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If you thought Glasgow would not come close in 2012 to duplicating the success they had in 2011, you were not alone. The Scotties went a sparkling 14-1 in 2011 en route to a state runner-up finish, but lost almost all of their top players and production from that year. On top of that, they only rostered five seniors for the 2012 campaign. But Coach Rick Wood and Glasgow proved their mettle by capturing their district again on the way to an 8-2 regular season, and raised hopes so high that it came as a disappointment when they fell 10-2 to DeSales in the 2A Region 2 finals. Ultimately, Glasgow's only three losses came to teams that reached the state semifinals. And so the yo-yo of expectations swings up again and Glasgow is thinking state finals once again. And this time they'll aim to finish the job they fell short of in 2011. The Scotties will field a veteran and experienced team for the 2013 season. Their roster boasts 31 upperclassmen, 17 of them seniors. They return 15 starters including their starting QB, top four rushers, most of their receiving corps, and six of their seven leading tacklers. In short, these guys have seen plenty of action. Senior QB Ryan Hinkley did not pass often last year, compiling only 782 yards and nine TDs, but will provide a steady hand leading the offense. he'll be greatly aided by a pair of 1,200 yard backs, junior Marquez Trigg and senior Quentel Bradley. Trigg saw 178 carries and Bradley toted it 179 times, by far the most on the team. They are a pair of dangerous runners and give great balance to Glasgow. Protecting Hinkley's dropbacks and opening up the lanes for Trigg and Bradley will be four returning offensive linemen from 2012 that are large and in charge. The Scotties will average at least 260 lbs on the line. Leading the defensive corps will be senior LB Connor Glass, the second leading tackler in 2012 for Glasgow with 51 solos. Three of the front four on the defensive line return, led by senior DT Aaron Witty (44 solo tackles) and senior DE Ben Furlong (41 solo tackles). In all, the defense returns seven starters to a unit that allowed 12 points and less than 200 yards per game in 2012. The 2013 Glasgow schedule is very similar to the edition from the previous two years, featuring 7 games against 2012 opponents. They open the season by hosting Hart County in the TJ Samson Bowl, a bowl game co-hosted with Barren County and played at Glasgow this year. The Scotties also step way up in class, visiting 6A Seneca on October 4th. But 4 games stand out on the schedule the same way they did the past two years. Glasgow will visit long-time rival Allen County-Scottsville on September 13th, always an entertaining game. They'll get another crack at powers 2A Somerset and 3A Monroe County, two of their losses from a year ago, the following two weeks. That all leads to their toughest district game, at Green County on October 18th. Last season the Scotties surprised some by knocking off the Dragons 25-16 in Glasgow. This year the Scotties will not have the advantage of home field, but to them that just means they'll get to crush Green County's district hopes in front of the Dragon crowd this time around. 2013 has very much the same feel as 2011 in Glasgow. A large senior class, tons of returning starters, a better than expected showing the previous year. They'll likely even have the same skepticism they faced in 2011, living in the shadow of a more heralded team to the west, with Caldwell County likely to be the pick of most to reach the state finals. The Scotties may just have a surprise for them come Black Friday. Nothing that comes before should be a surprise to anyone. Players To Watch Marquez Trigg - RB/DB - 5'11", 190 lbs - Junior - Trigg is the co-star of the Scotties for now, and will take full ownership off the star role in 2014 when he's a senior. Trigg amassed a staggering 21 touchdowns in 2012 to add to his 1,212 yards, averaging just shy of 7 yards per carry. Quentel Bradley - RB/DB - 5'10", 165 lbs - Senior - He may be slight in size, but that doesn't mean he's easy to bring down. It's not uncommon to see Bradley drag a defender or two for some extra yards, or simply run them over and continue on his way. Oh, and he's more than fast enough to simply run around them too. Milas Norris - WR/LB - 6'2", 185 lbs - Senior - Norris is the leading returning receiver for the Scotties, leading the team in receptions last year while coming in at #2 in terms of receiving yards. He'll have a large impact on defense too where he notched 34 tackles from his linebacker position, sometimes also lining up as more of a defensive end. Matt Boston - C - 6'2", 270 lbs - Senior - Boston was selected as a 2nd team AP All-State lineman in 2012, and will anchor the veteran Scottie offensive line.

