Bluegrasspreps' Class 4A Pre-Season Preview

 

Ah, good ole reliable 4A. For years under the six class system we’ve pretty much known what to expect from this class. A champion from the east (7 of the 8 champions came from the eastern side of the bracket), and a champion that was an established power (the same 7 of 8 had all previously won a state title). In the past four years it became an almost afterthought that Highlands would win the title, with only the stunning loss to Collins in 2013 bucking that trend.

 

But all of that has changed.

 

Realignment has created in 4A the opportunity for new blood to come to the forefront. Years of frustration are about to melt away for some schools, who have fielded state title caliber teams only to see someone more established in their way. Five of the top eight teams from last year’s final rankings have departed the class, and only one team from our final ranks was eliminated from the playoffs by a team that is still in this class. It’s a new day, and your guess is as good as mine as to who takes home the hardware.

 

1. Johnson Central (2014: 11-1; 4A Second Round)

Head Coach: Jim Matney

 

No school is looking forward to the new 4A more than Johnson Central. For years they have steamrolled most of their regular season competition, only to find a more traditional, established program in their way. The last three years they fell to Covington Catholic in the playoffs, and Highlands felled them the four before that. Even a change in class didn’t help them snap that streak because those two programs were moved down with them. No more with those programs moving up to 5A. They never made it to other regional powers like Boyle County or Lexington Catholic, but those teams are gone as well. The Golden Eagles are the clear power on their side. And they have the team to finally make good on so many years of frustration.

 

Johnson Central returns some 16-18 starters from last year’s team that finished the regular season unbeaten. That includes quarterback Bryce Workman, who threw for 984 yards and 17 touchdowns in addition to rushing for 574 yards and 10 touchdowns, as well as their three leading ball carriers, Bryce Skaggs (990 yards, 14 touchdowns), Connor Ratliff (717 yards, 6 touchdowns), and Gunner Slone (562 yards, 10 touchdowns). It’s a far cry from the previous year that saw them replacing over 3,000 yards of rushing experience. They will be stung slightly from the loss of leading WR Dalton Adkins, but for a team that rushes as much as Johnson Central does, it’s the runners that are most crucial. Defensively, the Golden Eagles lost only DE Patrick Rice out of their top TWELVE tacklers. That from a team that did not allow more than 19 points in a game all year and on average gave up just a hair over 10 PPG. They shut out 3A state champion Belfry, a team that only twice scored below 28 points in their entire season. This is a team that is loaded for bear. If not for their past inability to get past Highlands and Covington Catholic, there would be no doubt in anyone’s mind that they were the clear cut favorite to win it all. And again, those teams are no longer in the way…..

 

2. John Hardin (2014: 7-7; 5A State Semifinalist)

Head Coach: Chad Lewis

 

2014 was a strange year for the Bulldogs. There was a lot of uncertainty around the program following heavy graduation losses from the previous year, but at the beginning, they were still highly regarded based on their past success. That changed when they opened 1-5, including dropping a district game for the first time in six years to typically lightly regarded Iroquois. The panic had not abated when they fell to rival North Hardin on October 17th to drop to 2-6, facing the distinct possibility that they would not advance to the playoffs. But they had a strong finishing kick, winning five in a row and bringing home a (seemingly) unlikely region title, before falling at home in their usual spot, the state semifinals, but to Graves County rather than their nemesis Bowling Green.

 

There is not nearly as much uncertainty when it comes to 2015. While the Bulldogs lost 17 seniors from last year’s edition, they are in the middle of a youth revolution that will see them become the surefire favorites in 2016 and beyond. Their junior class is massive and filled with talent. Senior quarterback Shay Stone returns, bringing 1,145 yards passing and 13 touchdowns with him. Junior Robert Shorter was the second leading rusher off of last year’s team, with 642 yards and 9 touchdowns while averaging almost 7 yards per carry. The offense does have some holes on the line and doesn’t return much in the way of receivers (no returning player caught more than 3 passes), but there is a solid foundation in place. Defensively they will be bolstered by returning half of their starters, including their three leading tacklers Thomas Lloyd, Thomas Rogers, and Trevon Wright.

