article NKY Power Rankings 09-21-15 Sponsored by Orange Leaf Crescent Springs

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THE RANKINGS:

 

10) Lloyd Memorial (2A / 3-1) – The Juggernauts had this past week off but are currently still holding on to the #10 spot in NKY. Lloyd will host 3A Garrard County this week in Erlanger. The Golden Lions have a 4-1 record coming into the game on Friday.

 

9) Scott (4A / 4-1) – Scott beat 2A Holy Cross this past Friday, managing to put up 50+ points for the second time this season in their 56-39 victory over the Indians. The Eagles’ offense is looking better and better with quarterback Fitzgerald, and running backs London and Pleasant all putting up solid numbers this week, but their defense is showing some need to improve, having given up 67 points in their last two games combined. Scott travels to Maysville this week to take on the winless 4A Mason County Royals.

 

8) Newport Central Catholic (2A / 2-3) – Coming off a tough loss on the road to the defending 3A champion Belfry Pirates, New Cath rebounded on the road this past week by beating 4A Harrison County 47-7. The Thoroughbreds put up an impressive 470 yards of offense, with stud running back Jacob Smith carrying the ball 23 times for an average of over 10 yards per carry, and holding Harrison County to only 156 yards of offense. New Cath will host the 6A Conner Cougars this week.

 

7) Conner (6A / 3-1) – The Cougars struggled a bit on offense this week, only managing 228 total offensive yards in their matchup against a struggling 5A Dixie Heights team. Even after three turnovers by the Colonels, the win came down to Dixie’s failure to convert after their two touchdowns. A win is still a win, and with the margin between the #7 and #5 spots looking pretty slim at this point, Conner’s game on Friday against 2A Newport Catholic should make for a pretty interesting matchup in Newport.

 

6) Beechwood (1A / 3-1) – Beechwood took one on the chin this past Friday, losing at home to 5A Covington Catholic in a game that had many eyes on it around the state. Beechwood comes out of the 41-21 loss showing several positives on their end, and will still be the team to beat in 1A, but Cov Cath’s size on the line, and depth was too much for the Tigers on Friday. Still, they showed an impressive ability to move the ball as a 1A team matching up against a 5A team. Beechwood will be looking to rebound on Friday when they welcome the 2A Holy Cross Indians to Edgar McNabb Stadium this week.

 

5) Highlands (5A / 1-4) – Friday night made for the second time in three weeks that Highlands went into halftime with a 0 on the scoreboard. 6A St. Xavier is no slouch of a team, but after losing 37-0 to the Tigers and failing to score until the 4th quarter in Friday’s game, the Bluebirds currently have more regular season losses than they’ve seen in almost a decade, and their regular season is only now at its halfway point. This week’s matchup against the 6A Simon Kenton Pioneers doesn’t look to be much easier on Highlands, with the ‘Neers rolling on top of their NKY competition with a 5-0 record. The Birds keep their place in the power rankings this week, but the Covington Catholic Colonels have moved ahead of Highlands for the time being after coming to life this week against the 1A Beechwood Tigers, previously ranked above both Highlands and Cov Cath in the polls.

 

4) Covington Catholic (5A / 1-4) – It’s hard to see a team with a 1-4 record in the fourth spot of the NKY power rankings, but losing their first three games to three talented teams, and showing a few first hints of resolve in a one-point loss last week to the 3A Lexington Catholic Knights, Cov Cath managed to put up the first win of the season on the road this past Friday in a 41-21 victory against 1A Beechwood. The Colonels are still working to figure everything out on the defensive side of things, and are working to fit the pieces together after a couple of key injuries on both sides of the ball, but there has to be a sigh of relief in Park Hills after the Colonels showed their ability to move the ball and to control the line of scrimmage. Cov Cath hosts Columbus power St. Francis DeSales this Saturday, before their bye week and beginning district play against 5A Grant County on October 10th.

 

3) Cooper (6A / 3-2) – There are a lot of good things going on out off Longbranch Road in Union, but for now, 6A Ryle has moved ahead of the Jaguars in the NKY rankings and have taken over as the top team in Boone County. Cooper managed to hold the 6A Simon Kenton Pioneers’ high powered offense to the least points they’ve scored yet this season, but the Jags struggled to put points up without their star running back in the backfield. Cooper hosts the 3A Lexington Catholic Knights this Friday, and then will be taking on crosstown rival Ryle to prove who’s king in Union, KY on October 9th.

 

2) Ryle (6A / 5-0) – The Raiders have knocked 6A Cooper out of the second spot in the NKY rankings. After a 52-7 routing of the 6A Campbell County Camels, it would certainly appear that the Raiders have ironed out the kinks we saw in the first couple of weeks this season. Both Ryle and Cooper managed 24 point victories over 5A Highlands, but Ryle edges ahead of the Cooper in the rankings after beating Campbell County this week by 17 more points than the Jags did last Friday. The Raiders will have the week off before taking on the winless 6A George Rogers Clark Cardinals on the road on October 2nd.