The last two years for Allen County-Scottsville have been challenging to say the least. From 2008-2010 the Patriots made three straight region title games, compiled a 33-6 record, all culminating in a run to the 2010 4A state championship game. The past two years have brought no playoff wins and lost more games in each individual year than they did combined in 2008-2010. The 2012 season was not without positives. The Patriots had a strong win against surging 3A South Warren. They battled 2A power Glasgow to the wire and gave another 2A power Monroe County all they wanted in a loss on the road. Most importantly, the Patriots knocked off district rival Franklin-Simpson to gain a home playoff game and moving back up the ladder towards the top spot in the district that they consider their rightful home. Coach Brad Hood will enter his eighth season at the helm, and he will look to 13 seniors that have been in the program for four years to lead the team back to the promised land. The Patriots return five starters on each side of the ball, possibly none more important than senior RB Charlie Trapp. Trapp averaged 5.4 YPC in his junior campaign, gaining 664 yards and 6 TDs along with adding 226 yards and a TD receiving out of the backfield. He’ll be the bell cow, as no other Patriot runner returns that carried the ball more than 22 times. Those 22 rushes came from junior QB Colton Oakes, who will take the helm of the offense from departed seniors Kasey Johnson and Connor Ross. Those two combined for 86% of all passing yards for the Patriots last year, but Oakes did start a pair of crucial district games against Franklin-Simpson and Warren East last year, and threw for 164 yards and a TD on the year. His development will be crucial to Allen County-Scottsville’s success on the year. Protecting Oakes and blocking for Trapp will be a veteran offensive line, the deepest at Allen County-Scottsville since the seminal 2010 season. The Patriots return three starters, RG Michael Burton, RT Gabe Whitney, and LT Elijah Perea. The line was almost even more experienced, but two year starter at LG Jordan Keen was lost to an ACL tear during spring ball. The Patriot aerial attack will be aided by the return of leading receiver senior Jacob Howard. Howard accounted for a little over 25% of all receiving yards for the Patriots a year ago, and nearly half of their receiving TDs with 4. Howard is also the primary playmaker on kickoff and punt returns. Defensively, the Patriots will have the tough task of replacing all-purpose player Austin York, who led the team in tackles in addition to handling punting duties. The Patriots additionally lost their #2 and #3 leaders in tackles from a year ago and return no starters on the defensive line. The Patriots return a pair of linebackers in seniors Tanner Mutter and Wes Cornwell that combined for 101 tackles in 2012. The linebacking corps should also be bolstered by two way player junior OLB/WR Jordan Moss, who is anticipated to have a big impact on the defense. Allen County-Scottsville also returns almost their entire secondary with junior CB Cainan Cox, senior CB Caleb Vernon, and senior S Gage Link. Cainan Cox was co-leader on the team for interceptions in 2012 alongside Tanner Mutter. The Patriot 2013 schedule is a half and half mix of new and old faces. To open the year, Allen County-Scottsville will play Mercer County, a rematch from a year ago in Boyle County’s bowl game. This time, it will take place on the field that every team in Kentucky hopes to be playing on in December, at WKU’s LT Smith Stadium as part of Bowling Green’s Rafferty’s Bowl. They will then meet Greenwood, which returns to the schedule after a two year hiatus that followed a four year stretch where the teams split 2-2 in their matchups. In mid-September comes the customary rivalry game against Glasgow. Outside of a 4 year span from 1999-2002, the two teams have played every year since 1997. Glasgow has won two straight, including last year’s heartbreaker 7-6. The season closes with the same 4 game stretch as 2012, when the Patriots go through the crucial games against their three district foes. The schedule does them no favors there as they will have to travel to the two teams that are their biggest competition in striving for the district title, Franklin-Simpson and district favorite Warren East. Their regular season closes with another staple of the schedule when they host Monroe County. 2001-2004 were the only years in Monroe County’s history that the two schools did not meet, with the Patriots trailing the series 16-8. Players To Watch Charlie Trapp – RB – 5’7”, 200 lbs – Senior - Trapp will be heavily leaned on to carry the offense, especially as the new quarterback develops. He’s a compact but explosive player. Tanner Mutter – OLB – 5’10”, 190 lbs – Senior - Mutter is the leading returning tackler for the Patriots, with 32 solos and 7.5 tackles for loss in 2012. He was also a team leader in INTs with a pair. He’ll be counted on even more this year to marshal the defense. Wes Cornwell – MLB – 6’1”, 225 lbs – Senior - Cornwell looks the part more than some of the other Patriots with a little more typical height and weight for the linebacker position. Last year he did a little bit of everything, forcing two fumbles, blocking a kick, and hauling in one INT to go with 18 solo tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss.