 

John Hardin has a typically hard schedule in place, opening with co-favorite from the west South Warren, matchups with Central Hardin and Meade County, with traditional programs like Warren Central and Christian County sprinkled in. Their youth may yet lead to a bit of an uneven record like last year, but the more experience this team gains, the tougher out they’ll be come postseason. They should walk in their district, but may face some challenges in region play from Collins, Franklin County, and North Oldham. Still, this looks like the clearest path they’ve had to Bowling Green and Houchens-Smith Stadium since they last went in 2009.

 

3. South Warren (2014: 13-1; 3A State Semifinalist)

Head Coach: Brandon Smith

 

Compared to the frustration the two teams above have had, the Spartans have suffered relatively minor setbacks. South Warren is essentially still the new kid on the block, taking natural steps forward each season. After making the region finals in 3A two straight years, they broke through last year with an unbeaten regular season, thrashing most of their opponents en route to a 13-0 record. They entered the state semifinals as the favorite to advance to the finals back in Bowling Green, but after opening a 14-0 lead early, they could not score again, falling 16-14 to Louisville Central. While the disappointment was there, the eye was still on the future. Because virtually everyone came back.

 

In all, South Warren lost two starters, TWO. RG Jared Searcy and FB/RB Julius Allen (1,300 yards and 12 touchdowns) depart from a small senior class. Allen was the leading rusher, but it is expected that several will be tasked to replace him, including Kayron Namvong, who had 692 yards and 6 touchdowns a year ago. But by far the biggest returning piece is junior QB Ryder Litten, who combined for over 2,500 yards of offense throwing and rushing a year ago. He began the year sharing time at the spot, but seized the job quickly and ran the read/option to perfection as Coach Smith also opened up the air attack more than ever before at South Warren. He is surrounded by almost every skill position player from a year ago and a veteran line. But as good as the offense was a year ago for the Spartans, the defense is where they made their name in 3A. They allowed only 9.6 PPG in 2014, with four shutouts. And if you read between the lines from the starters noted above that were lost, you’ll notice that there are no defensive players listed. They’re all back, ALL of them. Several are three years starters that have anchored what has been statistically one of the most dominant defenses in the state the last two seasons. They’re a unit that for the most part has been impossible to run on.

 

The Spartans have upgraded their schedule considerably with the step up in class. They not only have greater challenges in-district, but open with powerful John Hardin and square off with Central Hardin in Week 4. They’ll be counting on being battle-tested for a deep postseason run.

 

4. Ashland (2014: 6-5; 4A Second Round)

Head Coach: Tony Love

 

The Tomcats stumbled to open up the 2014 season, dropping three of their first four, but closed with strength, winning five of their last seven, falling only to powerful Johnson Central and eventual state champion Highlands in the playoffs. The game against Highlands is possibly what has most energized the program and given the most hope for a special season, primarily because of the efforts of Quinton Baker. His 239 yards and 2 touchdowns on 27 rushes against the Bluebirds was the crown jewel of a 1,719 yard season campaign that saw him average over 9 yards per carry. And he’s back to lead Ashland and attack the 6,000 yard mark for his career.

 

It’s not all sunshine and roses in Ashland. They did lose 19 seniors from last year, including quarterback Hunter Prince. The only other Tomcat that even threw a pass was Jake Long, who transferred out of state, taking his healthy 889 yards and 10.7 yards per carry with him. Ashland returns good experience and size on the line to block in front of Baker, but would definitely benefit from some more balance on the offense. Over 81% of their yardage last season came via the ground attack, which means Baker will see a fair share of stacked boxes. Defensively, they’ll need to tighten it up significantly from last season when they allowed almost 25 points per game, same as the year before. Seven of their 11 games saw their opponent score 22 points or more. Schedule-wise they have a virtual carbon copy from last season and much will boil down to their crucial late-season matchup with Johnson Central, which is thankfully at home after last season’s running clock on the road. Expect those teams to meet twice, and each will want the advantage of playing in the friendly confines for the playoffs.

