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1. Johnson Central Golden Eagles (4A, 5-0)- The Eagles continued to flex their muscles by laying to smack down on traditionally stout 6A Simon Kenton. They now begin District play with rejuvenated Clay County, but expect Johnson Central to do what #1 teams do. 2. Somerset Briarjumpers (2A, 5-0)- Another week and another clinic put on by Somerset. Not only did the Briarjumpers light the scoreboard up against Russell, they also continue to play sound Defensive football. They finalize their Class 1A stretch with Hazard next. 3. Bell County Bobcats (3A, 5-0)- The Bobcats keep rolling and McCreary Central offered little resistance. Bell now faces Rockcastle County in a rivalry renewed, but this should continue to be all Bobcats. 4. Pikeville Panthers (1A, 6-0)- The Panthers left little doubt by jumping on Lawrence County early and coasting to a win. Pikeville will take the week off before beginning District play. 5. Pulaski County Maroons (5A, 5-1)- Pulaski needed every yard they could get but survived a scare against upset minded Whitley County. South Laurel should prove a lighter test as the Maroons continue to try and stake their claim as a legit threat in 5A. 6. Belfry Pirates (3A, 3-2)- A running clock win over Magoffin County was just what the doctor ordered for Belfry to recover from a loss to Pikeville. District play continue with a trip to Floyd Central as Belfry looks to get a win streak cooking. 7. Ashland Tomcats (3A, 4-1)- The Tomcats needed a week away from playing Overtime football and now set their sights on a massive NEKY showdown. Ashland continues to look like a team with big expectations in 3A but will need a win over Raceland to keep those expectations high. 8. Wayne County Cardinals (4A, 4-1)- We finally found someone capable of slowing down Braedon Sloan.... Mother Nature. The lightning cancelled the Cardinals' game against Danville and with a BYE week on us, it will e a while before we see the Cardinals explosive Offense. 9. Corbin Redhounds (4A, 2-2)- It's off only seeing 4 game results to Corbin's name, but a cancellation against Bowling Green will leave them with only nine games. Lafayette will get a well rested Corbin team and should be a nice 6A win for Haddix's Hounds. 10. Russell Red Devils (3A, 5-1)- You have to like where Russell is as they enter the back half of their schedule. The Red Devils obliterated Fleming County and look to be the real deal. They get a fortuitous week off before gearing up for District play. 11. Breathitt County Bobcats (2A, 6-0)- The blowout tour is in full effect. The latest victim was Middlesboro and Morgan County seems to be destined for a similar fate. Say what you want about Breathitt's S.O.S, they are doing exactly what you would hope they would. 12. Raceland Rams (1A, 3-2)- Raceland may have entered as a .500 team, but they made sure that they left their game with Portsmouth West as a team more fitting of their stature by crushing their foe. Can the 1A Rams jump up and get their larger class rival? 13. Hazard Bulldogs (1A, 4-1)- Now that is exactly the statement you would hope Hazard would make! Te Bulldogs asserted themselves squarely in the 1A Title Picture by defeating Paintsville and now have a chance to make an even bigger statement against 2A's top-ranked team Somerset. 14. Paintsville Tigers (1A, 3-2)- Injuries and depth are causing some issues for the Tigers and Hazard exploited it for a head turning win. The road doesn't get easier as Union, VA is a traditionally very stout foe from across the border. 15. Harlan County Black Bears (4A, 5-1)- Clay County was no push over, but the Bears Defense bounced back to carry them to a victory in a hard fought game. Letcher Central has always played Harlan County tight so expect another tough one this week. Trending Up: West Carter Comets (2A, 3-2)- The Comets took a big step forward by handling Shelby Valley and now are the favorites to win their District. Bath County is a fellow class dropper but does not seem to be faring as well. Martin County Cardinals (2A, 4-1)- The Cardinals are off to their best start in a long time and have nice confidence after handling Bath County. Expect them to clinch a .500 regular season with a win over struggling East Ridge. North Laurel Jaguars (5A, 4-2)- After a disappointing 1-2 start, the Jags have