Entering their third year as a varsity program, South Warren has thus far met or exceeded every goal they have set for themselves. In 2011, their goal was to make the playoffs in their first season. Check. In 2012, their goal was to host a home playoff game. Not only did they meet that goal, they won that game for their first postseason victory and won a second to advance to the region finals, far exceeding expectations. And so they find themselves entering 2013 with loftier goals than ever. Their senior class began the South Warren football program, which fielded only JV/Freshman teams in 2010. They are the forerunners of the Spartan program and they will seek to leave a lasting legacy at South Warren, a legacy that includes a regional title. Head Coach Mark Nelson will enjoy a team that will boast the most experience and talent yet in the short Spartan history. He'll have the services of senior QB Jay Eblen, a dual-threat who will be in his third year starting under center. Also returning are the two primary ball carriers from 2012, seniors Drew Wilken and Joel Iyiegbuniwe. Wilken is the leading returning rusher in terms of per carry average and Iyiegbuniwe has generated interest from several colleges this offseason, including an offer from hometown team WKU. Protecting Eblen and opening the running the lanes are three returning interior linemen, all seniors. Defensively South Warren will have the services of the recruiting jewel of the team, recent UK commit Adrian Middleton. Middleton checks in at a healthy 6'4", 275 lbs. Middleton is one of the few Spartans that does not play on both sides of the ball, so he remains fresh to blow up the interior of the offensive line. If he is not double teamed, good luck keeping him out of the backfield. Another defensive standout returning is ILB Cody Chaffin, the team leader in tackles in 2012 with 78 solos and 47 assists. Wilken will also return to shore up the linebacking corps, while Eblen and Iyiegbuniwe will see time in the secondary. South Warren's 2013 schedule sees a few slight tweaks from a year ago, with one very significant rival added. The Spartans will continue their rivalry with Warren East in the season opener, moving it from Bowling Green's bowl game at WKU to a home and home matchup, this year playing at South Warren. They'll also continue their series against close neighbors Logan County and Russellville. But the most significant pickups on the schedule are Daviess County and Greenwood. 6A Daviess County represents the largest school the Spartans have ever met on the field. Greenwood is the highlight of the schedule. South Warren was formed from a large portion of Greenwood, and many of these players played on the same middle school team, so the faces will be familiar. South Warren has enjoyed many successes that Greenwood did not attain for many years, and the Spartans will look to rub more salt in that wound with a victory in the first meeting between the schools. The schedule has a much greater balance between small schools and large schools than the first two years. This should help prepare the Spartans for their inevitable bump up as high as 5A following the 2015 realignment. In district play, the keystone game is their October 18th meeting with Monroe County. The Falcons are the one team the Spartans have been unable to solve, losing by an average of more than 27 PPG in their three meetings so far. That included an embarassing 41-0 loss at home last year in the de facto district championship game. With a pair of D1 recruits leading them, South Warren will be ready to ground the Falcons in 2013. Above all, 2013 is a window of opportunity for South Warren. They enjoy a significant enrollment advantage over the other 3A teams, with an enrollment that would actually place them among the largest 4A teams in the state. They will reap the benefits of one of the more experienced rosters in the state, with several three year starters on both sides of the ball. There will be added pressure to achieve even greater success before the window closes and they find themselves on a playing field with schools more their size. Players To Watch Adrian Middleton - DT - 6'4", 275 lbs - Senior - Kentucky commit Middleton is the monster of the team, the best player in the very short South Warren history. He only compiled 40 solo tackles last year, but every one of them was a highlight. It was not uncommon to find him charging through the line, reaching out with one arm, and flinging