 

5. Franklin-Simpson (2014: 9-2; 4A Second Round)

Head Coach: Doug Preston

 

The last two years have been very kind to Franklin-Simpson in district play. They’ve won all six games they played against their fellow District 2 opponents, winning by an average of 33 points per game and only having last season’s 14-13 nail-biter at Warren East that was remotely close. But the region has provided significant obstacles that prevented them from getting back to the state title game they reached in 2011. First it was Owensboro in the 2013 region finals, then Madisonville in last year’s second round. The good news for the Wildcats and their strong returning crop is that Owensboro is off to 5A and Madisonville is greatly diminished from the team they fought tooth and nail with the last two seasons. The bad news is that the district has improved by leaps and bounds with the departure of Breckinridge County and the import of South Warren and Warren Central. And suddenly, even with a strong team, they find themselves in the second spot pre-season in-district.

 

Franklin-Simpson only lost eight seniors from the 2014 edition, representing six starting positions. The most significant losses are leading rusher Jerry Billups (73 carries, 927 yards, 10 touchdowns) and quarterback Colton Hurt (40/66, 601 yards, 7 touchdowns). While Billups was a strong talent, the wingbacks in the Wing-T attack tend to be easier to replace than many positions. Fullback Nick Groves returns off a 916 yard campaign, and sophomore Saul Brady looks primed to step up following a season where he averaged nearly 11 yards per carry in a backup role. 3 of 5 linemen return as well, leaving only the quarterback position to sort out. Jackson Caudill is the presumed starter, but didn’t see a wealth of action. Defensively the Wildcats weren’t the best team, allowing just over 17 points per game, but they return almost everyone, with 9 returning starters. Only in the trenches did they suffer any losses, losing an end and a nose tackle from their 3-3-5 stack. The linebacking corps in particular should be a strength, led by senior Cody Uhls.

 

The season may be decided by what happens right in the heart of their schedule, when they travel to South Warren on September 25th and host Warren Central on October 2nd. Those two games will go a long way to telling the story of the team, to go along with some strong non-district games against Caldwell County, Monroe County, and rival Russellville.

 

6. Franklin County (2014: 8-3; 5A Second Round)

Head Coach: Chris Tracy

 

The Flyers drop down to 4A after having a mixed bag of success in 5A, including last season. Each year the Flyers appeared capable of getting out of the region with a high-powered offense, but just couldn’t quite get the job done. Last season saw a strong 8-2 regular season, but ended with a whimper in a home loss to Cooper that saw them score just six points, the lowest output of the Tracy era. 4A represents a bit of “out of the frying pan and into the fire” for Franklin County, as they exit a tough region to enter a tough district. Collins is the lone remaining program in the class that has won a 4A state title, and is looking to take a step back to form after last season. North Oldham was a miracle play away from a trip to the state championship in 2014. But the Flyers are our narrow favorite to challenge John Hardin for region supremacy.

 

Franklin County lost 13 seniors from the 2014 edition, but they are greatly bolstered by the return of senior quarterback Barrett Sanderson. He has most of his skilled positions coming back around him, along with several returning linemen. The WR corps includes senior Demarcus Kennedy, the leading returning pass catcher. In short, expect more of the same from the offense that scored at a clip of 31 points per game in 2014, and very, very rarely hurts for offensive fireworks. But the other side of that coin is usually where the other shoe drops for the Flyers, as in their three losses they allowed an average of 36 points last season. The middle of the defense took the brunt of the losses, including middle linebacker Logan Duke. Offense puts the butts in the seats, but defense often wins titles. Franklin County has to find that other dimension to make good on their potential.

 

7. Collins (2014: 4-7; 4A First Round)

Head Coach: Jerry Lucas

 

2014 was quite a comedown for the Titans after they completed their rapid rise to the top of the class in 2013. In the first four seasons for the program, they had not failed to make at least the region title game, had at least 11 wins each season, and finished off with the state title. But graduation hit the Titans hard, and they bookended a 4-1 midseason stretch with two 0-3 runs, the last of which sent them tumbling from the 4A playoffs in the first week. Collins found it particularly difficult to win on the road, notching just a single win against five losses away from the friendly confines.

