1A Notebook 10/23 - Setting the Stage

District races are wrapping up. We will get you up to date on where things stand around the state in each district and tell you about the two key games in the top 10 last week. Then we break down each district and let you see how the playoffs are starting to shape up.

Weekly Review

1. Pikeville WON at #2 Hazard 42-0

2. Hazard LOST vs. #1 Pikeville 0-42

3. Paintsville WON vs. Betsy Layne 44-0

4. Newport Central Catholic WON vs. Dayton 49-0

5. Raceland WON vs. Fairview 69-6

6. Campbellsville WON vs. #9 Bethlehem 48-42

7. Williamsburg WON vs. Pineville 44-6

8. Kentucky Country Day WON at Frankfort 61-22

9. Bethlehem LOST at #6 Campbellsville 42-48

10. Louisville Holy Cross WON at Fort Knox 48-6

The obvious game of the week was #1 Pikeville traveling to a district contest versus #2 Hazard. Hazard looked the part of a team ready to hang loss number one of the season on Pikeville. The Bulldogs had a 23-14 win over #3 Paintsville and gave then 2A #1 Somerset their toughest game of the year before falling 21-9. That resume should have spelled trouble for Pikeville. Nope. The Panthers had little to no trouble on their way to a 42-0 win. The yardage total was just as lopsided with Pikeville racking up 382 yards to Hazard’s 172. It was a team effort as five different players scored for Pikeville and four different players rushed for 40 yards or more.

The other top 10 face off was much more interesting. Campbellsville hung on to defeat Bethlehem 48-42 in a game that was in doubt till the final play. The first half was filled with offensive fireworks as Campbellsville went into the locker room at halftime leading 42-28. Campbellsville’s D1 recruit Malachi Corley showed why he is considered by many the best player in 1A and one of the best in the entire state. In the first half Corley rushed 7 times for 114 yards and a TD, caught 2 passes for 81 yards and a TD and racked up 5 tackles on defense. Unfortunately for Campbellsville, Corley was injured late in the first half and did not return. That led to a very different second half, but still an exciting one. Bethlehem scored twice in the third quarter behind talented freshman RB Zane Wickliffe who scored on runs of 9 yards and 60 yards to tie the game up. Campbellsville responded with a go ahead score early in the fourth quarter. On their next possession Campbellsville almost ran out the clock holding the ball for 7 minutes. Bethlehem finally got the stop and the ball back but there were only two minutes left. Bethlehem kept battling. They moved down the field and appeared to get the game tieing score on a pass by QB Ryan Mattingly, but Mattingly was ruled across the line of scrimmage as he threw the pass while scrambling. The next and final play of the game Mattingly’s pass into the end zone was intercepted and Campbellsville held on for the win. What a game!

1A Districts Update

District 1

Crittenden County 6-2; 2-0 in district

Russellville 2-6; 2-0 in district

Fulton County 5-3; 0-2 in district

Caverna 1-7; 0-2 in district

Crittenden County defeated Fulton County 30-12 and will host Russellville this week in a district 1 showdown.

District 2

Campbellsville 6-2; 2-0 in district

Louisville Holy Cross 6-2; 1-1 in district

Bethlehem 5-2; 1-1 in district

Fort Knox 2-6; 0-2 in district

Bethlehem was not able to get the win over Campbellsville. This week it will be up to Holy Cross to salvage their and Bethlehem’s hopes for the #1 seed as they host Campbellsville.

District 3

Kentucky Country Day 8-0; 2-0 in district

Eminence 7-1; 2-0 in district

Berea 6-2; 0-2 in district

Frankfort 2-6; 0-2 in district

Eminence handed Berea their second loss of the year by a score of 28-21. Berea jumped ahead 14-0. Eminence tied it at 14 but Berea scored just before halftime to get the lead back at 21-14. Eminence scored a touchdown and 2 point conversion to take a 22-21 lead entering the fourth quarter. Berea had the go ahead touchdown called back due to penalty and could not quite get within range to try the go ahead field goal. Eminence then added on another touchdown to seal the win. Eminence will now have the challenge of going on the road to #8 Kentucky Country Day to try and secure the district crown and #1 seed in the playoffs.

District 4

Newport Central Catholic 6-2; 2-0 in district

Ludlow 5-3; 1-1 in district

Bellevue 2-6; 1-1 in district

Dayton 4-4; 0-2 in district

Newport Central Catholic made it two lopsided district wins in a row with a 49-0 win over Dayton. Ludlow responded from their thrashing last week to stomp Bellevue 61-21. Ludlow visits Dayton’s historic stadium this week to try and secure the #2 seed in the district while Newport Central Catholic will look to run the district table in their visit to Bellevue.

District 5

Nicholas County 5-3; 2-0 in district

Bishop Brossart 4-4; 2-1 in district

Paris 2-6; 1-2 in district

Bracken County 0-9; 0-2 in district

The big game last week in this district was Brossart getting a road win at Paris, 41-8. That locked up the #2 seed for the Mustangs and will bring a first round playoff visit by Paris to their new stadium in two weeks. This district is set for the playoffs. Even if Bracken County were to pull off the very unlikely upset this week over Nicholas County it would not change the district standings.

District 6

Paintsville 6-2; 2-0 in district

Raceland 5-3; 2-0 in district

Fairview 2-5; 0-2 in district

Betsy Layne 3-6; 0-2 in district

It is time. The annual district face off between Paintsville and Raceland has arrived. This game seems to never disappoint. Home field advantage in the playoffs is the prize, although the last three times these two have met, the road team got the win. Raceland likes hearing that since they are the road team in this regular season game. Both teams have their injured quarterbacks back setting the stage for another classic chapter in this rivalry’s history.

District 7

Pikeville 9-0; 3-0 in district

Hazard 5-3; 1-1 in district

Phelps 4-4; 0-1 in district

Jenkins 0-10 (forfeiting season)

We detailed Pikeville’s big win over Hazard which earned the Panthers the district title. All that is left in this district is a visit to Hazard by Phelps. Phelps got back to .500 with a 41-13 win over Sayre last week, but the Hornets will pull off a shocker if they get the win this week at Hazard.

District 8

Williamsburg 6-2; 2-0 in district

Pineville 6-2; 1-1 in district

Lynn Camp 3-4; 1-1 in district

Harlan 1-7; 0-2 in district

Williamsburg left no doubt that they are still the king of District 8 with a 44-6 beating of Pineville. The Yellow Jackets zipped out to a 28-0 lead in the first half and never looked back. Lynn Camp will visit Williamsburg this week and do their best to make it a three way tie in the district.

Friday Night Lineup

Here is the lineup for this Friday for the 1A top 10. Paintsville hosting Raceland is the headliner. Campbellsville’s visit to Holy Cross and Kentucky Country hosting Eminence are other key top 10 games.

1. Pikeville --- OPEN

2. Paintsville vs. #5 Raceland

3. Newport Central Catholic at Bellevue

4. Hazard vs. Phelps

5. Raceland at #2 Paintsville

6. Campbellsville at #10 Louisville Holy Cross

7. Williamsburg vs. Lynn Camp

8. Kentucky Country Day vs. Eminence

9. Bethlehem vs. Fort Knox

10. Louisville Holy Cross vs. #6 Campbellsville