CAL visits DeSales on Friday for a renewal of a former district rival series.  The all time series stands at 14-14.  This is the first meeting since 2021 for these district rivals with DeSales move back to 3A.  DeSales won the first seven games of the series with CAL taking the three most recent contests.

For DeSales, who stand at 3-3 on the season, they are a pass heavy team with about 80% of their offense coming through the air.  The Colts average close to 33 points per game.  They are led by SR QB Cameron Bischoff.  His main target is SR WR Kingston Merritt who has accounted for roughly 50% of the Colts receiving yardage through the air.

For the Centurions, who come into the contest at 6-0, they look to continue their momentum fresh off a hard fought win against traditional 5A power Bowling Green.  CAL is led by SO QB Jackson Burke.  His main target is dynamic playmaker JR WR Ja’Hyde Brown who is arguably the best WR in the state.  On defense, CAL is led by SO, 5 star DE Kellan Hall & JR LB Micah Newsome.

Can DeSales exploit the CAL secondary & keep their high powered offense rolling to a victory?  Does CAL start district play, with what many believe will be a string of multiple clock running victories?

This series, which dates back to 2005, is knotted at 14-14. DeSales has not beaten CAL since that 2019 2OT victory.

Bischoff is a great player and runs that DeSales offense well. He and the Colts DESERVE more attention. However, while I'd love to see DeSales win I just don't see it happening as CAL may have too much talent for the Colts to stay in this one.

CAL is the best team DeSales will face all season.

I have not seen Desales this year and know nothing about their team, but I've certainly seen CAL and know their team well enough to feel confident saying this game will be a running clock for CAL.

CAL wins with running clock.

JA’Hyde is only a junior and has offers from Alabama, Auburn, Indiana and Oklahoma to play WR

CAL Big.

Remember when this used to be one of the best games in the state certainly among small schools anyway. Desales has improved from where they were a couple years ago I think with them throwing the ball as much as they do it won’t run much time off the clock and probably result in a running clock.

On 9/29/2025 at 4:44 PM, Tkinslow said:

Remember when this used to be one of the best games in the state certainly among small schools anyway. Desales has improved from where they were a couple years ago I think with them throwing the ball as much as they do it won’t run much time off the clock and probably result in a running clock.

Easily one of the best rivalries of the 2010s. As a neutral fan, I hope it gets back there some day. CAL continued to ascend while DeSales badly regressed after the departure of Harold Davis. As you said, the Colts are making progress, but they're nowhere near where they need to be to threaten CAL right now.

Is there any definitive reason DeSales fell off so bad in the past 5 years? These two programs were as even as it gets during the 2010s. I feel like CAL gets uber talented players these days but where did the DeSales kids go?

Link to the broadcast is below if anyone is interested:

KHSAA Football: CAL at Desales | LiveSportscaster.com | Live Event Streaming and Audio Podcast Network

There is also a NFHS stream listed by DeSales but they refer to CAL as English Station I guess meaning English Station Campus but that is weird, DeSales:

https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/desales-high-school-louisville-ky/gam5c2acc52e0

19 hours ago, theguru said:

There is also a NFHS stream listed by DeSales but they refer to CAL as English Station I guess meaning English Station Campus but that is weird, DeSales:

https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/desales-high-school-louisville-ky/gam5c2acc52e0

That is what they mean.  CAL used to have three different campuses (2 in KY and 1 in IN).  They shut down the campus off of Dixie Hwy in Louisville (K-8) and all those kids moved to the English Station campus (Pre-K to 12).  CAL still has the campus in Indiana, which is part of the IHSAA, but does not have a football team.

6-0 CAL.

Centurions quickly go up two scores following a DeSales interception. Ja'Hyde Brown slipped four tackles for the latest CAL touchdown. 

13-0 CAL

3:18 1Q

20-0 CAL 

9:30 2Q