the quarterback to the ground with ease. Jay Eblen - QB/SS - 5'11", 180 lbs - Senior - Eblen is the general on the field for the Spartan offense, and their leading producer on the ground and through the air. Last year Eblen threw for 1,433 yards and 15 TDs in addition to racking up 700 yards and 12 TDs on the ground. Eblen is a scrambling quarterback, which can at times lead to trouble, but just as often keeps plays alive for much longer than they otherwise would, leading to open receivers downfield. In either case, he's entertaining as hell to watch. Joel Iyiegbuniwe - RB/FS - 6'2", 205 lbs - Senior - Iyiegbuniwe doesn't have a name that exactly rolls off the tongue (most call him by his nickname "Iggy") but you'll hear it often during a South Warren game. Iyiegbuniwe is the big play threat for the Spartans, be it on a kickoff, run around the end, or even when jumping a route on defense to take an interception back to the house. Look for the Spartans to get the ball in his hands often, preferably in the open field where he will blow by opposing defenses or just simply make them miss. Cody Chaffin - OLB - 6'1", 195 lbs - Senior - Cody is officially listed as a TE along with his linebacker duties, but sees very little time outside of his linebacker position. Which suits him just fine. Chaffin has a nose for the ball and there are very few defensive snaps you won't find him near the outcome or making the play.

Over the past two years, the Dragons have established themselves as arguably one of the top 10 teams in the state regardless of class. They have played in three straight region title games, and have only one loss to a team in those three years that didn't play for a state title. Unfortunately for Warren Central, they have six losses to teams that did, and three of those losses prevented them from winning even a single region title during that time. In the last two years, the prevailing feeling on Morgantown Road is that Bowling Green prevented them from not only winning a region title, but a state title as well. This leaves Warren Central entering 2013 with many questions about what to do moving forward. They've seen a lot of success but they have not gotten to where they feel they are capable of going. They'll have a lot of gaps to fill as well in their quest to achieve those goals. Gone is the advantage of five senior lineman that the Dragons graduated last year. Gone is a three year starter at quarterback. And gone are their top two rushers. But enough about what Warren Central lost, what do they return? Their primary returning offensive weapon in their Wing-T offense is WB Rondell Green who averaged 8.3 YPC last season on 61 rushes. He'll likely be complimented on the opposite wing by junior Daryen Ross who posted 260 yards in limited work last season. The likely quarterback for Warren Central will be senior Chris Porter-Bunton, who has actually generated a fair amount of college interest as a wide receiver, the position he played primarily last season. With Porter-Bunton in the backfield, the Dragons will look more like the team featured in the first season under HC Mike Rogers when he came to Warren Central in 2009. That team threw much more sparingly but confused defenses with three speedy and talented backfield runners in addition to a bruising fullback. Porter-Bunton's mobility may help make up for an inexperienced line, especially in the early part of the season. Defensively the Dragons should return six starters, anchored by junior MLB Emmitt Smith and senior WLB Byron Carver. Of all the players on Warren Central's team, no player passes the eye test more than these two bruisers. They'll be called upon to tighten up a defense that allowed an average of 29.5 points in two games to Bowling Green last year, their only two losses. The Dragons have only once ever beaten Bowling Green when allowing that many points in a game. The 2013 schedule sees a fairly significant uptick in difficulty for the Dragons as they are beginning to experience a taste of what Bowling Green has been dealing with - no one close wants to play them. The Dragons had great difficulty finding a game for Week 10, so they were able to jump at the opportunity to play arguably the most tradition rich program in the state, the Highlands Bluebirds. Warren Central has also added games against 2A Semifinalist Louisville DeSales, traditional powers Owensboro and North Hardin, as well as an appearance against Boyle County in the Rebels' bowl