article BluegrassPreps' Western Kentucky Power Rankings 08-21-16

[Purple88]

BluegrassPreps 2016 Western Kentucky Power Rankings – Week 0 Edition

Well I hope you had a great opening weekend to the 2016 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 Rain, Rain go away; come again any day but Friday Night or Saturday Night! Our weather roulette wheel landed on Rain this year for our opening games with several games impacted with very wet fields and soggy concession stand workers. It even caused the McCracken County/Paducah Tilghman folks to push their game back to Sunday at 3pm due to the weather.

 

AROUND THE STATE: On this opening weekend, Kentucky teams played 8 teams from both Indiana and Tennessee. Well, we won that battle, but just barely going 3 and 5 against IN teams and 6 and 2 against TN teams.

 

Week 0 Game of the Week: #5 Christian County 50 – #6 Caldwell County 34: I am told this game was closer than the score indicated. I think both these teams will contend in their respective districts and beyond. Christian County has plenty of athletes this year to compete with anybody. Caldwell County represented themselves well, but their stiff schedule will not give them much rest in the early part of the season (see below).

 

Week 1 Western Kentucky Game of the Week: Christian County (5A) (1-0) at Bowling Green (5A) (1-0) next Friday Night August 26, 2016 at 7:00 pm. The Colonels are primed and ready to make the trek along 68-80 to meet the Purples? IMO Christian County’s offense is the type of offense that can give the BG D plenty of problems with their passing arsenal attacking the BG Back 7. Question is: will Langhi have time to throw the ball out of the shotgun? Also, how will the Christian County D attack the BG Offense? Tall cotton right there. Come on out to El Donaldson Stadium and find out. This is a matchup of 2 Top 5 Teams in all of 5A.

 

Honorable Mention: Franklin Simpson (4A) (1-0) at Caldwell County (3A) (0-1) – Caldwell doesn’t want to start the season 0-2. Franklin Simpson is out to improve off an easy win last week. Sets up for a classic battle!

 

Week 0 Top 10:

10) Greenwood (5A) – Preseason Rank: 10 - 2016 Record 1-0; District Record 0-0] Week 0 Results: Win: 39-7 over 4A Warren East (0-1). The second ever “Possum Bowl” was a blowout early. The Gators scored 5 first half TDs and put it in cruise control from there. Warren East Transfer Willie Reynolds (aka. “The Morton’s Salt Man”) sure poured it on his old squad right out of the gate taking the opening kickoff to the house and later added 2 more TDs. This is a team to watch. Week 1: At 4A Allen County-Scottsville (0-1).

 

9) Caldwell County (3A) – Preseason Rank: 6 - 2016 Record 0-1; District Record 0-0] Week 0 Results: Loss: 50-34 vs 5A Christian County (1-0). Well Tiger fans, I know it was a tough ride home on Saturday night, but your team played admirably in the face of significant injuries, penalties and turnovers. Christian County has the athletes to put a lot of pressure on you. Assuming QB Shane Burns hip injury isn’t too bad and Javonte Riley can make it on the field next week, this loss can be used to help you later on and cleanup those mistakes now. But you better hurry because you get another tough team next week. However, playing at home should be an advantage. I still feel this team will be tough to reckon with in 3A. Week 1: vs 4A Franklin Simpson (1-0). This should be a terrific game as Franklin will want to continue to improve with that big one on the horizon with South Warren. Caldwell needs this one bad for overall team confidence. Get there early sports fans as the Caldwell faithful typically come out in droves!

 

8) Hopkinsville (4A) – Preseason Rank: 9 - 2016 Record 1-0; District Record 0-0] Week 0 Results: Win: 44-22 over 5A Graves County (0-1). This team will soon go under the little black cloud of a very easy schedule and “well they are supposed to win against them”. But I’m telling you this team is unlike any other in 4A. Their best athletes are set up to pass the ball. Can they be beaten? Obviously, but they put you in difficult matchups and if they can get over complacency it will be very interesting to see them in the playoffs with a year of experience under their belt. Week 1: At West Creek, TN (0-1).

 

7) Franklin Simpson (4A) – Preseason Rank: 8 - 2016 Record 1-0; District Record 0-0] Week 0 Results: Win: 46-0 over Portland, TN (0-1). I don’t blame FS for scheduling this game; this is a bragging rights type game for communities right across the state border from each other. Portland is not very good and simply won’t be this year. Franklin should enjoy the win and gear up for a much tougher trip this week to Caldwell County. According to our good friend @macdon, FS gained 400 yards on offense, plus an 85 yard kickoff return. The Wildcat D was also impressive allowing only 4 first downs and 61 yards total. Next! Week 1: At 3A Caldwell County (0-1).

