1. Belfry Pirates (3A, 1-0)- The Pirates looked the part of the #1 team by ambushing 6A Tates Creek. This week the Pirates will take on a much improved Harlan County squad.

 

2. Johnson Central Golden Eagles (4A, 1-0)- It was a proud week for EKY teams and none had a more symbolic win than Johnson Central taking out the #2 team from the Mountain State. The Eagles return to Bluegrass action with a solid Lexington Catholic team.

 

3. Corbin Redhounds (3A, 2-0)- Corbin rose to the challenge against fellow 3A Powerhouse Central and held on to a narrow win. Clay County is next and the starters should see some rest.

 

4. Wayne County Cardinals (4A, 1-1)- How did Wayne bounce back after a disappointing season opener? By steamrolling North Laurel! Wayne will look to crush their second straight 5A foe against Perry Central.

 

5. Southwestern Warriors (5A, 1-1)- Southwestern lost a heart breaker to 2A Danville, but there is no time to weep. A very good Knox Central team comes calling in a HUGE matchup.

 

6. Pulaski County Maroons (5A, 1-1)- Pulaski fared well for a Half against 6A stalwart Scott County, but then the wheels came off. An early season BYE week comes at an opportune time as the Maroons need to heal up a bit.

 

7. Knox Central Pathers (4A, 1-1)- Knox Central rolled against a ranked 3A Waggener team and turned heads in doing so. With Madison Central looking good, that one point loss doesn't seem so bad. Big time game this Friday.

 

8. Pikeville Panthers (1A, 2-0)- The Panthers won convincingly against a 5A Letcher Central team, but did not exactly look very crisp. With a huge 1A Matchup with Paintsville looming, those mistakes will need attention in a hurry.

 

9. Paintsville Tigers (1A, 2-0)- Paintsville made a statement against fellow 1A Frankfort. This week the chance to make a statement is even bigger as they call on Defending Champs Pikeville.

 

10. Rockcastle County Rockets (4A, 1-0)- There is a lot of buzz in Mount Vernon right now, probably the most in years, and The Rock only fueled those flames by dominating Bourbon County on a neutral field. A win over South Laurel is likely, and if that happens the momentum will continue to snowball.

 

Three Teams That Impressed

- Russell Red Devils (3A, 1-0)- The rivalry game with Greenup was a physical WAR but the Devils proved an extra point better to take down the constantly improving Muketeers.

 

- Raceland Rams (1A, 2-0)- The Rams defeated NEKY powerhouse Ashland in last week's GOTW. The most impressive part of the win? Raceland didn't even bring their A Game. Despite numerous mental lapses they still pulled the mild upset and validated they are a 1A team to reckon with.

 

- Leslie County Eagles (2A, 2-0)- One of the biggest sleepers in 2A are the veteran Eagles who ambushed a 3A Knott Central team. Leslie has a nice mix of Offense and Defense and appear the clear favorite to win their District.

 

 

Three Teams Who Struggled

- Breathitt County Bobcats (3A, 0-1)- After a rush stretch of down seasons Breathitt fans were hoping for a silver lining in 2016, but the season opener was a disaster as they let Perry Central hang 63 on them.

 

- Bell County Bobcats (3A, 1-1)- Bell took a step up in competition playing 4A Mercer County on a neutral field. The Titans overwhelmed Bell in almost every aspect and beat the Bobcats with a running clock.

 

- Shelby Valley Wildcats (2A, 0-2)- Numbers are down, injuries are up, and Touchdowns are hard to come by. A Week 0 loss to Franklin County was expected, but getting crushed by Pike Central in the Pike County Bowl really send the Cats on a downward trajectory.

 

Player of the Week

RB Brody Johnson, East Ridge

Johnson set the Difficulty Level to "Easy" and out up video game numbers Friday in the win against Phelps. Johnson accounted for over 300 rushing yards and scored 5 TD's against a surprisingly game Hornets squad.

 

Game of the Week... err CO Game(s) of the Week

 

#9 Paintsville Tigers @ #8 Pikeville Panthers- With two headliner games featuring Top 10 teams it is too tough to pick just one. The 1A Clash has been "Must See TV" the past two seasons and most likely will not disappoint again.

 

#5 Southwestern Warriors vs. #7 Knox Central Panthers at Clay County- Knox Central made a statement Friday while Southwestern had a statement made at their expense. If you are a fan of physical football and tough running Halfbacks, the Appalachian Bowl matchup between these two will be one you do not want to miss.

Nice write up, really enjoy the read on teams not in my area of the state!

I love these regional breakdowns. Wish they were all stuck at the top of the page so I don't have to search so much.

I love these regional breakdowns. Wish they were all stuck at the top of the page so I don't have to search so much.

 

If it helps we do all of these Power Rankings as "Articles".

 

If you hit the "HOME" button at the top left of the page under the Bluegrasspreps.com Header it takes you to a reverse chronological list of all articles... the most recent being at the top...