Bluegrasspreps' Eastern Kentucky Power Rankings 10-22

1. Johnson Central Golden Eagles (4A, 8-0)- The Eagles ran wild on the poor Harlan County Black Bears and need only a win over Letcher Central to finish their regular season District slate undefeated.

2. Bell County Bobcats (3A, 8-0)- Undefeated and relatively unchallenged, the Bobcats keep their blowout tour in tact by destroying Jackson County. Estill County is the next victim in their path.

3. Pikeville Panthers (1A, 8-0)- Pikeville took a highly anticipated 1A Clash with Hazard and turned it into an exhibition game by pounding the Bulldogs. Don't be fooled by their small enrollment, these boys are able to hang with anyone in EKY.

4. Belfry Pirates (5-2)- Belfry welcomed back one of the premier players in East Kentucky and promptly made short work of Lawrence County. The Pirates' win over LCA is now perhaps the best win of any EKY team as well, and they look to bolster their resume against surprising Pike Central.

5. Ashland Tomcats (3A, 7-1)- Ashland rallied in the Second Half for a huge win and now control their playoff destiny with Russell being relegated to coming to Putnam Stadium for a re-match. The Tomcats should have no issue with Greenup County as Spring Valley, WV looms in the finale.

6. Pulaski County Maroons (5A, 7-1)- The Maroons took care of business by defeating Whitley County and North Laurel, while the District sorted itself out on their BYE week leaving them in the 1-seed. Their work is not entirely done as rival Southwestern would love to dampen their momentum and hurt their RPI heading into November.

7. Somerset Briarjumpers (2A, 7-1)- Somerset proved they were definitely a clear figure in the 2A Title picture, but the Briarjumpers came a conversion short against LCA and suffered their first defeat. They can't fall asleep at the wheel with two more quality opponents left.

8. Wayne County Cardinals (4A, 6-1)- The Cards didn't exactly appear to be in Championship form, but they got the job done against Knox Central. This sets up a monster of a game at Campbell Field.

9. Corbin Redhounds (4A, 5-2)- Corbin didn't exactly instill confidence in their fanbase with a scary win over Lincoln County, but nonetheless it was a victory. The Hounds have a chance to get their bearings together with Wayne County.

10. Breathitt County Bobcats (2A, 8-0)- The Bobcats may not play a Top 10 caliber foe until the Semi-Finals if the RPI seeds hold true. They continued their dominating play against Knott Central and now eye Leslie County.

11. Russell Red Devils (3A, 6-2)- Russell looked primed and ready to make a statement, but their quick 14-0 lead turned into a defeat to Ashland once their Offense stalled out. The Devils can't live in the past as East Carter continues to play good ball and would love nothing more than to shock the kids from Flatwoods.

12. Paintsville Tigers (1A, 6-2)- Paintsville snored their way past hapless Betsy Layne and now must get the energy cracked up with a massive showdown against Raceland looming.

13. Raceland Rams (1A, 5-3)- Raceland didn't break a sweat as they pulverized Fairview and set the table for this week's big clash. The Rams are atarting to get healthy again and need a big win this week.

14. Hazard Bulldogs (1A, 5-3)- It was a rough night in the dawg pound as Pikeville toyed with the pooches and left them in the dog house. Expect Phelps to feel the wrath of Coach Dixon as they try to right the ship.

15. Whitley County Colonels (5A, 5-3)- The Colonels have had a productive season with their three losses coming to teams all in the Top 10 by respectable enough outcomes. Whitley should be able to continue to get their confidence up with South Laurel next.

Three Big Performances:

Pike Central Hawks (3A, 7-1)- Make it 7 in a row for the Hawks and if not for a couple penalties in their seas opener, they may be undefeated. Pike Central didn't give Magoffin County room to breathe and now gear up for Belfry in a huge District game.

East Carter Raiders (3A, 6-2)- The Raiders can count 2019 as a successful season regardless of how it winds up. With a one-point win over Greenup County they basically assure themselves they will see Russell two of the next three weeks. The question remains will both be on the road?

West Carter Comets (2A, 6-2)- Not to be outdone, the other Carter County squad also secured a huge win by locking up the 1-seed in their District by taking down Martin County in convincing fashion for their fifth straight win. East Ridge is next up so go ahead and call it 7 wins.

Three Tough Defeats:

Knox Central Panthers (4A, 1-7)- Perhaps the best 7-loss team in the State is Knox Central. The Panthers tough schedule continues to put them in the loss column, the latest being a valiant effort falling short versus Wayne County. Lincoln County is now a must-win.

Harlan County Black Bears (4A, 6-2)- Noone was calling for an upset, but Harlan County had a chance to at least show some backbone that they will be a factor come November and had little gas in the tank against Johnson Central.

Prestonsburg Blackcats (2A, 2-7)- Prestonsburg simply cannot score points as in all seven of their losses they have not hit three touchdowns. With the loss to Bath County they are now facing a must-win situation against Martin County to even make the playoffs.

Player of the Week:

QB Dalton Ponder, Williamsburg- Ponder was magnificent as the Yellowjackets took down Pineville to secure the 1-seed in 1A District 8. Ponder completed 18/27 passes for 341 yards and 4 TD's, he also scrambled for 58 yards and added another score on the ground.

Game of the Week:

#8 Wayne County Cardinals at #9 Corbin Redhounds- This one has so many levels to it a paragraph won't do it justice. The Class 4A District 7 one seed is on the line. Braedon Sloan needs this game as a statement on his unbelievable season. Corbin needs to rebound after a lackluster effort. So many story lines, no doubt the one game to be at.