 

6) Owensboro (5A) – Preseason Rank: 7 - 2016 Record 1-0; [District Record 0-0] Week 0 Results: Win: 43-6 over 4A Warren Central (0-1). According to our good friend @Nathaniel Bryan, Landon Board had a great game for the Red Devils with 3 rushing TDs. This is a team that will continue to get better, particularly on the defensive side of the ball once all the new players start to gel. This team has talent and is well coached; don’t overlook them! Week 1: At 4A Madisonville North Hopkins (0-1). I feel the need to recognize Warren Central here and salute the 25 to 28 young men who performed admirably under unprecedentedly difficult circumstances to play against a superior team and never quit. Great resolve Dragons!! Don’t quit!!

 

5) South Warren (4A) – Preseason Rank: 3 - 2016 Record 1-0; District Record 0-0] Week 0 Results: Win: 56-14 over 2A Monroe County (0-1). Talent abounds on this South Warren squad. Starting with their stars like SR QB Ryder Litten (3 passing TDs and an 85 yard run for TDs), SO DLine Jacob Lacey may be the most disruptive force on this side of the state on the DLine, and SR WR/Defense CJ Hayes (first play end around for a TD for one) were fantastic as usual. But what caught my eye in this one was after they established the running clock, they put in the second string (sophomore and even freshman guys) and they played very well. South has a full stable of athletes for sure. Well Purple88, they did so well, how can you drop them from #3 to #5 when they won by 42 points? Good question: First this isn’t I Love My Team Ranking, it is a Power Ranking. When you (South Warren) would be a top half team in 5A and schedule/play a bottom half 2A school, you will not be inflated by that but the contrary. Before you get your knife and pitchfork squad out after me, know this is your only opponent that should affect you THIS harshly. So continue to take care of business and you will rebound as others deal with attrition within this ranking. Week 1: Home vs 5A Owensboro Apollo (0-1).

 

4) Christian County (5A) – Preseason Rank: 5 - 2016 Record 1-0; [District Record 0-0] Week 0 Results: Win: 50-34 over 3A Caldwell County (0-1). Is this the year Colonel fans? You have to feel great after this week. You beat a solid squad and played your type game and the guys you needed to be great were! According to our good friends @silo11 and @chrisjung, Kolbe Langhi with over 350 yards passing and 3 TDs. WRs Catlett and Long with over 100 yards receiving each and a TD apiece. Christian County D made plays when they needed to. Now you head east to face a familiar foe. Christian County played BG much better in the 2015 playoffs than the regular season. What about this one? I know they have been gearing up for this one. Top game in the West? For sure! Top game in the State? You tell me! Week 1: Western Kentucky Game of the Week: At 5A Bowling Green (1-0). May be the first of two 2016 meetings between these old foes. Can the Colonels bring out the air raid sirens against the Purples and how will their line play hold up?

 

3) McCracken County (6A) – Preseason Rank: 4 - 2016 Record 1-0; [District Record 0-0] Week 0 Results: Win: 41 to 6 vs. 3A Paducah Tilghman (0-1). How sweet must this one must be for Coach Jackson and the Mustangs? Having to eat that loss last season and taste it all around town for a whole year! Plus the new Head Man over at Tilghman saying this game means more to McCracken than PT. Well I guess he was right because someone forgot to tell Tilghman to show up ready to play. I don’t have specific stats since they just finished the game, but Cash Jones has a really big game and the Mustang Defense was ready! Sets up a potential big year for McCracken. Week 1: At 4A Warren Central (0-1). Poor Warren Central. Crazy schedule.

 

2) Mayfield (2A) – Preseason Rank: 2 - 2016 Record 1-0; District Record 0-0] Week 0 Results: Win: 56-0 over 3A Fort Campbell (0-1). I think the authorities at Ft Campbell are still sending out search parties trying to find the FC offense and defense. Still can’t find em! Congratulations Coach Joe Morris for your 200th victory! Major accomplishment! As for the game, what’s not to like. Plenty of athletes on offense; plenty of playmakers on defense. My only question is how did the kicker do? Seems like the only drama in this one. Week 1: At Home vs. 5A Marshall County (0-0). Marshall County, my advice is to challenge them at bass fishing instead. Maybe they’ll take the bait. Get it; take the bait! Keep with my day job; I know! HA!