reeled off three straight including a win over hated rival South Laurel. Southwestern is a huge game for them as they try to avoid a potential 3-seed and keep their District hopes alive. Trending Down: Williamsburg Yellowjackets (1A, 3-2)- There is no shame in who Williamsburg has lost to the past two weeks as both Somerset and LCA are capable of hoisting a title. With that said, in the the ridiculously loaded 1A East, it is appearing the Jackets are lagging behind specifically on Defense. Perry Central Commodores (5A, 0-5)- This isn't about piling on a winless team, but with a narrow loss to Letcher Central the Commodores are looking like missing the playoffs may be a distinct possibility. They need a good showing against Lee, VA desperately. Morgan County Cougars (2A, 0-6)- The Cougars lost to Knott County Central and with it cost themselves potentially their most winnable game remaining on their schedule. Morgan County has only scored more than single TD one time and help is not coming soon with Breathitt County next. Player of the Week: Trent Asher, Leslie County- The Junior athlete for the Eagles needed to step up in a "must win" type of game for Leslie County, and that he did! Asher carried the ball 8 times for 157 yards and 3 TD's, he also caught 6 balls for 102 yards and 2 more scores. For the cherry on top he even threw in a critical Interception in the 43-27 win. Game of the Week: #12 Raceland Rams at #7 Ashland Tomcats- This has become one of the most competitive and tightly contested rivalries in Eastern Kentucky over the past decade and expect nothing less than a continuation of that. Both teams need a statement win and more importantly the RPI points that come with it.

1. Johnson Central Golden Eagles (4A, 4-0)- The Eagles continue to represent Kentucky's good game with yet another out of state victory. Up next is a very intriguing game with 6A Simon Kenton. 2. Somerset Briarjumpers (2A, 4-0)- Somerset vanquished yet another quality team in dominating fashion by destroying Williamsburg. Russellville will actually be a step down in competition. 3. Bell County Bobcats (3A, 4-0)- The Bobcats extend their undefeated dreams for another week by pulling away from Whitley County and should not expect those hopes to falter against McCreary Central. The Bell offense is rolling! 4. Pikeville Panthers (1A, 4-0)- Pikeville secured a huge statement win by coming from behind at Pond Creek to knock off the rival Pirates. They will look to continue to flex their muscle with another 3A team in Lawrence County up next. 5. Pulaski County Maroons (5A, 4-1)- The Maroons win over Madison Southern wasn't exactly eye opening, but they got the job done nonetheless. Whitley County will be a vital District game. 6. Belfry Pirates (3A, 2-2)- The questions abound at Belfry after another lackluster Offensive performance and some critical errors in their loss to Pikeville. Expect Magoffin County to feel the wrath of a rough week of practice. 7. Ashland Tomcats (3A, 4-1)- A week after a tough loss in Overtime to Wheelersburg on the road, Ashland gets off the mat with an impressive overtime win over Ironton at home. The Tomcats get a week of rest before resuming their march in 3A. 8. Wayne County Cardinals (4A, 4-1)- The Cardinals left little doubt in a statement win against Harlan County and now have their 4A path in hand. Danville is reeling and the Cards should be able to keep rolling on. 9. Corbin Redhounds (4A, 2-2)- Corbin took a week off and will look to jump back into action against a mighty foe in 5A Bowling Green. This is a huge opportunity to reverse Corbin's trend, but will they be up to the challenge? 10. Russell Red Devils (3A, 4-1)- The Devils keep impressing and had no stress with Montgomery County. Fleming County is next and will be a good opportunity for a Class 3A statement. 11. Paintsville Tigers (1A, 3-1)- Paintsville returns into action this week with 1A Hazard on the road. The Tigers have to think they can still achieve all their goals and can't afford a slip up. 12. Breathitt County Bobcats (2A, 5-0)- The Bobcats just keep rolling and Powell County was left in their wake. Not many would have penciled Middlesboro to be one of their biggest games, but the Jackets are playing well and this has major District implications. 