 

As can be the case at times from lost seasons, the one good thing is that a significant amount of youth got some good experience. Collins did lose 16 seniors, the most key of which might have been leading receiver Eric Burk. Collins was well off the passing proficiency it showed in its title run, but Burk ended up with nearly 40% of all receiving yards for the team. A key in the development of the team this season will be shoring up the receiving corps, as aside from Burk, no pure receiver topped 10 receptions. They’ll be replacing their leading quarterback as well in Browning Becherer, but JR Lucas was solid in his freshman campaign at the position, turning in a 45/87 season for 529 yards and 7 TDs. He’s the presumptive QB for the next three years. He’ll have the services of last year’s leading rusher Nasean Roseberry, who also turned in 296 receiving yards to go with his 559 rushing yards. Collins has the availability of several returning starters on the line to open the lanes and provide the protection, four of which have started multiple years. In a recurring theme for several teams in these ranks, the defense must improve by leaps and bounds to contend. The Titans allowed nearly 26 points per game last season, which helps explain how they were bounced from the playoffs despite scoring 43 points against Western. A bright spot for Collins will be in the secondary where they return senior cornerback Casey Warner who led the team with 5 INTs.

 

The non-district schedule is highlighted by a home battle against powerful Boyle County following Collins’ off week, and a midseason road trip to Central Hardin, which whipped the Titans 34-9 last season. The talent is there for Collins, it’s just a question of how they develop. It should not be surprising if they rise up in the ranks by season’s end, but it also may not be shocking if they fade badly like last season.

 

8. North Oldham (2014: 10-3; 4A State Semifinalist)

Head Coach: Billy Martin

 

Completing three straight entries from 4A’s District 3 is North Oldham, the hard luck loser in the state semifinals against Owensboro. After taking the lead on a field goal with less than 10 seconds left, the Mustangs watched in horror as a twice tipped Hail Mary pass landed in the hands of Kishawn Walker for Owensboro, who took it in for the game-winning score. It literally took a miracle play to keep North Oldham out of the state finals. It was a heartbreaking end to a storybook season, with the first region title for the program.

 

The Mustangs will look to put that behind him, and pick up after the loss of 19 seniors, none more significant than running back Arien Beasley, who rushed for 1,649 yards and 31 TDs in a superb senior campaign. To cloud matters further, the next two leading rushers are gone as well for the run-heavy program. And not to keep piling on, but QB Taylor Heckenberg departed as well, making it a whole new backfield for North Oldham. Heckenberg did miss time last year, giving some experience to backups TC Falkner and Bryce Webb. Stout linebacker Wes Johnson may seem some additional time on offense this season to try and fill the void. To say the offensive identity of the team is a mystery would be an understatement. But the defense provides more sure answers. They return six starters from a strong unit that turned in five straight shutouts in midseason, and held nine opponents in all to single digits. Leading tackler Colin Portman will anchor the defensive line with Johnson leading the linebacking corps. Linebacker John Reitnauer also returns, notching four fumble recoveries and two interceptions a year ago to lead the team in takeaways.

 

9. Warren Central (2014: 6-5; 4A First Round)

Head Coach: Clay Stephens

 

The Dragons enter 2015 with a lot of upheaval in the program. Stephens will be their third coach in the last three seasons, with the departure of Mike Rogers to Paducah Tilghman following the 2013 season and the firing of Howard Feggins after just one year at the helm in 2014. The entire coaching staff has now turned over in the last two years, with some positions seeing multiple coaches turn over. The upheaval doesn’t stop there as the team patiently waits for the completion of renovations to their facilities that has forced them to practice miles away at their middle school, and will likely require their first two home games to be moved to an alternate site. The lower levels don’t paint the prettiest picture of the future for the Dragons either, creating a sense of urgency on top of it all. Three years ago Warren Central would have rated among the heavy favorites in the class, but now find themselves holding to what may be their last shot at the big one, and dealing with powers like South Warren and Franklin-Simpson just to get out of the district and region. It’s not what they really had in mind when they got away from Bowling Green.

