DevilMayCare

PBK Top 25 1. Ballard Bruins 🐻 (23-0) 2. Saint Xavier Tigers 🐯 (19-4) 3. Trinity Shamrocks ☘️ (18-3) 4. Sayre Spartans ⚔️ (21-4) 5. Pleasure Ridge Park Panthers PRP (16-3) 6. South Warren Spartans ⚔️ (16-4) 7. McCracken County Mustangs 🐎 (15-6) 8. Taylor County Cardinals 🇾🇪 (17-3) 9. Lyon County Lyons 🦁 (12-5) 10. Whitley County Colonels 🇾🇪 (17-4) 11. Greenwood Gators 🐊 (18-4) 12. Owensboro Catholic Aces ♠️ (14-7) 13. Madison Central Indians 🏹 (15-9) 14. Harrison County Thorobreds 🐎 (23-2) 15. LaRue County Hawks 🇸🇻 (20-4) 16. Ryle Raiders 🏴‍☠️ (16-7) 17. Lexington Catholic Knights 🛡 (8-7) 18. Boyd County Lions 🦁 (17-3) 19. Bullitt East Chargers 🐴 (16-4) 20. Bowling Green Purples 👾 (12-8) 21. Paducah Tilghman Blue Tornado 🌪️ (14-4) 22. Corbin Redhounds 🇵🇪 (13-9) 23. University Heights Blazers 🇬🇫 (12-5) 24. Danville Admirals ⚓ (17-5) 25. Barren County Trojans ⚔️ (14-7) 🔗: PBK's X account Notes and observations • St. X made its case for #1 with a takedown of formerly top ranked Trinity, but it was fellow Louisville heavyweight and 7th region contender Ballard that reached PBK’s summit this week. The Bruins are still unbeaten after winning all four games last week by a combined score of 39-0, including an 11-0 waxing of previously ranked Eastern. Ballard lowered its ERA to a state leading 1.14 and raised it's team batting average to .365, which ranks third in the state. Everything is going right for the Bruins right now. • Lyon County allowed three earned runs in three games at the All “A” Classic Tournament. The Lyons have been rewarded with a rankings bump of four spots following their “A” title win over Owensboro Catholic. • The week's big mover was Boyd County, who jumped seven spots to #18 after winning the State “2A” Championship. The Lions beat Logan County, Russell County, and #10 Whitley County on their way to the title, running their win streak to sixteen games in the process. • Taylor County continues to rake, leading the state in batting average at .382. The Cardinals have won eleven games in a row. • University Heights has put together an impressive run over the last several days, recording wins over three ranked teams - Greenwood, Paducah Tilghman, and South Warren. • Barren County and Danville are the week's new additions. The Trojans have continued to build on their rout of Lexington Catholic, ripping off ten straight wins over in-state competition. The Ads worked their way back in after a 4-0 week. Danville was previously ranked in Week 4.

Final from yesterday. 🏆 All "A" Tournament Championship 🏆 🦁 | (12-5, PBK #9) ♠️ | (14-7, PBK #12) 🗞️ | After besting Walton-Verona and Beechwood, the Lyons edged O-Cath by a run in a rematch of last year's title game, which was won by the Aces. Move over Sayre and make room for Lyon County, who stakes its claim as the top small school in the state.

Russell Red Devils 🔱 If the line of scrimmage develops, the Devils could be a handful in 3A this season. Key returnees include their top two rushers, led by running back Kaden Benge (557 yards/12 TDs), and top three receivers, led by Cayden Pennington (706 yards/10 TDs). The defense should hit the ground running with the return of its top nine tacklers, paced by linebacker Wyatt Hudson (102 tackles). The pieces are there for Russell to be a force this season, they just need the lines - o-line in particular, because it was almost completely wiped out by graduation - to come of age. 2025 Schedule Aug 8 at Lawrence County** Aug 15 at Rowan County** Aug 22 vs. Coal Grove (OH) Aug 29 at Greenup County Sep 5 at West Carter Sep 12 vs. Paintsville Sep 19 vs. Ashland Sep 26 at Fleming County* Oct 3 - BYE Oct 10 vs. Lewis County* Oct 17 at Bath County* Oct 24 vs. East Carter* Oct 31 at Breathitt County ** Scrimmage * District

The Cats are calling for Carrico. This kid has a massive frame (6'7", 280 lbs) and was just a freshman last year. Tons of growth potential still on the table. Courtesy of X.

