Trinity 28 South Warren 14 (6A State Championship)

[Purple88]

2025 6A Playoffs – Round 5 – State Championship Game

Trinity Shamrocks (12-2) vs South Warren Spartans (13-0)

The 2025 6A State Championship Game will feature, in the Green Corner, the current Back-to-Back 6A State Champion Trinity Shamrocks and, in the Black Corner, a brand new (entered 6A this season) 6A challenger - the South Warren Spartans.  The comparisons and contrasts of these teams have a wide swath. 

By comparison, both teams have planted their flag in having a tough, hard-nosed defense.  For the Shamrocks, their stellar defensive unit has only yielded 126 points up to the Semi-Finals game (total of 13 games or roughly 10 points a game).  The Semi-Finals game at St Xavier they hammered their rivals 50-7 sending a clear message for this game that the Rocks aren’t done!

For the Spartans, their stout defensive unit has only yielded 181 points up to the Semi-Finals game (total of 12 games or roughly 15 points per game).  The Semi-Finals game vs Ryle they outlasted a valient Ryle effort winning 36-20.

Both teams’ offenses are balanced and athletic and can make plays and both hadn’t really been challenged in quite some time until the Semi-Finals round.

By contrast, Trinity has again played a tough out-of-state slate of teams including at Archbishop Moeller (OH) (Loss – 24-21), at Cincinnati St. Xavier (OH) (Loss 17-14), and Carmel (IN) (Win – 41-28) and a tough in-state slate of teams including St. Xavier (Win – 35-24) and Frederick Douglass (Win – 37-0).  For South Warren, their schedule doesn’t have near that level of competition with the top teams played including at Dupont Manual, at Pulaski County and Bowling Green.  All good solid to dominant wins, but nowhere near the level of Trinity’s competition above.   

This will be the very first meeting between these two teams!  And it should be an exciting one!  On to the specific team information!

Trinity Shamrocks Information – (TP94 Ranking: 103.82)

A quick tip of the hat to @St. Matthews Boy who did a great job with Trinity information this season!

Trinity High School opened its doors in 1953 and since that time has built a nice campus in St. Matthews along Sherrin Avenue.

Head Coach Jay Cobb came to St Matthews in 2014 from Beaumont, Texas (thanks to my friend @thsrocks for this nugget of info) and assumed defensive coordinator roles for Legendary Head Coach Bob Beatty.  Coach Cobb is now in his 5^th season after taking over from Coach Beatty.  He overcame two disappointing years in 2021 and 2022 (by Trinity’s Standards anyway) and righted the ship earning back-to-back 6A Championships in 2023 and 2024.  Impressive!       

Offensively, the Rocks are led by JR QB Zane Johnson with roughly 2,300 passing yards on the year with 39 TDs vs only 3 INTs.  All this young man has done is come on the Trinity Campus, work hard and earned a starting position on the varsity football team as a Freshman from the second game on from the 2023 season to now and contribute to a 35 and 7 record and 2-Time State Championship seasons and looking for more!  The running back stable is young, talented and deep.  They are led by JR RB Jamaurion Berry who has roughly 700 yards and 9 TDs on the year.  At WR, T has 4 players with over 20 catches on the year and only 1 is a SR.  SR WR Cross Watson has had a super SR year with 25 catches for roughly 530 yards and 8 TDs on the year.  And you can’t play the teams T does regularly without a good Oline and the Rocks have a very good Oline led by SR Nate Shields at 6’3” – 255 lbs.

Defensively, Trinity is led by JR LB Luke Vize with 61 tackles on the year.  The Shamrocks Dline is big, physical and deep and may be the best Dline in the State.  And I feel confident that they have the best secondary in the State with the likes of Elijah Burns-Crump (3 INTs), Sekou Kamara (3 INTs), Myles Howze (4 INTs), Sonny Bratcher Gray (3 INTs), and LA Evans (2 INTs).  Wow!    

The Shamrocks expect to be here and when they smell the finish line, they are tough to stop.

South Warren Spartan Information – (TP94 Ranking: 89.64)

South Warren High School opened in August of 2010 with their first varsity season coming the following year in 2011.  The Spartans have a very nice sprawling campus off Nashville Road in Bowling Green.  South Warren started in 3A and kept a slow methodical climb up their football path coming all the way to 6A this season with the continued surge in population in south Warren County. 

Coach Mark Nelson was the first Spartan Head Coach, but Brandon Smith was his defensive coordinator from the beginning of the program.  Coach Smith was selected to replace Coach Nelson in 2014 and is now in his 12^th season as the Spartans head man.  And he has done an outstanding job leading the Spartans to State Championships in 2015 (4A), 2018 (5A) and 2021 (5A).  And his father Chuck Smith coaches the defense and is one of the better minds to do so in Kentucky High School Football period.

The 2025 Spartans have been on cruise control from roughly September 26^th to tonight’s Semi-Finals matchup with a formidable Ryle squad.  I honestly think the last time they really dialed in to focus on a team prior to the Ryle game was back for the Pulaski County game roughly 2 months ago.  But I do think the South Warren coaches have been preparing for this game since about that time as well.  South Warren has had a habit this season of playing down to a few of the earlier teams on their schedule, but they were locked in for the 3 tougher games and defeated Manual, Bowling Green and Pulaski County handily.  And I look for them to be very focused and ready to play for this game. 