 

1) Bowling Green (5A) – Preseason Rank: 1 - 2016 Record 1-0; District Record 0-0] Week 0 Results: Win: 48-22 over 4A John Hardin (0-1). On offense, this is how you draw it up on the chalk board. Let’s go out for the first 2 and a half quarters of the first game and not have to punt or turn the ball over. Well that’s what they did and the only thing that stopped that streak was a missed 34 yard field goal. Defense was just fine for a group that has never really played together. But the BG D needs to get serious. The offense they will see next Friday is the exact opposite of John Hardin’s wing-T and Christian has the playmakers to make it work. BUT, the BG DLine might have something to say about that. Big test next week. Week 1: Vs #4 5A Christian County (1-0). This is the Western Kentucky Game of the Week featuring 2 Top 5 Western Kentucky squads and 2 Top 5 5A squads.

 

 

Week 0 Players of the Week:

1) Jaylen Johnson – QB - Hopkinsville – 5 TDs vs Graves County!

2) Jamale Carothers – RB – Bowling Green – 4 TDs vs John Hardin.

3) Kolbe Langhi – QB – Christian County – passed for 354 yards and 3 TDs.

4) Ryder Litten – QB – South Warren - 3 passing TDs and an 85 yard run for TD

 

Week 0 “Big Droppers”

Paducah Tilghman (3A) – Down – Big Hat No Cattle Trophy goes to the Blue Tornado’s who just flat out got smoked in the their battle with McCracken County. My recommendation is to change the week you play McCracken from now on. Just don’t have a good feeling going forward for the Blue Tornado’s. Hope they prove me wrong.

Allen County Scottsville (4A) – Down – It is probably unfair of me to expect ACS to travel to 6A Daviess County and expect a win. But honestly I did. They were in this game and by some accounts very easily could have won the game, but turnover after costly turnover robbed them of any feasible chance. This is one they will look back on and say “would a, could a, should a”.

 

Pre-Season “Big Risers”

Glasgow (2A) – Up – Heads up 2A – the Scottie’s might be onto something after flushing Campbellsville 60-14 (no that is not a misprint – 60 Big Ones!) in the Scottie Bowl!

Adair County (3A) – Up – BIG win over neighbor Taylor County 38-28! This is a bigger win than it looks. New team, new coach, road game against a nearby rival. Makes no difference with solid win. Nice work Indians!

Russellville (1A) – Up – Blew the doors off poor ole 3A Trigg County 41-0 to get the season off in the right direction. This team is on the cusp of the Top 10. Best 1A team in the West (maybe the State)!

Edited August 22, 2016 by Purple88
Wrong Date

[devils58]

I'm going to nominate Demond Johnson from Muhlenberg County who had a 250 yard and 4 td rushing performance against Apollo.

[Spinstopshere]

you didn't drop Bowling Green last year when they struggled with Monroe last year and we wouldn't of had to play them if Bowling Green wouldn't have invited them in the first place .Gave up 9 yds rushing offense explosive .sometimes hard not to say your a,HATER.I do believe BG should be #1 South #2 until proven other wise Mayfield #2 is streching it great program but should be #3 until South or Bowling Green gets beat.

Edited August 22, 2016 by Spinstopshere
punctuation

[Purple88]

you didn't drop Bowling Green last year when they struggled with Monroe last year and we wouldn't of had to play them if Bowling Green wouldn't have invited them in the first place .Gave up 9 yds rushing offense explosive .sometimes hard not to say your a,HATER.I do believe BG should be #1 South #2 until proven other wise Mayfield #2 is streching it great program but should be #3 until South or Bowling Green gets beat.

Incorrect. Last season when BG "struggled" with Monroe County in a 44-7 win, I dropped BG off the #1 line and jumped South up 2 spots to the #1 position because they played the better team of the top 3 last year in John Hardin.

 

We can go round and round about how Monroe County got to the Rafferty's Bowl, but ultimately BG didn't have any business playing them and neither do you. You can blame anyone you want.

 

There is no one on South's schedule as good as Mayfield period.

 

You can call me a hater all you'd like. You should know I had South Warren at #1 last year more times than any team. I have the articles to prove it.

[Purple88]

I'm going to nominate Demond Johnson from Muhlenberg County who had a 250 yard and 4 td rushing performance against Apollo.

 

Noted! Thanks D58!

[Spinstopshere]

Incorrect. Last season when BG "struggled" with Monroe County in a 44-7 win, I dropped BG off the #1 line and jumped South up 2 spots to the #1 position because they played the better team of the top 3 last year in John Hardin.

 

We can go round and round about how Monroe County got to the Rafferty's Bowl, but ultimately BG didn't have any business playing them and neither do you. You can blame anyone you want.

 

There is no one on South's schedule as good as Mayfield period.