 

The bad news for Warren Central is that they lost a lot of talent off of the 2014 team to the tune of 20 seniors. Last season represented a departure from the run heavy Wing-T attack the Dragons featured under Rogers, and departed senior Jensen Feggins was a huge part of that, with 72 receptions and 831 yards being more than every other receiver on the team COMBINED. Workhorse running back Colin Burnham also departs, taking 183 carries and 903 yards with him. Other than returning quarterback Chance Shanklin, no one carried the ball more than five times last season. Still, it is expected that the Dragons will find that position easy to replace as they have in the past, but receiver could be an Achilles heel. Shanklin does return off of a solid 1,576 yard and 17 touchdown campaign. Tristen Murray will be the primary receiving threat as he returns from a broken collarbone suffered midseason against Bowling Green. The offensive line was a weakness a year ago, but they do return some experience there. Size is going to be an issue for the Dragons, with much of the size on both lines graduating, particularly on the defensive line. Defensively they return a ton of experience in the linebacking corps and secondary, several of which will be three year starters. Linebacker Payton Donisi had 59 solo tackles to lead the Dragons a season ago and will be expected to be the defensive leader yet again. In the secondary, Damani Walker, Malik Peele, and Ladarius Mitchell have all seen starting time in the last three years. The Dragons have a roster laden with seniors, the culmination of a strong youth movement that began in 2013. If they can’t get it done this year, it’s not going to be any time soon for the Dragons in all likelihood.

 

Warren Central plays an absolutely brutal schedule as they continue to “suffer” somewhat from the strong showing they had at the beginning of the decade. Three of their first four games come against opponents that made the state semifinals in their respective classes a year ago (Owensboro, John Hardin, Meade County), and McCracken County and Bowling Green round out the schedule prior to getting into district play. And that’s where the Dragons will find teams from our top 5 in South Warren and Franklin-Simpson, to go along with Allen County-Scottsville and Warren East, each of which made it to at least the state semifinals this decade. Tough sledding.

 

10. Bourbon County (2014: 9-4; 3A Region Runner-Up)

Head Coach: John Hodge

 

The Colonels made the best of a bit of bad luck last season, making a run to the region finals despite having to play every playoff game on the road after coming in as the low man on the totem pole in a three way tie for first place in their district. They couldn’t defend the region title they won in both 2012 and 2013, but had a strong 9-4 season. They step up in class, moving to the new 4A this year.

 

The most pressing need for the Colonels will be replacing Brent Holman. The bellcow back had 1,813 yards and 25 touchdowns a season ago. Marquaze Hill should shoulder the load, averaging nearly 7 yards per carry in 2014 while gaining 372 yards and 7 touchdowns. The big name returner is Clay Bolin, who carried a 3:1 TD:INT ratio to go with 1,588 yards through the air. He’ll have the services of Kyler Hodges, his leading receiver in yards (437) and receptions (26), as well as the number two receiver in both those categories, Billy Orcutt (22 receptions and 402 yards). Offensively, they should be secure. Defensively, Marquaze Hill will be back there as well, having led the secondary with three picks a season ago. They will miss leading tacklers DeQuantae Allen and Zach Mastin greatly from the linebacking corps, and in all are missing their top five leaders in that category. They should be in fine position to deal with their district, but will have to reload that experience very quickly to avoid being buried by Johnson Central and Ashland in their region.

 

Bourbon County has an outstanding opener and closer, easily their must see games. They will take on 5A contender Southwestern in the opener at Danville, and close with a home battle against defending 5A champion Pulaski County. If only they could have gotten Somerset on the schedule to have the set of Pulaski County schools.