13. Raceland Rams (1A, 2-2)- The Rams were one of many teams seemingly with off dates and they saw some of their biggest rivals all winning. Raceland gets back into action against a Portsmouth West, Ohio team that they should stand a good chance of taking care of. 14. Williamsburg Yellowjackets (1A, 4-1)- The Yellowjackets fell on hard times against a red hot Somerset squad and now must regroup. Things don't get easier this week as LCA is also a team on a mission in Class 2A. 15. Harlan County Black Bears (4A, 4-1)- Harlan County's roll came to an abrupt halt as Wayne County's Offense was too much to "bear". Clay County is a sneaky team coming in off a nice win. This one may be interesting to follow. Three Much Needed Wins: Fleming County Panthers (3A, 3-1)- The Panthers got the win by a point over East Carter and substantially improved their resume in the process. Old District foe Russell is a monster game for them to earn further validation. Southwestern Warriors (5A, 2-3)- With their season heading the wrong direction after a blowout loss to Wayne County the tough win over 6A GRC was a big moment for the Warriors. Have the Warriors found some continuity? Hazard Bulldogs (1A, 3-1)- It was hard earned, but the Bulldogs narrow win over Danville keeps them in the 1A arms race. The Bulldogs draw Paintsville next with a chance to really cause people to take notice. Three Cringeworthy Losses: Leslie County Eagles (2A, 1-2)- It wasn't necessarily the worst team to lose to as Clay County is much-improved. The problem for Leslie County is allowing 47 points when your Defense is supposed to be your strong suit is not good form. Knox Central Panthers (4A, 1-4)- Playing a brutal schedule, most assume the Panthers may have a losing record. One of those losses was not expected to be a Bourbon County squad that only won three games a year ago. Especially in blowout fashion. Lynn Camp Wildcats (1A, 2-3)- After a promising start and a Top 10 ranking, the Wildcats are now on a three game skid with the latest coming to an Estill County team not expected to make major waves. Player of the Week: QB Kaiya Sheron, Somerset- The Junior signal caller for Somerset is having a breakout year and his dominant play is why the Jumpers are the top ranked 2A team. Sheron was sensational in a big win over Williamsburg completing 17/22 passes for 300 yards and 2 TD's. He also used his feet for another 88 yards on only 6 carries. Game of the Week: 2A Shelby Valley Wildcats at 2A West Carter Comets- It is odd seeing these two teams in the same District, but between realignment and District shakeups, here we are. This is a huge game for District 8 standings and both teams are more than capable of winning. Can the Comets slow down a Wildcat rushing attack that is capable of big yardage?

1. Johnson Central Golden Eagles (4A, 6-0)- The Golden Eagles did what they are accustomed to doing, put up a running clock in a District game. Expect more of the same against floundering Perry Central. 2. Somerset Briarjumpers (2A, 6-0)- The perfect season continues, but the Briarjumpers got a great scare put in them to begin the Halloween month. Hazard gave Somerset all they wanted but the Briarjumpers made the big plays. They now get Danville but will do so without Alex Miller. 3. Bell County Bobcats (3A, 6-0)- Bell chipped away at The Rock and posted a shutout of the Rockets. Bell continues on with a Garrard County team that they should be able to win going away against. 4. Pikeville Panthers (1A, 6-0)- The Perfect Panthers will get some District action against Phelps. The Hornets may very well boast the single longest losing streak to a single team in the State, so expect Pikeville to keep that streak extended. 5. Pulaski County Maroons (5A, 6-1)- South Laurel was no match for the Maroon Monsoon of points. The other Laurel County team will try their hand as Pulaski looks to be a team on a mission. 6. Belfry Pirates (3A, 4-2)- It was a business trip as Belfry went to Floyd Central and left no doubt. The Pirates wish they were playing this week instead of taking their second BYE in the midst of a 9-game schedule. Belfry is starting to get healthy though. 7. Ashland Tomcats (3A, 5-1)- The Tomcats used the explosive play to take down rival Raceland and with it cemented their status as a team firmly in the 3A race. East Carter is next and will be a little bit tougher of a game than the Tomcats are used to from the Raiders. 