 

You can call me a hater all you'd like. You should know I had South Warren at #1 last year more times than any team. I have the articles to prove it.

yes you dropped Bowling Green down are you sure it wasn't when they lost to St X? can't remember for sure .But you want to discredit South bc we played Monroe .South had nothing to do with who Bowling Green ask to play in THEIR Raffertys Bowl.and it doesn't matter who we play South is better than Mayfield .it is not who has better schedule strength .it is objectively who beats who and they played a terrible Ft Campbell and you didn't drop them.

[DragonFire]

Per @acs_sports: Based on available records, ACS QB Chase Wilson's 325 yards passing against Daviess County is new single game record for passing.

[Spinstopshere]

Great job Chase Wilson he is very gritty Greenwood may have trouble with ACS .Gators gave up 274 passing yards against WE .

[Purple88]

yes you dropped Bowling Green down are you sure it wasn't when they lost to St X? can't remember for sure .But you want to discredit South bc we played Monroe .South had nothing to do with who Bowling Green ask to play in THEIR Raffertys Bowl.and it doesn't matter who we play South is better than Mayfield .it is not who has better schedule strength .it is objectively who beats who and they played a terrible Ft Campbell and you didn't drop them.

Please refresh your memory with this from Week 1 2015:

 

http://bluegrasspreps.com/ky-football-high/western-kentucky-power-308633.html

 

http://bluegrasspreps.com/ky-football-high/western-kentucky-power-308633.html

 

I dropped BG week 1 and I dropped BG to #4 after the St X loss.

I'm as sorry as I can be for you, but the fact is you did play Monroe and it's done.

 

"South is better than Mayfield" based upon what? You beat 2A Monroe; they beat 3A Fort Campbell.

 

Schedule strength does come into play. You can't tell me with a straight face that you feel South Warren getting a win over a lower level 2A school is a good win based upon where you and I feel South is as a 4A program. These Power Rankings are based upon the first game of the season ONLY. Why? That's the only games available to compare/scrutinize. Not the games to come.

 

Fort Campbell terrible and all is a 3A team. Mayfield only schedules higher class teams out of district.

 

I'll argue with you tomorrow. Have a good nights sleep!

Edited August 22, 2016 by Purple88
Couldn't get the link to work!

[Spinstopshere]

I'm tired to .Have a good week .

[Cardinals44]

As for Mayfield's kicker he did fine. He went 8-8 on xp's. Didn't put any kick offs into the end zone but maybe if he keeps working he will get there. This years team is gonna be fun to watch. Defense is gonna play lights out again this year and our playmakers on offense jus need to get some reps and of course Bright, well he is gonna get his!

[Purple88]

Per @acs_sports: Based on available records, ACS QB Chase Wilson's 325 yards passing against Daviess County is new single game record for passing.

Thank you DFire! Appreciate it! Really think ACS missed an opportunity last week. Lets see how they rebound.

[00Tyler10]

Come on Spin of all Purples fans Purple88 may be the best at being non biased there is. He has shown a heavy respect for South and I am positive he will continue to do so. To say strength of schedule doesnt matter in a power ranking is going against all power rankings at every level. As a matter of fact it is used as a tie breaker in many. We all know South wont stay at 5. As they continue to win (which I believe they will) they will climb. You are entitled to your opinion as Purple88 is but I feel he did a good job supporting his.

 

Thanks for the read 88.

[Adopted Purple]

Good stuff Purple88. South Warren will have plenty of time prove how good they are this year. There is an old saying, "play somebody". South needs to schedule competitive teams, if they want to be considered as one of the top teams in the state, especially in power rankings. They have 5A numbers and a 3A schedule.

[Purple Nation]

Great job P88. You know your stuff. It should be an interesting for the next 3 weeks or so. I think by mid-season teams will be pretty much locked and loaded. Shouldn't be many upsets in regular "last-half" of season.

 

I do think Greenwood will climb up the list a little and may get a win or two in the playoffs. With today's game being pretty much an air attack, watching the Adams kid at QB for the Gators is actually quite entertaining. He is something else running the Veer. I say they get close to #6 in your poll by years end.

 

As far as the Purples go, I have said in the past three or four years that BG offensive play calling looks as if they were a college. They have so many plays and options. Very crisp. With their many offensive weapons and by years end the most underrated defensive unit they have placed on the field in many years (they may be a very young secondary but with little Vito and some other speedster DB's they will be more than fine).

 

Does anyone the Purples play other than Christian County live and die by throwing the ball? No way a team can win by running the ball against them.

 

Regardless, great work P88. See you Friday!

 

I got hammered last year when I was talking about the BG record (70-3, if I am not mistaken). I will say in again. They win an additional 70 before they lose 5 more games. 140 - 8 sounds pretty dog gone good. If I am not dead on it, Im pretty close! Future looks great for BG!