 

Just Outside

 

11. Knox Central (2014: 8-3; 4A Second Round)

Head Coach: Scott Russell

 

Knox Central might be the best dark horse outside of the top five. The Panthers had a strong 2014 showing as they gained a long-awaited district title, and the region softened considerably with the departure of Boyle County and Lexington Catholic. The favorite for the district and region crown, Knox Central returns 16-17 starters, including quarterback Jaxon Stewart (985 yards, 12 TDs) and their top three rushers in Donavan Arthur (576 yards), Andrew Johnson (454 yards), and Jacob Mills (451 yards). And they’re still quite young despite all the experience coming back. The arrow is pointing up.

 

12. Scott (2014: 6-4-1; 5A First Round)

Head Coach: Dan Woolley

 

The Eagles drop in class, hoping for better luck in 4A as they continue to seek an escape from the first round of the playoffs that has eluded them. They’ll have their top two rushers from 2014 in London and Pleasant to help continue an offensive output of 28.2 points per game last season. Gaining a home playoff game will be key to avoid Johnson Central and Ashland.

 

13. Madisonville-North Hopkins (2014: 10-3; 4A Region Runner-Up)

Head Coach: Jay Burgett

 

Madisonville was the other nail-biter victim of Owensboro, falling by one in the region finals. The Maroons may have missed their window, as new head coach Jay Burgett tries to guide the team back from the loss of 18 starters from a year ago, facing a monster region despite the departure of Owensboro.

 

14. Rockcastle County (2014: 7-5; 4A Second Round)

Head Coach: Scott Parkey

 

The Rockets are still trying to regain the form from the early-2000s, but like Knox Central will benefit from a region diminished by the departure of powers in Boyle County and Lexington Catholic. Rockcastle was shockingly young last season, so return a lot of experienced youth. Brent Lovell lit it up last year with 1,366 yards as a freshman, and the next three leading rushers return from last year as well. All four are sophomores or juniors.

 

15. Warren East (2014: 8-4; 4A Second Round)

Head Coach: Justin Chaffin

 

The Raiders welcome new head coach and Warren East alum Justin Chaffin over from the Greenwood staff for the 2015 season. The district will be brutal, but Chaffin weathered a potential disaster in the offseason that saw question marks surrounding Willie Reynolds remaining in the program. The 1,373 yard rusher returns, the jewel of the offensive attack.

 

Next Five

 

16. Mercer County (2014: 2-8; Missed Playoffs)

Head Coach: David Buchanan

 

The Titans fell down hard last season, but return the core of their team under new coach David Buchanan, including most offensive skill players. The much larger junior class will be called upon to make up for a small senior crop.

 

17. Hopkinsville (2014: 4-8; 5A Second Round)

Head Coach: Marc Clark

 

The Tigers are better than their record from last year, which reflects three forfeit losses. Hoptown’s ground attack is formidable, and they are a bit of a sleeper in their district.

 

18. Taylor County (2014: 4-7; 4A First Round)

Head Coach: Dudley Hilton

 

The Cardinals return half of their starters from a season ago, and will look to build on a season that saw narrow losses to Lexington Catholic (13-8) and Knox Central (21-12).

 

19. Mason County (2014: 8-3; 3A First Round)

Head Coach: Jonathan Thomas

 

The Royals stumbled badly following a 6-0 start in 2014, but should be competitive in the quasi-northern Kentucky district. New coach Jonathan Thomas does have to contend with the departure of most of the offensive production from last season.

 

20. Wayne County (2014: 5-7; 3A Second Round)

Head Coach: Shawn Thompson

 

The Cardinals step up in class, hoping to erase a lackluster final year in 3A after a state runner-up finish in 2013. Wayne County did manage four straight wins before a playoff loss to close, and will benefit from the return of Dalton Garner, who rushed for over 8 yards per carry a season ago.

Edited August 5, 201511 yr by DragonFire

John Hardin may have taken a big hit, with the loss of Anthony Witherspoon, to suspension. He had all the potential in the world, but was a distraction in the locker room. We will see how John Hardin reacts as they will need to bring their A game to Bowling Green when they face South Warren. This will be a difficult game for them, they must limit the John trade mark turnovers and penalties in order to have a chance in this one. Shay Stone must make better decisions with the ball than he did last year. He was still throwing picks during the recent 7on7 passing tourney at Central Hardin. I agree that as the season progresses, they will be a team no one wants to play because of their potential and speed.

