article BluegrassPreps Pre-Season Football Rankings

Class 1A

 

Pikeville proved they were worthy of being the Class 1A Champions in 2018, but came up just short against Beechwood. Class 1A says farewell to the Tigers, and in their departure the Panthers now become the defacto King of the Jungle. Campbellsville may have one of Class 1A's top players back and begin their march against Casey County. Speaking of returning stars, Williamsburg (Dalton Ponder) and Raceland (Gunnur Lewis) each have standouts back and each open with local rivals. Class 1A newcomer Newport Central Catholic hopes to shake things up with their arrival, they draw a tough opener against a 6A foe.

 

1. Pikeville vs. 3A Bardstown (8/24)

2. Campbellsville vs. 3A Casey County at Campbellsville University (8/24)

3. Williamsburg at Jellico (TN)

4. Raceland vs. 3A Greenup County (8/24)

5. Newport Central Catholic at 6A Campbell County

6. Paintsville at 3A Lawrence County

7. Hazard -- OPEN

8. Crittenden County at 2A Fort Campbell

9. Kentucky Country Day at 5A Atherton

10. Ludlow at 2A Carroll County

 

 

Class 2A

 

Much like Class 1A, Mayfield will watch the defending Champion who bested them in the State Finals depart as Christian Academy of Louisville moves up. The Cardinals may have still started the year at #1 with the talent they have returning and will test their mettle with a stout foe from Memphis, Tennessee. We will have to wait a week to see Beechwood make their debut, but Championship hopeful Somerset will look to carve their path to a successful year against Rockcastle County. The first ranked foe of the year that Class 2A will try to topple is 5A Graves County. Murray will have their hands full, but the Tigers have a lot of firepower back.

 

1. Mayfield vs. Lausanne Collegiate (TN)

2. Beechwood -- OPEN

3. Somerset vs. 3A Rockcastle County

4. Lexington Christian Academy vs. 4A Moore

5. Walton-Verona vs. Lloyd Memorial

6. Murray vs. 5A #10 Graves County

7. Breathitt County at 1A Jenkins

8. Owensboro Catholic vs. 5A Ohio County

9. Caldwell County vs. 5A Christian County

10. Danville vs. 4A John Hardin (8/24)

 

 

Class 3A

 

The landscape of Class 3A was effected more than any of the other small-school classes with traditional heavyweights Central, Boyle County, Corbin, and Lexington Catholic all departing. Taking their place are no shortage of programs with dynasty potential and Christian Academy of Louisville and DeSales both enter and immediately rocket to the top of the rankings. Belfry has been a 3A staple and keep their residence, but will need to beat 5A Southwestern and hope the two newcomers lose to ranked foes from higher classifications. The back half of the Top 10 is littered with other newcomers. Ashland, Glasgow, and Taylor County all have high hopes in their new alignments and will have solid tests to get off on the right foot.

 

1. Christian Academy of Louisville vs. 5A #7 South Oldham

2. DeSales at 6A #3 St. Xavier

3. Belfry vs. 5A Southwestern at Pulaski County

4. Bell County vs. 5A Collins at Danville (8/24)

5. Ashland at 4A #9 Knox Central

6. Elizabethtown vs. 4A Allen County-Scottsville at Glasgow

7. Paducah Tilghman at 6A #10 McCracken County (8/24)

8. Glasgow vs. #10 Larue County

9. Taylor County vs. Western Hills at Campbellsville University (8/24)

10. Larue County at #8 Glasgow

 

 

Class 4A

 

The Class 4A outlook in recent years has been a story of the "Have's and Have-Not's". Johnson Central and Franklin-Simpson have dominated the scene in recent years and will certainly continue to be right in the mix, but new blood has been pumped in from Class 3A teams moving up that will certainly make things much more intriguing. Boyle County and their roster with D-1 talent open as the Pre-Season #1 and they bring Beau Allen's Lexington Catholic with them as a built in District rivalry. Lexington Catholic gets into the heat of things quickly against a veteran Pulaski County team. Central was a monster in Class 3A, they continue to play a stiff schedule like they do every year and open with a ranked 6A Manual squad. Knox Central is searching for respect. The Panthers were a Semi-Finalist a year ago and bring some key players back, but have been shuffled down due to the new arrivals. They have a chance for a statement off the bat against former 4A Ashland.

 

1. Boyle County vs. 5A Iroquois at Mercer County (8/24)

2. Johnson Central vs. 6A Lafayette

3. Corbin vs. 5A Whitley County

4. Franklin-Simpson vs. 5A Greenwood

5. Madisonville-North Hopkins at 3A Union County

6. Lexington Catholic at 5A #8 Pulaski County

7. Central at 6A #6 Manual

8. Franklin County at 5A East Jessamine

9. Knox Central vs. 3A #5 Ashland

10. Wayne County vs. Shelby County at Lincoln County

 

 

Class 5A

 

Could Class 5A be the new heavyweight class? Enrollment loopholes and new schools drop two of the top expected 6A teams in as Frederick Douglass and Scott County search for greener pastures free of the Louisville powerhouses. Scott County gets an interesting opener against the school who made them fall to 5A, brand new cross-county foe Great Crossing. Joining these teams are four teams with lofty expectations on a statewide scale including defending 5A Champion South Warren. Brandon Smith's team will look to prove they are still a factor against a ranked 6A foe in Butler. South Oldham and Pulaski County should each have a wealth of firepower that would make them Top 5 caliber teams in most classes, they also each have tough openers against very talented 3A teams.

 

1. Frederick Douglass vs. 6A Bryan Station

2. Scott County vs. Great Crossing

3. Covington Catholic vs. 6A Ryle

4. Highlands at 4A Scott

5. Bowling Green vs. Father Ryan (TN) at Western Kentucky University (8/24)

6. South Warren vs. 6A #8 Butler at Western Kentucky University (8/24)

7. South Oldham at 3A #1 Christian Academy of Louisville

8. Pulaski County vs. 4A #6 Lexington Catholic

9. Owensboro at Breckinridge County

10. Graves County at 2A #6 Murray

 

 

Class 6A

 

The Big 3 (Trinity, Male, and St. Xavier), have earned their moniker by simply outclassing the rest of 6A on a consistent basis. With realignment taking some of 6A's best teams outside of Jefferson County, there may not be a season where the Big 3 stands out more than 2019. Expect these teams to shift in rankings at the top all throughout the year, and with tough draws in the opener, it may start as soon as Week 2. Simon Kenton has been the most consistent Northern Kentucky 6A school and say goodbye to some of their neighbors, but the Pioneers have high hopes to make some major moves. North Hardin may be a surprise Top 5 team, but they return a ton of experience and elite athleticism. Speaking of pure talent, Butler and Ballard each have D-1 stars on their roster. Butler get the defending 5A Champions and a perfect opportunity to make a seismic statement.

 

1. Trinity vs. Carmel (IN)

2. Male vs. Floyd Central (IN)

3. Saint Xavier vs. 3A #2 DeSales

4. Simon Kenton vs. Henry Clay at Lafayette

5. North Hardin vs. 4A Waggener at Fairdale (8/24)

6. Manual vs. 4A #7 Central

7. Ballard at 5A Doss

8. Butler vs. 5A #6 South Warren at Western Kentucky University (8/24)

9. Fern Creek at Jeffersonville (IN)

10. McCracken County vs. 3A #7 Paducah Tilghman (8/24)

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