game. This gauntlet may find Warren Central with a few more bumps and bruises as well as more entries in the loss column than the past few years. They're hoping that it will pay off in preparation for where they want to go. In-district the Dragons are the clear #2 team behind Bowling Green, and will be strongly favored in all games except that one. The game against Bowling Green is October 18th, two weeks before their matchup with Highlands. Few teams, if any, can boast of two games that challenging so close to each other. Few teams, if any, would WANT two games that challenging so close to each other. Warren Central remains confident that they can win a state title in 5A, but they will have to find a way to reach even the semifinals before they can truly be seriously considered a threat for the title. Will they ever be able to escape the Purple shadow of their "big brother"? Players To Watch Chris Porter-Bunton - QB/WR/FS - 6'4", 200 lbs - Senior - In a perfect world, Porter-Bunton would be playing in his more natural position of wide receiver rather than throwing the ball, but look for the Dragons to still look for ways to split him out wide. As QB, Central will look to take advantage of his athleticism and the greater opportunities provided by the ball being in his hands on almost every snap. Byron Carver - TE/OLB - 6'2", 230 lbs - Senior - Carver's size gives him a matchup advantage over most teams the Dragons will face, and should be the favorite passing target on the team. Last year he notched 374 yards and 8 TDs in an offense that threw sparingly. Defensively, the Dragons seek ways to get Carver matched 1 on 1 on the edge with offensive lineman, where his size and speed can yield maximum results. Emmitt Smith - MLB/FB - 6'3", 240 lbs - Junior - Emmitt Smith has half the battles won already. He has the frame of a football player, and he has a name synonymous with football. Smith has begun to generate some more interest in recruiting circles, and will be leaned on to continue the strong play he exhibited late last season to lift the Dragon defense. Smith also saw spot work at the fullback position in 2012, and may be called upon to carry the ball more this season. Rondell Green - WB/CB - 6'0", 180 lbs - Senior - After a strong sophomore campaign Green was expected to be the lead wing for the Dragons, but a hand injury kept him from carrying the ball as much as the Dragons would have liked last season. He still put up 507 yards rushing with 8 TDs on the ground, as well as hauling in 4 TD receptions and running one kickoff back for a score. Defensively, Green is the standout in the secondary where he notched 6 interceptions, one of which he took back for a score.

The 2012 season was an historic one for the Warren East Raiders. They set the school mark for wins in a row at 13. They completed not only the first undefeated regular season in school history, but also became the first school in the Warren County Public School system to ever accomplish that feat. The only black mark on the season was the resounding thud it ended in - a 58-7 drubbing by Collins in the state semifinals. The Raiders will be looking to wipe that taste out of their mouths in the 2013 season. They'll also be looking to a new head coach to lead them to their ultimate goal of not only reaching the state championship game, but winning it as well. Ben Bruni stepped down as head coach of the Raiders following 8 years that saw them win the first two region titles in school history. He was the third longest tenured coach in program history, finished with the second most wins, and compiled the best win percentage of any coach at Warren East ever. Following that pedigree is a tall task but the Raiders pulled in a man with an impressive history of his own. New HC Steve Long spent 18 years from 1977-1995 at Bowling Green as an assistant coach, the last seven as associate head coach and defensive coordinator, culminating with the 1995 state championship. He has worked as head coach at Allen County-Scottsville and been on the staff at Warren East as defensive coordinator the past two seasons. He provides continuity to the program and a strong track record of winning - just the man the Raiders need. The Raiders lost 22 seniors from last season, including big two way lineman Mitchell Cook and wideout Chase Bryant, the team's leading receiver last year. They also must cope with the loss of QB Jimmy Burns, a 2100 yard passer that moved to Butler County during the