchdowns. Bodhaine finished interception free against DeSales, which picked off 14 passes in 13 games during the 2018 season.

I have a question. If North Hardin is considered Louisville, are Central Hardin and Meade considered Louisville as well? Thanks.

Trinity is not hosting Warren Central (IN).

I have a question. If North Hardin is considered Louisville, are Central Hardin and Meade considered Louisville as well? Thanks.

To me, any county that borders Jefferson Co. is Louisville area, so I wouldn’t include Meade Co.

To me, any county that borders Jefferson Co. is Louisville area, so I wouldn’t include Meade Co.

94, this is wise thinking. However, I believe the original regional team break downs had Meade with Louisville because they were in the same district with the Hardins.

I know they are not in WKY Region per the list I was given.

94, this is wise thinking. However, I believe the original regional team break downs had Meade with Louisville because they were in the same district with the Hardins.

I know they are not in WKY Region per the list I was given.

Ok. That is a good reason to include them. Thx!

FYI, I live in Meade Co and i'm closer to Louisville than North Hardin is.

I have a question. If North Hardin is considered Louisville, are Central Hardin and Meade considered Louisville as well? Thanks.

Yes. These are regional rankings. CH and Meade would be considered in these rankings.

Thanks!!

Top 4 are spot on here, IMO. After that it gets pretty muddy, and may stay that way for several weeks.

I think North Hardin could be added to the top 5 (for now). Meade and Central Hardin are better than Fern Creek and Ballard in my opinion. But the last 5-7 teams are all pretty close. Your list is easily the best I’ve seen.

I am curious as to why Manual and Ballard are not playing each other this year.

Since 2000, these local rivals have played 12 times with Manual winning a surprising 10 of those (the Ballard wins coming in 2002 and 2012. But the games are almost always close with 8 of the 12 games decided by 10 points or less including last years terrific game ending in a 21-20 OT Manual win. Why not continue that (it was a big crowd)?

Manual has Scott County on their schedule this year, which is new. Ballard picked up Christian Academy of Louisville, which is new. Both those new additions are very fine teams, but I would like to seem them keep their traditional games. What do you think?

I am curious as to why Manual and Ballard are not playing each other this year.

Since 2000, these local rivals have played 12 times with Manual winning a surprising 10 of those (the Ballard wins coming in 2002 and 2012. But the games are almost always close with 8 of the 12 games decided by 10 points or less including last years terrific game ending in a 21-20 OT Manual win. Why not continue that (it was a big crowd)?

Manual has Scott County on their schedule this year, which is new. Ballard picked up Christian Academy of Louisville, which is new. Both those new additions are very fine teams, but I would like to seem them keep their traditional games. What do you think?

Good question. They should play each other since competitive games.

Meade and Central Hardin are better than Fern Creek and Ballard in my opinion.

That's interesting. What are you basing that opinion on?

That's interesting. What are you basing that opinion on?

I know all four rosters very well. I've coached players at Ballard and at Meade and Meade plays Central Hardin every year.