8. Wayne County Cardinals (4A, 4-1)- The Cardinals will hit the road for Lincoln County as they dig deeper toward earning another District Title. Coach Thompson's group is slowly climbing the 4A rankings and growing in confidence as well. 9. Corbin Redhounds (4A, 3-2)- Corbin looked a little rusty at first after the layoff but found enough points and enough defense to secure the win over 6A Lafayette. Knox Central is a rivalry game but the Hounds should be fine if they stay to task. 10. Russell Red Devils (3A, 5-1)- Rusell seemingly plays a rivalry game every week. It is something that comes with the territory when you are a NEKY powerhouse. Greenup County is next with District implications a plenty. 11. Breathitt County Bobcats (2A, 7-0)- With a running clock pre-determined to start the game, the Bobcats became one of the first 7-0 teams in Kentucky with their win over Morgan County. Breathitt will let the other undefeated teams catch up to them with an OPEN week that might be as tough of competition as the rest of their schedule. 12. Hazard Bulldogs (1A, 4-2)- "Good Losses" are an oxy-moron, but the Somerset defeat had to ,eave Hazard feeling pretty good as they were every bit in the fight and a few self-inflicted wounds from an upset. With a pre-determined Jenkins forfeit, the Bulldogs will get a win and a week off. 13. Paintsville Tigers (1A, 4-2)- The Tigers secured a really nice win over arguably the best team in Southwest Virginia. Fairview has really been on the wrong end of the scoreboard and expect the Tigers to put an effort that should let some younger guys get some minutes. 14. Raceland Rams (1A, 3-3)- The Rams just simply did not have enough Offensive firepower and their best laid plans fell victim to a handful of big yardage plays as Ashland set the Rams back to a .500 win percentage. Raceland will get on the right side with Betsy Layne coming up next. 15. Harlan County Black Bears (4A, 6-1)- The Bears will just a notch above Letcher Central as they kept the Cougars at bay on their way to a convincing enough victory. The Black Bears get a week off before their schedule takes a significant step up in competition. Three of Note: East Carter Raiders (3A, 5-1)- Anytime you dominate a #3 ranked team it is a good night. Granted, Tolsia was the #3 ranked team in West Virginia Class 1A, and may not even be a Top 10 1A team if they were in Kentucky... but it was still a nice confidence booster heading into a big game. Pike Central Hawks (3A, 5-1)- Speaking of 5-1 3A teams with blowout wins over West Virginia foes, Pike Central went full on scoreboard exploding against Tug Valley. They have a massive showdown with Lawrence County as they pursue bigger things. Whitley County Colonels (5A, 3-3)- Whitley ended a two game slide by going all the way to Paris and punishing the host Bourbon County squad. With three losses to ranked teams, the Colonels look to make their move against some more level competition. Three Teams Who Already Hate October: Southwestern Warriors (5A, 2-4)- With a loss to North Laurel where their Offense continues to sputter, the Warriors are now staring at the prospects of a 4-seed if they don't start rallying the troops. Prestonsburg Blackcats (2A, 2-5)- The once proud program just continues to wallow in misery in recent years. A 61-14 score is what they used to put on Shelby Valley in victory, now it is what they are seeing in defeat. Harlan Green Dragons (1A, 1-5)- Thomas Walker, Virginia is one of those schools you schedule win you want to post a win. The Green Dragons are only boasting a forfeit win, otherwise they may be looking up at a potential winless season. Player of the Week: RB Matt Anderson, Pike Central- The Freshman phenom Anderson has had a great season to date with the potential for a 1000-yard season even prior to Friday's game against Tug Valley, WV. Anderson almost single handily elevated himself to that milestone by rushing for 329 yards on 18 carries and 6 TD's in the Hawk's blowout win. Game of the Week: Lynn Camp Wildcats at Pineville Mountain Lions- It is a huge clash in 1A District 8 as these two teams go after it with an all important playoff seed on the line. Any hope of a District Title basically hinges on winning this game, and with Williamsburg still looming on both schedules, a loss most likely means taking to the road for the playoffs.