offseason. But the cupboard is far from bare for Warren East. Leading the way will be stud RB/LB Eli Brown, an all-state selection in his sophomore season and a recent Vanderbilt commit. He'll be the best player on the field in every foreseeable game the Raiders will play this year, a huge advantage to have. The key to Warren East's success in 2013 may be new QB Austin Pagel. He has the big shoes to fill with the loss of Burns and his ability to run the new Warren East offense may be the difference in improving on last year's strong run. Pagel did not throw a single pass for the Raiders last year, nor did any player on the roster this season. The 2013 schedule features a few tweaks from that of the past two years, but continues to have a balance of strong opponents with expected wins. The toughest game on the schedule may be the very first game when they take on the South Warren Spartans. This game was part of Bowling Green's Rafferty's Bowl the past two years, but this year the teams will keep the gate themselves, moving to a home and home affair, starting out at South Warren. The Spartans are led by recent UK commit DL Adrian Middleton, and are expected to be a top 10 team in 3A. Warren East will also continue their series against Monroe County, which after South Warren provided them their closest test of the 2012 regular season, with the Raiders escaping with a 26-18 win. But both of those are returning opponents. The highlight of the new games is a trip to 6A Meade County. The Green Wave is notoriously tough to handle at home, and had several strong showings in 2012 in close losses to Henderson County, Warren Central, and Collins - who they lost to by only 7 in contrast to the 51 the Raiders fell by. In-district, the toughest tests should as always come from Allen County-Scottsville and Franklin-Simpson. Each of those teams advanced to state finals in the last three seasons, and have historically been thorns in Warren East's side, last year notwithstanding. With the loss of Lone Oak on the other side of the playoff bracket, maintaining dominance over District 2 is key for the Raiders' postseason hopes by postponing a potential matchup with expected region favorite Owensboro until the finals. The 2013 season will be about maintaining momentum in the program. They came from 17 wins in 7 seasons to 55 in 8, but they never could accomplish what their district mates did in reaching a state title game. Coach Long will be looking to check that box right out of the gate. Players To Watch Eli Brown – RB/LB - 6'2", 190 lbs - Junior – You and a whole lot of other people will have your eyes on Eli Brown. He verbally committed to Vanderbilt during the summer to clear his recruiting prior to the season, but a host of coaches may not be ready to give up on the long and athletic Brown. As a two way player and the team leader on both sides of the ball, there will be few if any plays that his fingerprints are not on. Austin Pagel – QB – 6’0”, 178 lbs – Senior – His first pass of 2013 will be the 10th one he has thrown in a varsity game since the second game of 2011. He’s an unknown quantity at this point with a career line of 4/9, 38 yards passing, but it can be argued that no player will be more important to the Raiders. Josh Yoebstl – DL – 6’0”, 187 lbs – Junior – Yoebstl will be a co-leader on defense with Brown. He turned in a strong sophomore campaign when he recorded 79 tackles and 6.5 sacks.

Last year the Purples featured a team that only returned four starters following their triumphant 2011 season. Everyone knew they would still put out a typically strong team, but 2012 was viewed as a window of opportunity, a time when maybe a team's best shot could knock Bowling Green off the mountaintop. The Purples responded with an emphatic "YOU MISSED." Bowling Green ran the table again to push their win streak to 30 straight wins, which included their second win in two years over vaunted St. X. That Bowling Green is the premier program in western Kentucky is a given. But the whispers around the state have now grown much louder that the Purples rather than the Tigers or even a certain program in northern Kentucky might be backing up Trinity for supremacy in Kentucky football. The Purples enter 2013 with 15 returning starters, including 9 on the offensive side of the ball. Four returning senior linemen will protect 2500 yard passer Devin Hayes who will look for All-BluegrassPreps.com WR and recent WKU commit Nacarius Fant. 1,000 yard rusher