The North Hardin Trojans struggled last season with Fort Knox transfer QB Jayden Thorpe trying to find a rhythm with his receivers and what seemed to be a plethora of penalties and miscues on offense throughout the season. This team has plenty of holes to fill along the offensive and defensive lines but return some key skill players that can turn a game around with one play.

Replacing Jayden Thorpe at QB will be crucial to the success of this program. Vying for this position are Jakylin Kirkwood and Durelle Loggins. Both sophomores are talented and show great potential with their throwing accuracy and ability to make plays with their feet. RB Kye Boyd returns in the backfield after rushing for 1,000 yards last season. North Hardin boasts 2 of the best receivers in the region with Louisville commit Shaun Boykins (56 catches for 897 yards 10 TDs), as well as talented sophomore Roland Lunz. The offensive line will need to rebuild with most everyone is gone from last year's squad.

After being a top tier 6A defense the previous 3 years, last year's defense struggled to stop the run. Most of the defensive line are also gone from last year's squad. A key loss at linebacker is AJ Rugerio, but returning are Darius Wiley and Jaxon Lente who should help on the back side of this defense. The secondary's leading tackler Mason Howard returns to help bolster the defense until some underclassmen can gain some experience as the season progresses vs a brutal schedule. 

The days of dominating the line of scrimmage on defense and a QB who had receivers all over the field are long gone. North Hardin must find the right players to fill the gaps up front on both sides of the ball but have some great returning skill players in the backfield that could keep them in this game. North Hardin is 1 to 2 years away from stepping up and being the favorite in the 2nd District. This year's team will be young and inexperienced up front but should continue to improve as the season progresses. 

South Warren finished last season 6-6, losing to Bowling Green 34-0 in the second round of the playoffs. QB Bryce Button returns from a season where he passed for 2,021 yards and should be the key to their success in 2023. RB Jimmy Sales returns for his senior season after rushing for 905 yards in 2022. This should give them some balance on offense as the leading receiver, Baily Shoemaker also returns for his senior season. 

South Warren doesn't have the talent pool that they have had in the past as Bowling Green appears to have the edge in talented players in Warren County, at least for now. I can see South Warren pulling out a close game 28-24.

The opening game of the Forcht Bank Bowl in Campbellsville will showcase 2 teams trying to improve on a tough year in 2022.  North Hardin ended the 2022 campaign going 4-7 and falling at Daviess County to end the year.  South Warren ended the 2022 campaign going 6-6 and falling at Bowling Green to end the year.

@Hardin County Preps knows North well and did a good job of reporting on them above.  I think North has some really good pieces, but likely take some time to get the rest figured out.  

The Spartans will bring one of the better QBs in the region into this game with JR Bryce Button.  Button is just a determined, efficient and smart leader on the field and causes teams a lot of problems.  His main RB, SR Jimmy Sales, is also back this season for South.  His top WR Bailey Shoemaker also returns and is a very good possession WR.  But South must replace 4 of 5 on a super 2022 Oline and 2 of 3 on a super 2022 Dline.  Graduation and a key departure hit the Spartan secondary pretty bad, but guys like Deshawn Bridges and Jace Cutrona are really good players that likely won't leave the field much this season for South.

I look for this to be a really close game.  I'll pick South by a couple points here, but early games in a new season with a new group of guys is unpredictable for sure.

I think South will be a little better than most I think they win by a couple scores.

This game will be streamed by Sporting Times via the link below:

 

- Sporting Times (stfanclub.com)

 

Thanks for the link Purple88. I will be at the Rafferty's bowl at WKU on Saturday.

In most yrs I would say SW without question. However, I witnessed what I consider the worst SW defense I’ve ever seen outside their first couple varsity seasons last yr.

Poor effort and even worse tackling. If they haven’t gotten much much better, Boykins may have a career night. 
 

Still I think SW holds a significant advantage in Coaching and up front. I’ll take the Spartans by 10.

Edited August 16, 20233 yr by theguru
Rule 13

Boykins has a new QB that must be able to get him the ball and an offensive line that starts mostly newcomers.

 

Bump.

ayone got a score from Cville?

It is 6-6 with 2:33 left in the first.

SW just had a very long touchdown pass called back.

SW ball currently.

No shortage of penalties in this game, that's certain.

On 8/14/2023 at 10:39 AM, Purple88 said:

This game will be streamed by Sporting Times via the link below:

 

- Sporting Times (stfanclub.com)

 

Free broadcast everyone! 

https://stfanclub.com/live/

I was away from the stream for a second, SW scored again. 

13-6 SW - about 11:45 til half

That was wide open, big pickup for NH.

NH on their own 40.