The Golden Lions were getting after it yesterday. They took a big step forward last year under Spencer Crutchfield. What do we think about Garrard's outlook for 2025?

Baron Hardesty will be a cornerstone of the Chargers' success this season. He's got the physical tools and a slew of DI offers, which have a distinct Ivy League flavor. Hardesty is one of the state's top defensive linemen and a disruptive force in the opposition's backfield. Position: DL/EDGE Measureables: 6'3"/250 lbs 💪: 335 bench | 550 squat | 315 clean (school record) Hudl Tape: Junior Season (2024) 2024 Stats: 61 tackles | 20 TFL | 15 sacks | 2 FF Division I Offers: Yale, Penn, Columbia, Cornell, Brown, Georgetown, Fordham, Murray State, North Alabama, Southeast Missouri State, Bryant, Mercyhurst

Final from yesterday. 🐯 | (16-4, PBK #5) ☘️ | (16-3, PBK #1) 🗞 | Trinity starter Grayson Willoughby failed to record an out before getting the early hook. The Rocks went through five pitchers, while X got a complete game from Jakob Reed. Kyle Krupp and Donnie Sinkhorn each recorded 2 RBIs for the Tigers. X has made a strong case for state #1 with two wins over Top 10 teams in the last three days.

PBK Top 25 1. Trinity Shamrocks ☘️ (15-2) 2. Ballard Bruins 🐻 (19-0) 3. Sayre Spartans ⚔️ (19-3) 4. Pleasure Ridge Park Panthers PRP (14-3) 5. Saint Xavier Tigers 🐯 (16-4) 6. South Warren Spartans ⚔️ (15-2) 7. McCracken County Mustangs 🐎 (14-4) 8. Taylor County Cardinals 🇾🇪 (16-3) 9. Madison Central Indians 🏹 (14-8) 10. Owensboro Catholic Aces ♠️ (11-5) 11. Whitley County Colonels 🇾🇪 (14-3) 12. Ryle Raiders 🏴‍☠️ (13-4) 13. Lyon County Lyons 🦁 (9-5) 14. Greenwood Gators 🐊 (14-4) 15. LaRue County Hawks 🇸🇻 (19-2) 16. Bullitt East Chargers 🐴 (16-2) 17. Lexington Catholic Knights 🛡 (7-6) 18. Bowling Green Purples 👾 (10-6) 19. Harrison County Thorobreds 🐎 (21-2) 20. Paducah Tilghman Blue Tornado 🌪️ (12-3) 21. Meade County Green Wave 🌊 (13-5) 22. Scott County Cardinals SC (13-4) 23. Corbin Redhounds 🇵🇪 (10-9) 24. University Heights Blazers 🇬🇫 (8-5) 25. Boyd County Lions 🦁 (14-3) 🔗: PBK's X account Notes and observations • Trinity holds firm at #1 despite Carmel (IN) ending the Rocks’ thirteen game win streak in Game 2 of a double header. Gray Davis pitched six shutout innings to help defeat the Greyhounds in Game 1. • Ballard jumps to #2 and shows no signs of slowing down following a 5-0 week. The Bruins record stands at a sterling 19-0 with a very solid Eastern squad on the schedule for Wednesday. • Sayre recovered from an eight run drubbing at the hands of Scott County to finish 4-1 last week. The Cards got the better of that two game series, as it helped propel them into the Top 25. • Scott County was joined by Harrison County and Boyd County as newcomers to the rankings. The Thorobreds were launched to #19 following a 7-0 week that culminated with a win over #9 Madison Central. Harrison’s Brian Vaughn is batting .431 with 4 HRs and a 0.28 ERA on the mound. Boyd County is riding a twelve game win streak behind burgeoning star Grant Slater, who's hitting .442 and hasn't allowed a run, earned or otherwise, in nineteen innings pitched. • Hunter Holland went yard twice and drove in six to power Bullitt East over North Oldham as part of a 5-0 week for the Chargers. • A pitcher's duel unfolded between #20 Paducah Tilghman and #14 Greenwood, with PT’s Elijah Hamilton (6 ⅓ IP /3 H/1 ER) getting the better of Nathan Howard (6 IP/2 H/2 ER). • Madison Central and Ryle were the week's big risers, each moving up five positions. Corbin took the biggest tumble, falling ten places.