Blue Tisdale also returns to lead the rushing corps, as will speedster Blake Pillow who supplied last year's highlight on a hook and lateral TD to rescue the Purples against John Hardin. The Purples will have a little more work to do on the defensive side of the ball with 5 starters absent, including the entire D-Line. They'll also be without new Boone County head coach Jeff Griffith, who served as the architect of the Purple defense for the last decade. Veteran coach Mark Spader will step up to fill the defensive coordinator vacancy, and the Purples should still feature that strong "Jungle D" that shows off their talented LB corps, led by All-BluegrassPreps.com LB Lincoln Quick. Bowling Green also returns all but one member of a secondary that led 5A in passing defense last year. For 2013 the Purples beef up an already challenging schedule, and they have proven willing to travel to do so. They have added two games against Tennessee powers, hosting Blackman out of Murfreesboro and traveling to McCallie School in Chatanooga. They also maintain out of district games against Kentucky titans like St. X, Lexington Catholic, and Owensboro. Their visit to St. X on September 6th in particular is a definite “circle the calendar” game for fans of the teams and casual fans alike. The Purples’ schedule features no out of district games against teams that are within 70 miles of Bowling Green. That probably owes to the fact that they've only lost three games since 2004 to teams within that range - only one was out of district and that was in the postseason. Bowling Green’s largest test in-district should come from rival Warren Central, but the Purples have re-asserted their dominance over the Dragons following losses in 2009 & 2010 to the tune of 23 PPG margins of victory in their four meetings of 2011 & 2012. In all, the Purples have won 50 of their last 52 district games. In short, the Purples are poised to take on all-comers this season with a veteran and dominant squad. In the eyes of many it's really less a question of whether they'll be state champions for the third straight year, but rather by how much along the way, and whether they will again be unbeaten. Another 15-0 campaign would take them into the following year with 45 straight wins, staring down history. Players To Watch Nacarius Fant - WR - 5'10", 174 lbs - Senior - Fant is worth the price of admission all by himself. The electrifying wideout is not necessarily the fastest WR you'll ever see, but you may never see one with better hands or that is more elusive. Nacarius has a knack for simply not being there when the defense goes to tackle him. He'll catch virtually everything thrown to him. He notched 1,250 receiving yards and 18 TDs in his junior campaign, but also rushed for a TD and was 2/3 passing. It was good enough to earn him a spot on the All-BluegrassPreps.com team. Devin Hayes - QB - 6'2", 175 lbs - Senior - Hayes compiled an impressive 2,544 yards passing with 38 TDs in his junior campaign, his first as a starter. While not the runner his predecessor Scooter Hollis was, Hayes is a more polished passer that stands in the pocket with confidence and rarely makes an errant throw. Like Hollis, Hayes is being courted by the Ivy League to play football, and was one of 36 players selected to attend the NFL Wharton Sports Leadership Program which recognizes student-athlete success both on the field and in the classroom. Blue Tisdale - RB - 6'1", 185 lbs - Senior - Tisdale is as comfortable running past you as he is running you over. A star on the basketball court as well, he's the old faithful of the BG offense. Hand him the ball, expect to get more than halfway to a first down. His 1,025 yards rushing may seem low, but that is a byproduct of the balanced and powerful Purple offense. If they so desired, he could easily be a 2,000 yard back. Lincoln Quick - LB - 6'2", 205 lbs - Senior - Quick will be a three year starter his senior year, the defensive anchor spanning the talented Class of 2012 with the Class of 2014. Offenses may find themselves thinking there are three of him as he is everywhere on the field. Bowling Green's "Jungle D" is perfectly suited to a linebacker like Quick who shoots through the gaps so that quarterbacks and running backs find themselves facing him before they've even had a chance to think about their next move. Lincoln compiled 69 solo and 27 assisted tackles last year, good enough to be the leading returning player by nearly 40 tackles.

