jester270

Coach Shadowen is a great guy! What is Apollo doing? Never understood why they didn't try to keep him on staff since he is an Apollo Alum. He would have been a great addition to the Apollo BBall program. Coach Shadowen has a very bright future for OC.

I have them as a dark horse contender. Rod Drake is one hell of a coach!

For a team that’s been talked about as a potential top contender in the 3rd Region, Apollo didn’t exactly solidify that narrative last night. Trinity went toe-to-toe with the Eagles for much of the first half — the score was essentially even at the break — and Apollo looked anything but dominant against a team they were expected to handle comfortably. So what’s going on with the Eagles? The talent is there, the experience is there, and the expectations are definitely there. But whether it’s slow starts, defensive lapses, lack of intensity, or just not putting four quarters together, this is not the version of Apollo people were hyping up in the preseason. And when you look at their schedule… let’s be honest, it’s not exactly a gauntlet. If they’re struggling to separate from Trinity, how will they look against actual region-title contenders?

OCath is getting BLOWN off the ball. LCA pressure is very effective

True—Beechwood was in a three-man front, but they did bring a fourth pretty often. Most of their pressure was just an edge guy, and even their blitz looks were usually only four rushers total. Nothing complex, and O-Cath’s offensive line handled it really well. Is not having Carrico going to hurt today? This game will be won in the trenches.

Kentucky has had a very underwhelming start to the season and they will continue to disappoint Cats fans after this game, too.

Woodward and Maddox show up in the defensive stats, but it feels like they’re only being used part-time in the secondary. And honestly, when OCath’s defense starts to struggle, you can usually see both of them back there. That tells me the staff knows they need their best athletes on the field when things tighten up. I get the argument about saving guys for offense, but at the small-school level, your best players have to be on the field in the biggest moments. If I’m OC, I’m making sure the defense is loaded with the top personnel every snap—not just in crisis mode. With how explosive LCA's offense is, you can’t afford to roll the dice on coverage.

Carothers had a plethora amount of time in the pocket. OCath's o-line has played extremely well this year. How is LCA's DLine?

This 2A final features two explosive offenses, but the semifinal tape matters. Owensboro Catholic escaped 41–40 against Beechwood, and you can’t help but feel that if Beechwood had brought more pressure instead of rushing three all night, that game may have ended differently. Catholic’s offense is dangerous when the quarterback has time, and LCA won’t want to repeat that mistake. LCA looks like the more well-rounded team overall. If they can contain Miles Edge and consistently pressure the O-Cath QB, they have a real shot to control this matchup. Still, with both teams capable of scoring in bunches, this one could go either way. This might be the best matchup out of all classes, IMO.

LCA Raceland Owensboro Boyle County Trinity CAL Tie Breaker: 70

Owensboro is less than 10 minutes away from Indiana. Seems pretty west to me ??‍♂️

I’m rolling with Woodford County in a close one. This matchup has all the makings of a shootout, but WoCo just feels like the more complete team, IMO. I don’t think Owensboro has a real advantage up front in this matchup, and in a game where both offenses can score at will, those trenches matter more than anything. Owensboro absolutely has the playmakers to keep it tight, and this one could swing either way, but Woodford’s balance and protection up front give them the slight edge for me. Should be a classic.

Woodford Pikeville Murray Franklin Co. Atherton Tie Breaker: 63

Beechwood and Owensboro Catholic have both earned their way back to this stage, but I’m still not convinced OC’s defense can slow down what Beechwood brings offensively. The Tigers are balanced, explosive, and probably the most complete unit the Aces have faced all year since their loss to OHS earlier this season. On the other side, Beechwood’s defense is physical, disciplined, and easily the toughest matchup OC’s offense will have seen this season outside of OHS, respectfully. It’ll be a great environment and a fun rematch, but I think the Tigers make the key stops when it matters and keep OC chasing. Another deep run for the Aces, but another year without the title, IMO.

Win a championship and that will change.