It has became customary that any time our regular season ends, so too will the Eastern Kentucky Power Rankings. At this time we do a FULL ranking of all the teams covered in Eastern Kentucky and also hand out some superlatives. 1. Johnson Central Golden Eagles (4A, 10-0)- If there was any doubt, let it be gone. Johnson Central handed Belfry the worst loss they ever sustained at CAM Stadium and made a statement that they are the class of EKY. 2. Pikeville Panthers (1A, 10-0)- The Panthers take the title as the top small school team after obliterating a team ranked as high as #1 in Virginia Class 2A. 3. Bell County Bobcats (3A, 10-0)- The Bobcats polish off a perfect regular season and set their sights on going after a 3A Title. Simply put, despite the perfect season so far their schedule simply is not near where the top two teams are. 4. Belfry Pirates (3A, 6-3)- The Pirates were humbled in their season finale but great things are still possible in Class 3A with a mediocre field at best competing for the crown. The Pirates need to regroup and hope for some favorable playoff match-ups. 5. Ashland Tomcats (3A, 8-2)- Ashland had a chance to make a big statement against Spring Valley heading into November and instead had the statement made against them. The Tomcats need to calibrate and hope the RPI hit doesn't come back to haunt them. 6. Somerset Briarjumpers (2A, 9-1)- Somerset squeaked past Corbin and can lay claim to being the best team in the Southern Kentucky/Lake Cumberland region. The Briarjumpers need to focus on Danville and Round 1, but the huge rematch with LCA looms in Round 2. 7. Wayne County Cardinals (4A, 8-1)-Wayne County has had a monster season, especially on the offensive side. This trend continued against North Laurel and now they enter the post-season red hot and ready to make a run. 8. Breathitt County Bobcats (2A, 10-0)- Breathitt polished off the perfect regular season with a beneficial win against Pike Central. Between the victory and a Beechwood loss, the Bobcats now will have a favorable path to the Semi-Finals. 9. Corbin Redhounds (4A, 5-4)- Corbin has had some rotten luck. The Redhounds have lost three of their four games by a combined 4 points, as Somerset handed them their latest defeat. Corbin still has the ability to go deep into November, but they need to do it all on the road starting in Round 2. 10. Russell Red Devils (3A, 8-2)- Russell wasn't exactly in Championship form, but they were able to fend off upset-minded West Carter to lock up the regular season and potentially a Third Round home game if they can beat Ashland in Round 2. 11. Paintsville Tigers (1A, 7-3)- The Tigers had a tough schedule and emerged from it in decent shape, although they took one on the chin in the finale versus the top ranked 2A team. Paintsville's motive is simple, but can anyone catch Pikeville? 12. Raceland Rams (1A, 6-4)- Raceland put a hurting on Lawrence County and now head into November looking to create some chaos. The Rams are a tough team, but have an uphill battle with plenty of road games ahead. 13. Whitley County Colonels (5A, 7-3)- Whitley County won a battle of defense to jump Hazard and improve their standing. The Colonels are playing very good football and have won five straight after their 2-3 start. 14. Pulaski County Maroons (5A, 7-3)- Pulaski is in a tough spot and after back to back losses and a key injury they will need to circle the wagons in a hurry or else Round 2 may be their last. 15. Hazard Bulldogs (1A, 6-4)- The schedule has finally caught up to Hazard as the Bulldogs have dropped three of their last five with the latest being Whitley County. Hazard suddenly has went from one of the most trendy teams in EKY to a team who will be be a surprise to see make a deep run. The Top 25 Remainder: 16. Harlan County Black Bears (4A, 7-3) 17. Williamsburg Yellowjackets (1A, 8-2) 18. Fleming County Panthers (3A, 8-2) 19. East Carter Raiders (3A, 7-3) 20. West Carter Comets (2A, 7-3) 21. North Laurel Jaguars (5A, 5-5) 22. Southwestern Warriors (5A, 5-5) 23. Rockcastle County Rockets (3A, 7-3) 24. Rowan County Vikings (4A, 6-4) 25. Knox Central Panthers (4A, 3-7) The Rest: 26. Shelby Valley Wildcats (2A, 8-2) 27. Pike Central Hawks (3A, 7-3) 28. Greenup County Musketeers (3A, 4-6) 29. Mason County Royals (3A, 5-5) 30. Clay County Tigers (4A, 7-3) 31. Martin County Cardinals (2A, 7-3) 32. Middlesboro Yellowjackets (2A, 7-3) 33. Pineville