The 2025 season was tough for the Bruins and new coach Lance Gregory, as they started the season 0-9 before beating North Bullitt and finishing 1-10. Hopefully things will change in 2026 with a new group of players. Opening night at Atherton should see Caleb Wilson at QB and a different backfield. Harrison Hamilton is the lone returning receiver as coach Lance Gregory will look for the offensive line to improve from last season after losing three linemen to graduation. The defense loses their top six leading tacklers and will see some changes as well.

The schedule will mirror last season with Elizabethtown, North Hardin, CAL, Atherton and South Warren along with Meade County on the schedule.

The Bruins, who were held to 88 points; second fewest in Class 6A last year, do return junior guards Austin Bly and Xzayvieon Farrar who should be the leaders of the offensive line this year.

Central Hardin graduated its top six tacklers from a season ago, a unit that gave up 455 points on the season but will lean on juniors Thayden Geiger and A.J. McKinley and seniors Conner Dupin, Everett Beckley, and Areel Wilson to lead the defensive backfield.

The Bruins battled the injury bug all season in 2025 and finished with their fewest wins since a 1-5 record during the COVID-plagued six-game 2020 season.

The returning players have responded well to offseason workouts. In a New Enterprise article dated July 7th 2025, Bruins focused on revamping O line, linebackers | Sports | thenewsenterprise.com, coach Gregory stated that “We've had a core group of guys really committed to getting better this offseason, and those same guys have been showing up to every June workout,” Gregory said seniors like Cory Crain, Everett Beckley, and Caleb Wilson have led the way. “They’ve gotten stronger, faster and have really made an effort to do the things it takes to be successful this season,” Gregory said. “We also have a great freshmen group coming in this year that we're really excited about.”

Some of the core returning players stated that they have had a productive offseason and have shown up every day and are committed to the process. Gregory stated that they are emphasizing the difference between being committed or just interested in getting the Central Hardin program back on track. Gregory stated:” We still have too many guys that are just interested, if I'm being honest, but I'm incredibly proud of our guys that have made the decision to commit to being the best they can possibly be and to making the 2026 team the best it can possibly be.”

Some of the returning players are excited for this season. I think they have a chance to surprise a lot of people this year. They’ve got a good group of returning players like Caleb Wilson, Tony Hinton, Everett Beckley, and Austin Bly, who have been putting in a lot of work this offseason, along with several younger players, are ready to step up into leadership roles. The energy around this team is different from last year. Everyone has bought into what the coaches are asking of them, and they have been pushing each other, every day, to improve in the weight room and on the field. The team chemistry, work ethic, and experience are going to give the Bruins a chance to compete every Friday night. This returning group is excited about proving people wrong and showing what Central Hardin football is all about this season.

I think that Central Hardin can go 4-6 during the regular season, which would be a step in the right direction and lay the groundwork for getting this program back to its winning ways.

Atherton went 12-2 last season and scored 516 points on the season. The only two games they were held to less than 28 points were their two losses including a shutout loss to Pulaski County in the state semifinals. 

Atherton also had eight shutout victories and held opponents to 201 rushing yards and 473 passing yards in the season.

Leading rusher  Du Zye Grundy graduated. He had 21 rushing touchdowns and averaged over 100 yards per game. Two quarterbacks split time for the Ravens last season. Lamar Sistrunk, Jr. had 1141 yards passing and 15 TDs and  Deairus Smith, 968 yards apssing and 12 TDs on the season.

So not only do the Ravens need to deal with a potential QB controversy, they also need to replace Grundy and Garyon Hobbs who transferred back to CAL in the off season.

While there are some  questions offensively, defensively, they should be very good.

Central Hardin will struggle with the athleticism on the Ravens team.

Prediction: Atherton 34 Central Hardin 7

 

Atherton had respectable scrimmage effort against perennial power Boyle County and Central Hardin is rebuilding so I like Atherton to win and possibly big.

🏃‍♀️ ⏰

Bump.

Atherton 16

CH 0

First qtr.

23-0 Atherton 2nd Qtr

Atherton 30

CH 0 2nd qtr

Atherton 37

Central Hardin 0

2nd qtr

Atherton 37

CH 0 halftime

Atherton 44

CH 0

3rd qtr

Edited August 22Aug 22 by Hardin County Preps

Final.

Atherton 44

Central Hardin 0