FD Bell County Mayfield Cov Cath BG Tiebreaker: 55

SW will be able to name the score in this one. Hats off to Henderson for a tremendous season. Their program is headed in a great direction.

Owensboro will roll in this one!

Somerset has size, but I think OCath pulls away late in the game. Somerset missed a lot of opportunities last year, but I think OCath's defense was significantly better last season, IMO. This one could end up being close, but I predict OCath will live to see another week.

Great write up! Any info on how DC and Apollo did this weekend at their scrimmages? I saw some highlights of Moss. I think he is a legit Mr. Kentucky Basketball candidate!

You’re basing everything on Apollo scoring 19 on Barren County, but you’re ignoring the biggest detail: that was Round 1, and JT Edge stepped in cold after not taking a single QB rep since Week 3 against Owensboro Catholic. Most teams would crumble in that situation, but Apollo didn’t—they adjusted on the fly, leaned on grit, and still won a playoff game. Now Edge has a full week of QB1 reps, and the offense finally has its real firepower back: Bratcher, Badger, Williams, and Tutt are all healthy. This is not the patched-together unit you saw last Friday; this is Apollo at full strength. And defensively, the move of Hot Rod Dillard to ILB changed everything—they’re faster, more physical, and taking away lanes that used to be wide open. Bowling Green hasn’t seen this version of Apollo at any point this season. So no, the talk isn’t delusional. It’s recognizing health, momentum, adjustments, and timing. If BG walks in expecting the same Eagles team from the regular season, they’re in for a rude awakening. Apollo feeds off being doubted, and this week they get their chance to prove it.

If Apollo shows up with their A-game, this one is going to be much closer than people expect. Everyone keeps talking about Max Johnson’s injury — fair — but JT Edge at QB is not a downgrade to panic over. He nearly beat OCath on the road, he’s tough, smart, and brings that old-school Apollo edge. Give him a full week as QB1, and this offense stays dangerous. And the receivers? When healthy, Badger, Bratcher, Williams, and Tutt are one of the better groups in western Kentucky. They stretch the field in every direction, and JT just needs to get them the ball. They can create chunk plays on anyone. Defensively, moving “Hot Rod” Dillard to inside linebacker changed everything. The whole unit is faster, more physical, and more disciplined. Pair him with Edge in the front seven, and Apollo suddenly has a defensive identity that can keep them in games. BG is still BG — talented, disciplined, and experienced — but Apollo has the formula to make this a four-quarter fight. If they win matchups on the outside, let JT use his legs, keep BG behind the chains, and play clean football, this gets real interesting. Apollo isn’t the favorite, but if they land the first punch? We might be sitting on a Friday night classic.

If Greenwood wants to make Owensboro uncomfortable, there are real pathways — but they have to hit them early and consistently. First, Greenwood must control the tempo. Owensboro is at its best when the game is fast with explosive plays. Greenwood can flip that by shortening the game with long, physical drives behind their strong offensive line and backfield. Fewer possessions means less room for Owensboro to separate. Second, Greenwood’s front seven can create problems. They’re one of the few defenses in 5A that can win early downs and force Owensboro into 3rd-and-long. That takes the Red Devils out of their rhythm and makes them rely on execution instead of pure athleticism. Third, Owensboro hasn’t been pushed in two months. This is not a shot against a weaker schedule outside of X, CAL, and even OC. Owensboro hasn't really had a team come out and hit them in the mouth in a while. Greenwood needs to keep the game close into the second quarter. If it stays tight, Owensboro feels pressure they haven’t faced since mid-September — and Greenwood gains confidence. Turnovers and penalties also matter. One strip, one tipped interception, or one special teams mistake can flip the momentum instantly. We saw that from Greenwood against Bowling Green. Bottom line: If Greenwood limits possessions, gets early stops, forces long-yardage situations, and turns this into a physical grind, Owensboro is out of its comfort zone. They should still win, but Greenwood has a real blueprint to make things interesting if they execute. Owensboro 35 Greenwood 21

North Oldham Lawrence Cov Cath Cooper Hazard Time Breaker 42

What do you mean by "Apollo things"?