3A Preseason Rankings?

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

Here is a look at how the last three weeks of the 3A football season played out last year. So now that we're just over 4 weeks away from the 2024 football season kicking off, what are you thinking in terms of preseason rankings for 3A?

Have any of these teams dropped out of the picture for the beginning of this season?

Are any of the quarterfinalists or semifinalists looking more like finalists this season? Or vice versa?

What about teams like Belfry, Franklin-Simpson, Mercer County, and Glasgow...do you see them making it any deeper of a playoff run than they did last year?




Here are this year's team threads that have been started from among the teams that made last year's 3A quarterfinalists:

2024 Christian Academy Louisville Centurions

2024 Bell County Bobcats

2024 Lexington Catholic Knights

2024 Hart County Raiders

2024 Union County Braves

2024 Rockcastle County Rockets

2024 Central Yellow Jackets

[TheBallCoach]

I look at a team like Franklin Simpson, they were 9-3, lost to the Hart County heroes, a very good Union County as well and a solid Greenwood Gators team. They lose their QB and leading rusher in the Dickerson brothers but are bringing back the majority of the LOS on both sides of the ball. If you know that area you are aware of the speed and talent that comes out of it, SR ATH Collin Anderson is no different, very fun player to watch and would be my pick for preseason district player of the year for 3A, D2. Another favorable schedule, they get their two toughest opponents Greenwood and Glasgow at home, I like for the wildcats to make a nice run this Fall.

In saying all of that, I still believe CAL will reload and be right back in line to repeat. It is enjoyable to see public schools have some feel good stories along the way though, and I feel as though 3A is filled with a lot of pocketed rural counties across the state with minimal past success, similar to a Hart County last year.

My sleeper pick to make some noise this year would be McLean County, finished 8-3 last year losing in the 1st rd of playoffs, I could see them winning a couple this time around.

[Unrivaled97]

1 hour ago, TheBallCoach said:

I look at a team like Franklin Simpson, they were 9-3, lost to the Hart County heroes, a very good Union County as well and a solid Greenwood Gators team. They lose their QB and leading rusher in the Dickerson brothers but are bringing back the majority of the LOS on both sides of the ball. If you know that area you are aware of the speed and talent that comes out of it, SR ATH Collin Anderson is no different, very fun player to watch and would be my pick for preseason district player of the year for 3A, D2. Another favorable schedule, they get their two toughest opponents Greenwood and Glasgow at home, I like for the wildcats to make a nice run this Fall.

In saying all of that, I still believe CAL will reload and be right back in line to repeat. It is enjoyable to see public schools have some feel good stories along the way though, and I feel as though 3A is filled with a lot of pocketed rural counties across the state with minimal past success, similar to a Hart County last year.

My sleeper pick to make some noise this year would be McLean County, finished 8-3 last year losing in the 1st rd of playoffs, I could see them winning a couple this time around.

You always respect your opponents & never try to assume anything, but I don’t think CAL is reloading.  Yes, losing a D1 QB & WR is tough for any program, but the talent they have in the freshmen & sophomore classes is impressive.  I think the younger Hodge will step in at QB & not miss a beat. I think they take 3A again this year.  If they don’t beat them this year, I think CAL is looking at 5 titles in a row because beating them in ‘25 & ‘26 will be a really tall order.

[TheBallCoach]

@Unrivaled97 Everything you just broke down was exactly what I was implying by the term reloading, the ability to still be atop 3A even after losing a couple of the best players in the state last season.
 

I believe you misinterpreted it with the term “rebuild” in which would be a couple of seasons of despair, but like most private schools they usually don’t endure many of those long dreadful years waiting for the next glimpse of success. I think what HC Thomas Cantwell has done in his 5 years at the helm is very impressive, inherited a good program and has made it better.
 

I think to further the discussion the question would be, barring a reclassification from 3A, will we just continue to see the dominance from CAL? I would say yes.

[JD5692]

Look for McLean County to be a sleeper pick to make some noise in 3A! Aden Bolden and Trokoby Gill are names to watch for at wing back and Hunter Stratton will the best Linebacker in the district! 

[Tkinslow]

11 hours ago, JD5692 said:

Look for McLean County to be a sleeper pick to make some noise in 3A! Aden Bolden and Trokoby Gill are names to watch for at wing back and Hunter Stratton will the best Linebacker in the district! 

They need to worry about Union Co first before they worry about the rest of 3A

[TylerDurden]

Does Hart Co have any chance to make the kind of run they had last year, or was that the kind of once in a generation type thing that you tend to see in some of the non-urban-centric county school programs?

[Tkinslow]

4 hours ago, TylerDurden said:

Does Hart Co have any chance to make the kind of run they had last year, or was that the kind of once in a generation type thing that you tend to see in some of the non-urban-centric county school programs?

This is my opinion again just my opinion, they will be a formidable team this year but not near the team they had last year. 

[VF111]

5 hours ago, TylerDurden said:

Does Hart Co have any chance to make the kind of run they had last year, or was that the kind of once in a generation type thing that you tend to see in some of the non-urban-centric county school programs?

I'll predict that Hart Co. is 7-0 up through October 4th... and 0-3 following. Amazing run in 2023. 

[JD5692]

7 hours ago, Tkinslow said:

They need to worry about Union Co first before they worry about the rest of 3A

I agree Union is the team to beat I just said I think McLean will make some noise! Don’t be surprised if they aren’t both undefeated when they play each other and that game is at Paulson Stadium this year which is one of the toughest places to play in WKY.

[Tkinslow]

3 minutes ago, JD5692 said:

I agree Union is the team to beat I just said I think McLean will make some noise! Don’t be surprised if they aren’t both undefeated when they play each other and that game is at Paulson Stadium this year which is one of the toughest places to play in WKY.

I wish them the best because I have no loyalties to either team I just have to see it to believe it. 

[ACfan4]

Look for Adair County to be a surprise team in 3A. Coach Steve Stonebraker led them to a 7-4 season in his first year as head coach and they return a lot with a huge senior class. Lane Grant was the QB last year but shifts back to RB and he rushed for 1500 yards and 20 TDS as a junior, Solomon Stonebraker returns at receiver with 58 catches for 888 yards from last season. The Indians return virtually all their skill guys. The big addition though is QB Easton Jessie transferring from Glasgow. He had 21 TDS to only 3 INT's last season and added 6 TDS on the ground. 

[DevilMayCare]

4 hours ago, ACfan4 said:

Look for Adair County to be a surprise team in 3A. Coach Steve Stonebraker led them to a 7-4 season in his first year as head coach and they return a lot with a huge senior class. Lane Grant was the QB last year but shifts back to RB and he rushed for 1500 yards and 20 TDS as a junior, Solomon Stonebraker returns at receiver with 58 catches for 888 yards from last season. The Indians return virtually all their skill guys. The big addition though is QB Easton Jessie transferring from Glasgow. He had 21 TDS to only 3 INT's last season and added 6 TDS on the ground. 

To people like you (an Adair supporter) and I (I'm at least halfway paying attention), the Indians shouldn't surprise anyone this year. The pieces are in place for a great season. The usual suspects of 3A may keep Adair down around the bottom of the Top 10 to start out, but they have potential to be an aggressive mover if they can clear that first big hurdle against Franklin-Simpson. An unbeaten regular season is there to be had.