 

1) Simon Kenton (6A / 5-0) – The Pioneers are one of two teams to have made the top 10 in the NKY power rankings this season that still hangs on to a 5-0 record. The other team, 6A Ryle, falls in behind Simon Kenton as #2 in Northern Kentucky. Although 6A Cooper held them to the fewest points they’ve scored all season, Simon Kenton still hangs on to the #1 spot without question. Next week comes the game that the Pioneers have been asking for for quite some time now, when the 5A Highlands Bluebirds come to Independence on Friday.

 

 

Player Of The Week:

 

Jacob Smith (Newport Catholic)

 

Smith showed really off his ability to run the ball this week against Harrison County, carrying 23 times for 234 yards in Friday night’s when the Thoroughbreds took on the Thorobreds. Smith accounted for 4 of New Cath’s 7 touchdowns in their win over Harrison County.

 

 

Game Of The Week:

 

Highlands (5A) vs. Simon Kenton (6A)

 

Simon Kenton is certainly the favorite coming into the long-awaited matchup between the ‘Neers and the Birds, but much of Kentucky will still be watching to see what the outcome of the game will be on Friday. Simon Kenton is one of two undefeated teams around Northern Kentucky, and Highlands is fighting to get their second win on the books. The Pioneers host this Friday in Independence.

 

 

Trending Up:

 

5A Covington Catholic – Cov Cath got Coach Eddie Eviston his first win with the Colonels this past week, in a solid 41-21 victory on the road over the 1A Beechwood Tigers. They take on another big challenge this week against Ohio power Columbus DeSales when the 3-1 Stallions visit Wooten Field in Park Hills on Saturday.

 

2A Walton-Verona – Coach Barth and the Bearcats got their first W of the season by handing 2A Lexington Christian Academy their first L of the season. Walton-Verona lead early on in the game, but after falling behind, managed a 15 point comeback in the 4th quarter to win 28-27 over the Eagles. The Bearcats will host the 2A Carroll County Panthers this Friday.

 

 

Trending Down:

 

6A Campbell County – The Camels have fallen to a 0-5 record this season after being routed 52-0 by the 6A Ryle Raiders this past Friday. Campbell County will play Western Brown (OH) this week as they try to get their first win of the season, hosting the 3-1 Broncos in Claryville.

 

5A Highlands – Things are still looking unusually rough in Ft. Thomas, as the Bluebirds drop to 1-4. It’s one of the rockiest starts to the season in memory for most Highlands fans, and the Birds will have another tough week taking on the undefeated 6A Simon Kenton Pioneers this week on the road in Independence.

Edited September 21, 2015 by Colonels_Wear_Blue

[Colonels_Wear_Blue 10,064]

Cooper (6A) vs. Simon Kenton (6A)

 

The Jags were without RB Torry Cordell-Armstrong on Friday when they took on the 'Neers, and it showed. Coopers ground game was held to a mere 20 yards, and with 165 yards in the air, the Jaguars were only able to muster 7 points. Simon Kenton's offense was held to a season low 26 points, with 395 yards of offense, but the Pioneers are still holding strong in their #1 ranking around Northern Kentucky.

[Clyde 3,919]

You may want to reconsider your rankings, CWB, because this is the first week we are in lockstep.

[colonel-fan 1,979]

I know it's a typo, but CovCath is 1 - 4 on the season, not 4 - 1.

[Colonels_Wear_Blue 10,064]

I know it's a typo, but CovCath is 1 - 4 on the season, not 4 - 1.

 

Right you are. Thanks for catching that, c-f.

[Lizard Momma 10]

Here is what the rankings should be this week:

 

1- Ryle

 

2- SK

 

3- Cov Cath.

 

4- Cooper

 

5- Conner

 

6- Beechwood

 

7- Highlands

 

8- Scott

 

9- NCC

 

10- Ludlow

 

:dancingpa

[sportsfan08 64]

Uh, no.

[Lizard Momma 10]

Uh, no.

 

What's wrong with my rankings?

[theguru 16,223]

You may want to reconsider your rankings, CWB, because this is the first week we are in lockstep.

 

Fine wine...

[CooperSportsFan 10]

Here is what the rankings should be this week:

 

1- Ryle

 

2- SK

 

3- Cov Cath.

 

4- Cooper

 

5- Conner

 

6- Beechwood

 

7- Highlands

 

8- Scott

 

9- NCC

 

10- Ludlow

 

:dancingpa

 

Reasoning behind Ryle over SK?

[75center 1,315]

No complaints.

[Fear the Nation 2,026]

Reasoning behind Ryle over SK?

 

The reasoning will be shown in a few weeks at SK's senior night.

[nkuclubbaseball19 753]

The reasoning will be shown in a few weeks!

 

But as of now, based on the season of work to this point, do you have Ryle over SK?

[Fear the Nation 2,026]

But as of now, based on the season of work to this point, do you have Ryle over SK?

 

Realistically no. But here is my infallable reasoning. Last year was an extremely close game. While both teams have improved, we have improved more. We now have a very balanced attack featuring a top notch passing game and a fresh legged 4 headed monster that can kill you with speed, power, combinations of both. Pick your poison. The D is pretty tough on the run and SK only has 1 (very good) back. We will be fresher and stronger come the second half. So far this season we are lights out after halftime.

[Clyde 3,919]

Had CWB gone Ryle and then SK I'd be OK with that as well. They're really, really close thus far.