The Spartans are led by JR QB Camden Page (1,651 yards passing with 19 TDs vs 5 INTs).  He has good size and makes smart decisions.  4 of his 5 INTs on the season were thrown before September 6^th 2025 (some time ago, but he did throw one tonight).  SR RB Kayden York has played really well this year at RB and S.  In a lot of ways, he is the heart and soul of this team.  He has 612 yards rushing and 220 yards receiving on the season with 18 combined TDs.  SR Jake Carter is a fine player, and he leads the Spartan WRs with 50 catches for 658 yards and 7 TDs on the year.  South also has a good Oline and they are a physical group.

Defensively, South Warren has always been a sound defensive unit.  This year they are blessed with a very good Dline with JR Jaquise Smith (who is a LOAD down there at 6’1” 340 lbs.!) and SR Malik Butler forming a strong tandem.  The South LBs are very active and led by JRs Dakyon Darden and Ryley Oller who combine for roughly 100 tackles, 20 tackles for loss and 4 sacks on the year.  In the secondary, Kayden York has had a good year with 3 INTs and JR Isiah Bridges has had a great year with 5 INTs for South.     

Game Preview

The State Finals is every team’s dream, but only two teams get the opportunity to play for the game’s biggest prize and this year it will be the Shamrocks vs the Spartans at Kroger Field in Lexington on Saturday December 6^th at 4:00 pm.

For Trinity, this just seems like another focused week.  It would seem the majority of their players were playing in this game last season.  That experience has to have some value here.  The Shamrock players know what to expect because they have been here before and they are the back-to-back 6A State Champions.  Plain and simple. 

For South Warren, they have had a great undefeated season, blasted their rival (yes that hurt to type), and they have a very good team.  No doubt about it.  But in no time in their history has their schedule really ever been a factor for them like it will be in this game IMO.  Playing middle of the road teams for a 6A school since at least October has finally met a team unfazed by any of these antics.  It got South a comfortable #1 RPI slot and that has them here with a chance vs the 29-time State Champions.  The South Warren Coaches are more than capable of producing a game plan that will challenge the Rocks.  Plain and simple.  But outside of tonight, this team hasn’t been in a tough, tight game since maybe the middle of September vs Hopkinsville (who is dead to right a 4A school).  But if you are South Warren, you say who cares and only you have an opportunity to play Trinity for a State Championship and is really why we play the game because you never know. 

A few keys to the game:

For Trinity:

1.       Set the tone:  Come out physical; neutralize the South Warren front 7 and get your playmakers the ball in space.

2.       Get QB Zane Johnson comfortable and confident early.  If he gets in a nice rhythm, it’s a great sign for the Rocks!

3.       Defensively, make South QB Page uncomfortable whether with the blitz or your stout DLine, which will be the best Dline South has faced this season.

For South Warren:

1.       Settle into the game early.  There will be some nerves to overcome the first few minutes.  NO Big mistakes here.  You can’t afford to give T any free points or plays.

2.       Get QB Camden Page comfortable and confident early.  If he gets in a nice rhythm, it’s a great sign for the Spartans!

3.       Defensively, do what you typically do – put pressure on the QB and stop the run.  On paper that is easy, against the Rocks, not so much!

It’s time to play ball!  Good luck to both teams!  

Who wins this game and why?

[theguru]

Fantastic 88, thank you!

[fatsnbul]

Cue Godzilla...

[Tigerpride94]

I think the Trinity machine rolls. They are on a different level than everyone else right now. 

[PurpleTim]

You’re unbelievable, Purple88. Great job.
 

I think the magical season for the Spartans comes to a screeching halt and the Rocks, roll. 
 

South Warren will certainly be prepared but is just facing a true Bluegrass juggernaut. So hard to believe because South is really good this year but I will predict the Rocks to get the running clock. 

Green  52

Black   13

[theguru]

I like Trinity by a lot.  There is no comparison in my opinion. 

[NLTanker1]

I want to own my previous sentiment regarding Jay Cobb taking over at Trinity.

I was harsh in my words in 2021 and '22

I've choked on, yet eaten my crow. Coach Cobb has since renewed my faith in the football program, and more importantly his ability to lead. This could be the first 3-peat since the juggernaut that was 2010-11-12 under Beatty. 

GO 'ROCKS 

[raiders2120]

T by a ton

[theguru]

Just now, NLTanker1 said:

I want to own my previous sentiment regarding Jay Cobb taking over at Trinity.

I was harsh in my words in 2021 and '22

I've choked on, yet eaten my crow. Coach Cobb has since renewed my faith in the football program, and more importantly his ability to lead. This could be the first 3-peat since the juggernaut that was 2010-11-12 under Beatty. 

GO 'ROCKS 

That's my Tank!! 👊🏽

[ADopted ADmiral]

South Warren 21-17.

[TheDeuce]

3 minutes ago, ADopted ADmiral said:

South Warren 21-17.

SW is not holding Trinity to 17. They may win, but it’s going to take more than that.

[NLTanker1]

6 minutes ago, ADopted ADmiral said:

South Warren 21-17.

No way.

[onethirdofthegame]

T- 55

SW- 0

[St. Matthews Boy]

I have no doubt that Trinity will bring home state championship #30 on Saturday with a win over South Warren by at least two touchdowns. I'll say its a 42-21 win for the Rocks.

After having some success in their years while moving up classes, South Warren has been very impressive during their first season in 6A. Brandon Smith's group, headlined by QB Camden Page, looks very good and I am sure will bring everything they have to Lexington. However, Coach Cobb's Shamrocks I feel have too much firepower for the Spartans to overcome. Trinity has been on a different level than the rest of the state at just about every position this season, and they have only gotten better with the progression of the season.

[JohnWinger]

Trinity has way to many playmakers for South Warren to account for!  They made St X look silly.  This will be another 3-peat for the Rocks!