You might not be aware of it, but Greenwood turned in one of their best seasons in school history last season. The Gators opened up the season 5-0, their best start and longest winning streak in school history. Their 8 wins were the most ever in the regular season for the program, and second most in a complete season despite falling in their first playoff game. The Gators averaged more points per game than any season before. But when you play in the shadow of a team like Bowling Green, a team that you haven't beaten in 21 all-time meetings, you tend to get overlooked. The Gators are annually faced with the challenge of not only overcoming Bowling Green, but Warren Central as well, a team that they are only a marginally better 3-17 against. Their new coach will bring with him a philosophy that begins with the base thought that they must believe they can compete to then move on to beating these two teams. And if they can beat those two, a world of possibilities unlocks. Chris Seabolt takes over as head coach at Greenwood from Greg Cavanaugh, who recently took a coordinator position in Portland (TN). Coach Seabolt comes from a program that knows a thing or two about entering every game believing they can and will win, having coached on the Bowling Green staff for the last three years, the last two as offensive line coach. Seabolt will bring with him two rings that are proof of what happens when you buy in to a program and philosophy. Prior to that he coached at Grayson County for 6 years, the last five as offensive coordinator and two as associate head coach. During that time, Grayson County saw a program renaissance that led to them hosting their first playoff game in 26 years and beating Warren Central twice, so he's no stranger to a program lifting itself to another level. Seabolt's goal for the season is to get the kids to buy into the way the coaches do things and to instill a blue collar, punch the clock atmosphere. Do that, and the wins will come. Greenwood will have to replace several strong players from 2012, chief among them #1 tailback Tanner Thompson and the team’s three leading tacklers, LB Dakota Madison, DL Josh Cavanaugh, and LB Isaiah Thomas Turner. Most of the secondary departs from the previous season as well. The biggest returning weapon is senior QB Josh Dyer, who passed for 2,332 yards and 25 TDs in his first season starting under center. Dyer has had a strong showing in the early 7 on 7s that Greenwood has competed in, and looks to be poised for a big year. Probably the only worry is who will he throw the ball to after the loss of his top 4 receivers. Also returning is two way player RB/LB Joey Hughes, the team’s leading rusher and the second leading returning player in tackles. Other notables include the leading returner in tackles ILB Stewart Windham, who notched 56 tackles in 2012, as well as DL Marquis Cornelius who will help clog the interior in the new 50 defense Seabolt is installing. The Gators have a dedicated but small senior class, which will place some added pressure on the large junior crop to fill some leadership roles on the team. Greenwood’s 2013 schedule is virtually identical to 2012. Their final seven games of the year are against the same opponents in the same weeks. 5A mate Hopkinsville moves from a third week bowl game in 2012 to the season opener in the Rivals Bowl, a bowl game jointly run by Greenwood and Warren Central that will be played at Greenwood this season. The Gators add Allen County-Scottsville back to the schedule after a two year absence, having played them previously from 2007-2010. The most significant addition is ready made rival South Warren, which was formed from roughly 40% of Greenwood’s population in 2010. This will be the first meeting of the two teams, and besides being the most exciting game of Greenwood’s non-district schedule, should prove to be the stiffest test. How serious is this game being taken? These two teams met in South Warren’s 7 on 7 tournament in mid-July and drew a very large, vocal crowd and at times moved from simple two hand touch to unsanctioned full contact. Both programs want that game, very much. The key district games remain a September 27th matchup at Warren Central and an October 25th showdown against Bowling Green at home. The Gators have not hosted a playoff game since 2009 and have had to take to the road in each of their first two years in 5A. If they hope to host one this year and avoid a potential trip to Christian County or Graves County, one of these two games is a must win. There’s a lot of excitement surrounding the Gator program as we approach the season. Coach Seabolt brings a winning mentality and culture to Greenwood. They are more concerned with the process than the wins and losses right now, but make no mistake, the pattern has shown that with Coach Seabolt involved, the wins will come sooner rather than later. Greenwood has all the tools to start winning at a higher level. Now they just need to do it. Players To Watch Josh Dyer – QB – 6’2”, 185 lbs – Senior – Dyer is the unquestioned leader of this year’s Gators. Dyer posted a 25:11 TD:INT ratio last season, and should continue to flourish in Greenwood’s spread option offense. As Dyer goes, so goes the Gator offense. Joey Hughes – RB/LB – 6’0”, 165 lbs – Senior – Joey had to suffer through a myriad of injuries and setbacks in his first two years that included a fractured back, but it was an injury to lead back Tanner Thompson that finally gave Hughes a chance to become the lead back on offense, posting a 5 YPC mark and leading the team with 8 TDs on the ground. He’s also the leading returning player in receiving yards. Stewart Windham – ILB – Junior – With the departure of Dakota Madison, Windham becomes the de facto leader on the defense, and should continue to establish a significant presence in the interior of the linebacker corps. An added bonus is that he is just a junior, which means the Gators will have a defensive anchor for the following year as well.