Zane Johnson received an offer from Appalachian State a few days ago. He's previously received offers from Miami (OH), Southern Miss, and EKU. Big things ahead for Zane, already a two-time state champion with two seasons still to go in a T uniform and DI offers coming in.

Anyone have an inkling as to where he'll land? It's down to the following seven schools: Graphic taken from X.

Final from yesterday. ⚔️ | (17-3, PBK #2) ⚓ | (13-5, PBK #22) 🗞️ | Pierre Kauffman, Charlie Slabaugh, and Gibson Gary each drove in multiple runs to help Sayre advance in the first round of the All "A" State Tournament. They plated eight runs on Danville starter Dillon Cruver, who'd only allowed two runs on the season coming in. The Ads are likely one and done in the rankings. They're 0-3 since debuting last week.

Renovations are underway. Courtesy of X.

Is anyone feeling like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day ? Ashland wins the region. Reload. Repeat ×7. We're stuck in a feline frenzy timeline, one where Ashland teaches a masterclass on dribbling, passing, shooting, and defending every March in Morehead. If you reside in Cannonsburg, Flemingsburg, Russell/Flatwoods, Morehead, or any other corner of the 16th Region, the last seven years have been like banging your head against a brick wall. It's got to be growing tiresome for the Cannonsburg crowd, in particular. They've poked holes in Ashland’s cloak of invincibility, only to have their Lionheart cut out when the stakes are highest. It's not getting old for the folks in and around Blazer. They are bathing in the glory of repetition after a region record seventh straight championship. It's become a death/taxes situation in NEKY. But there's always next year. Another opportunity to usurp the 👑. So let's spend the off-season months looking for a 🧱. • What does Ashland have left in the tank after the graduation of Zander Carter? Caleb Clarke and Elijah Neel will be two of the region's best. They may very well be your pre-season #1, but how sure is their footing? • Does Jacob Spurlock need a region title to cement his place as an all-time great in the 16th? He's got the individual accolades, but has yet to elevate Boyd County above and beyond region borders. • Is Russell ready to take the training wheels off? We've heard about their youth, ad nauseam, for the last couple of years. They've crawled, then walked. It's time to watch them run. • Can small schools take big steps? Raceland, Elliott County, and Morgan County return pieces that should have them all trending up in the region pecking order. • Be it predictions, off-season rankings, coaching changes, transfers, schedules… you name it, this is the place for it.

Final from yesterday. 🇸🇪 | (9-6) 🐦 | (10-5) 🗞 | The Thoroughbreds end Highlands' seven game win streak and deal the Birds their first home loss since May of 2024. NewCath is on pace to soar past last season's win total of 12.

Final from yesterday. X | (13-4, PBK #4) H | (7-7) 🗞 | Jaxon Coomer, Donnie Sinkhorn, Kyle Krupp, and Oakley Clevenger recorded two hits each for the victorious Tigers. Brodie Benefield was hitless, but plated a team high two RBIs. All three Male runs were earned against Kaden Ford, who went the distance. The X-Men are 10-1 against in-state competition and 4-0 versus the rest of Louisville, with a highly anticipated matchup against #1 Trinity awaiting next week.