Round 3 of the playoffs is where the four remaining teams in each half of the state get seeded by RPI for their games. The #2 East seed Beechwood Tigers will host the #3 East seed Prestonsburg Blackcats. Beechwood is the #1 ranked team in 2A but Prestonsburg is the only undefeated team in 2A. This shapes up as Beechwood's toughest opponent since they suffered their one loss this year to Covington Catholic two months ago.

Prestonsburg is an old school run dominated offensive force. The Blackcats likely surpassed the 4,000 yards rushing mark in last night's round 2 win over Knott County Central, final score 55-6. Prestonsburg is the top rushing team in 2A and after their round 2 game is probably the top rushing team in the entire state, all classes included. Leading the rushing attack is Sr Kain Patton, closing in on 2,000 yards rushing for the season while averaging 14.5 yards per carry. But don't think that Prestonsburg is run only. Jr QB Alexander Johnson has thrown for more than 1,300 yards while completing nearly 69% of his passes, good for #4 in 2A in completion percent. Patton also leads the Blackcats in receiving. Defensively 5 players have recorded 15 or more tackles for loss including Sr. Baron Craft who also has 16 sacks.

Beechwood features a quick strike, passing focused attack led by Jr. QB Emmett Queen. In their 42-7 win over Walton Verona in round 2, there were three possessions where Beechwood scored a TD on the first play of the possession. The Tigers lead the state in scoring averaging over 50 points a game, and in scoring margin winning their games by 43 points a game. Queen's top targets are juniors Tyler Fryman and Nathan Pabst.  Both average more than 20 yards a catch. Pabst also is the team's leading rusher. Sr. Chase McDaniel leads the defense with 21 tackles for loss.

Can Beechwood's defense stop the powerful Prestonsburg rushing attack? How will Prestonsburg handle the speed of Beechwood's skill position players? This game is a very interesting matchup.

Edited November 15, 2025Nov 15 by Voice of Reason

Well we have gotten to the part of the year where it’s time to show your defense is ready to lead you to a Championship. This will be Beechwood’s first real test in these layoffs. Prestonsburg rushing attack will challenge the front 7 of the Tiger D. I fully expect Beechwood’s offense to be able to score but can their D limit Prestonsburg. I am excited to see how this works itself out next week. 

TP94 Power Rankings:

Beechwood 71.71

Prestonsburg 50.18

Beechwood wins by 21. What does everyone think?

Beechwood by as much as they want…Prestonsburg is headed in the right direction… But there’s only one 2A team in eastern Ky this year that can beat Beechwood.

Beechwood wins easily. 

Welcome to BGP @Pike1!

Prestonsburg results from riherds.com

Fri, Aug 22, 25 Betsy Layne home (W) 69-46
Sat, Aug 30, 25 Shelby Valley at Pikeville (W) 44-7
Sat, Sep 6, 25 Hazard home (W) 23-9
Fri, Sep 12, 25 East Ridge away (W) 41-8
Fri, Sep 19, 25 Pike County Central away (W) 44-14
Fri, Oct 3, 25 Knott County Central away (W) 45-7
Fri, Oct 10, 25 Floyd Central home (W) 57-22
Fri, Oct 17, 25 Leslie County home (W) 49-14
Fri, Oct 24, 25 Martin County away (W) 36-30
Fri, Oct 31, 25 Estill County home (W) 48-21
Thu, Nov 6, 25 East Ridge home (W) 42-0
Fri, Nov 14, 25 Knott County Central home (W) 55-6

8 hours ago, Voice of Reason said:

TP94 Power Rankings:

Beechwood 71.71

Prestonsburg 50.18

Beechwood wins by 21. What does everyone think?

I lean Beechwood running clock win. 

Running clock here.

Prestonburg is a very good team and would beat the majority of teams in 2A. However, the top 4 teams of Beechwood, Mayfield, LCA, and Belfry are just a whole different level than everyone else. Beechwood’s speed especially is just at a different level, especially offensively. You can play things correctly and even have the angle of them, and yet their speed still will beat the angles you have on them. 
 

While the stats for Beechwood defense is also very good. I don’t believe their defense is as good as their offense. I do believe Beechwood has some areas that can be attacked by teams. However, Beecbwood offense is so good and puts so much pressure on you to try to keep up, as they are going to score almost every time.  That it makes teams have to get away from what they need to do to try keep up. Which then allows their defense to make big plays and add on, and then it is over before you know it. 

I think this one will be a running clock by the third quarter for Beechwood. 

Beechwood 35-7.

1 hour ago, futurecoach said:

Prestonburg is a very good team and would beat the majority of teams in 2A. However, the top 4 teams of Beechwood, Mayfield, LCA, and Belfry are just a whole different level than everyone else. Beechwood’s speed especially is just at a different level, especially offensively. You can play things correctly and even have the angle of them, and yet their speed still will beat the angles you have on them. 
 

While the stats for Beechwood defense is also very good. I don’t believe their defense is as good as their offense. I do believe Beechwood has some areas that can be attacked by teams. However, Beecbwood offense is so good and puts so much pressure on you to try to keep up, as they are going to score almost every time.  That it makes teams have to get away from what they need to do to try keep up. Which then allows their defense to make big plays and add on, and then it is over before you know it. 

I think this one will be a running clock by the third quarter for Beechwood. 

Think you left out O Cath...Agree that P burg is in top of the second tier in 2A(6-10). Program is trending up...

https://fan.hudl.com/usa/ky/fort-mitchell/organization/6082/beechwood-high-school/schedule?date=2025-11-16T05%3A00%3A00.000Z&range=Week&s=U2NoZWR1bGVFbnRyeVB1YmxpY1N1bW1hcnk2OTA1ZjIwMzAwMjBkN2JmMmM3MDBiZWI%3D

Hudl stream ,not sure if $$$ is involved...

This reminds me of the LCA game last year for the Tigers. Run heavy LCA comes into Edgar Mcnabb with what we thought was a fragile beechwood run defense but they come in and they just can’t get anything going on the ground and beechwood dominates. Gotta give credit to Volker and the defensive staff because judging off that Cov Cath game it looked like they were about to get punished on the ground. Same feeling this year you got one of the best run offenses in the state coming to Fort Mitchell (3 hour drive by the way) and Beechwood still got punished this year by Cov Cath on the ground so maybe the same storylines but I expect this to go the same as the LCA game and even worse because the blackcats passing game is nonexistent and they aren’t on the same level as LCA. Give me beechwood running clock by the 4th.

Tigers win, comfortably.