Edited August 5, 201511 yr by Hardin County Preps

For Collins, Jay Becherer will actually be at Elizabethtown this year. However, Quintin Murphy returns after sitting out last season due to injury. He started at safety on the state championship team as a sophomore and was huge for that defense. He is expected to get more time on offense this year as running back. While Collins continues to improve on their passing game, they should be able to run the ball well with such an experienced O-line and Nasean Roseberry and Murphy in the backfield.

John Hardin may have taken a big hit, with the loss of Anthony Witherspoon, to suspension. He had all the potential in the world, but was a distraction in the locker room. We will see how John Hardin reacts as they will need to bring their A game to Bowling Green when they face South Warren. This will be a difficult game for them, they must limit the John trade mark turnovers and penalties in order to have a chance in this one. Shay Stone must make better decisions with the ball than he did last year. He was still throwing picks during the recent 7on7 passing tourney at Central Hardin. I agree that as the season progresses, they will be a team no one wants to play because of their potential and speed.

 

Why did Witherspoon get suspended? That is a big hit for John Hardin IMO. He's a difference maker.

My dark-horse pick is Knox Central. They'll be top 5 in 4A by season's end.

The path to a championship has never been more clear for Johnson Central than it is right now. Despite Ashland's lofty ranking, I would consider it a HUGE upset if the Golden Eagles don't represent the east in BG. JC beat Ashland 42-7 last year and both teams should be better this season. I don't see how the Tomcats make up that difference in one year.

 

I'm leaning toward picking South Warren to win the west. John Hardin might have a higher ceiling over the next few years, but I like the Spartans in 2015.

 

As for a dark horse, I'm going with Scott. I've heard a lot of positive buzz around that program this off-season.

Dont know the details, just that he probably wont be playing this year. I have some sources familiar with the inner workings of the program who gave me the info.

Dont know the details, just that he probably wont be playing this year. I have some sources familiar with the inner workings of the program who gave me the info.

 

Not good. I've heard he is attending another school this year but that he'll be back next year.

I also know that he was a distraction in the locker room and on the field at times for the team, lets see how they respond

Watch out for Mercer, Taylor and Marion.

Saw Mercer County last year, wasnt impressed, unless they brought in a truckload of new talent, I dont see it.

Greenup only lost 4 starters from last year. Return 3 yr starting qb Jared Hunt, RBs Ryan Byrd (2000yrds the last two seasons), Jake Wright (12tds) and FB Cade Warnock. 4 wins last year with 4 loses coming in the 4th qrt. Also held every team they played last year to lowest point totals of the year. Im a homer, but should be a great year.

Greenup only lost 4 starters from last year. Return 3 yr starting qb Jared Hunt, RBs Ryan Byrd (2000yrds the last two seasons), Jake Wright (12tds) and FB Cade Warnock. 4 wins last year with 4 loses coming in the 4th qrt. Also held every team they played last year to lowest point totals of the year. Im a homer, but should be a great year.

 

I'm certainly not a GC homer, but I agree, they should have a really good season.

Good ranking for Scott I hope they surprise some teams.

Greenup only lost 4 starters from last year. Return 3 yr starting qb Jared Hunt, RBs Ryan Byrd (2000yrds the last two seasons), Jake Wright (12tds) and FB Cade Warnock. 4 wins last year with 4 loses coming in the 4th qrt. Also held every team they played last year to lowest point totals of the year. Im a homer, but should be a great year.

 

Little off on this statement

 

Not true for Johnson Central, Russell, Raceland, Lewis County, West Carter, Rowan County, Ashland, Boyd County, East Carter, or Covington Catholic

 

In fact the only team it looks like had their lowest point total of the year was Fleming County.

 

I will say Greenup is a lot better than people give credit for and have vastly improved though.