Mountain Lions (1A, 8-2) 34. Casey County Rebels (3A, 5-5) 35. Nicholas County Blue Jackets (1A, 7-3) 36. Leslie County Eagles (2A, 5-4) 37. Letcher Central Cougars (4A, 4-6) 38. Estill County Engineers (3A, 5-5) 39. Montgomery County Indians (5A, 3-7) 40. Lynn Camp Wildcats (1A, 4-5) 41. Boyd County Lions (4A, 1-9) 42. Bath County Wildcats (2A, 4-6) 43. Lawrence County Bulldogs (3A, 4-6) 44. Floyd Central Jaguars (3A, 3-7) 45. Magoffin County Hornets (3A, 3-7) 46. Phelps Hornets (1A, 4-6) 47. South Laurel Cardinals (5A, 2-8) 48. Prestonsburg Blackcats (2A, 2-8) 49. Powell County Pirates (3A, 3-7) 50. Perry Central Commodores (4A, 1-9) 51. Betsy Layne Bobcats (1A, 4-6) 52. Fairview Eagles (1A, 3-6) 53. East Ridge Warriors (2A, 1-9) 54. Knott County Central Patriots (2A, 2-8) 55. McCreary Central Raiders (3A, 1-9) 56. Jackson County Generals (3A, 2-8) 57. Harlan Green Dragons (1A, 1-9) 58. Morgan County Cougars (2A, 0-10) 59. Lewis County Lions (3A, 0-10) Small School Superlatives (Classes 1A-3A) Small School Coach of the Year Larry French, Middlesboro Small School Offensive Player of the Year RB C.A. Collins, Breathitt County Small School Defensive Player of the Year DB Gunnur Lewis, Raceland Small School MVP QB Dalton Ponder, Williamsburg Large School Superlatives (Classes 4A & 5A) Large School Coach of the Year: Michael Sizemore, Clay County Large School Offensive Player of the Year: RB Braedon Sloan, Wayne County Large School Defensive Player of the Year: LB Devin Johnson, Johnson Central Large School MVP: QB/DB Riley Preece, Johnson Central

1. Johnson Central Golden Eagles (4A, 8-0)- The Eagles ran wild on the poor Harlan County Black Bears and need only a win over Letcher Central to finish their regular season District slate undefeated. 2. Bell County Bobcats (3A, 8-0)- Undefeated and relatively unchallenged, the Bobcats keep their blowout tour in tact by destroying Jackson County. Estill County is the next victim in their path. 3. Pikeville Panthers (1A, 8-0)- Pikeville took a highly anticipated 1A Clash with Hazard and turned it into an exhibition game by pounding the Bulldogs. Don't be fooled by their small enrollment, these boys are able to hang with anyone in EKY. 4. Belfry Pirates (5-2)- Belfry welcomed back one of the premier players in East Kentucky and promptly made short work of Lawrence County. The Pirates' win over LCA is now perhaps the best win of any EKY team as well, and they look to bolster their resume against surprising Pike Central. 5. Ashland Tomcats (3A, 7-1)- Ashland rallied in the Second Half for a huge win and now control their playoff destiny with Russell being relegated to coming to Putnam Stadium for a re-match. The Tomcats should have no issue with Greenup County as Spring Valley, WV looms in the finale. 6. Pulaski County Maroons (5A, 7-1)- The Maroons took care of business by defeating Whitley County and North Laurel, while the District sorted itself out on their BYE week leaving them in the 1-seed. Their work is not entirely done as rival Southwestern would love to dampen their momentum and hurt their RPI heading into November. 7. Somerset Briarjumpers (2A, 7-1)- Somerset proved they were definitely a clear figure in the 2A Title picture, but the Briarjumpers came a conversion short against LCA and suffered their first defeat. They can't fall asleep at the wheel with two more quality opponents left. 8. Wayne County Cardinals (4A, 6-1)- The Cards didn't exactly appear to be in Championship form, but they got the job done against Knox Central. This sets up a monster of a game at Campbell Field. 9. Corbin Redhounds (4A, 5-2)- Corbin didn't exactly instill confidence in their fanbase with a scary win over Lincoln County, but nonetheless it was a victory. The Hounds have a chance to get their bearings together with Wayne County. 10. Breathitt County Bobcats (2A, 8-0)- The Bobcats may not play a Top 10 caliber foe until the Semi-Finals if the RPI seeds hold true. They continued their dominating play against Knott Central and now eye Leslie County. 11. Russell Red Devils (3A, 6-2)- Russell looked primed and ready to make a statement, but their quick 14-0 lead turned into a defeat to Ashland once their Offense stalled out. The Devils can't live in the past as East Carter continues to play good ball and would love nothing more than to shock the kids from Flatwoods. 12. Paintsville Tigers (1A, 6-2)- Paintsville snored their way past hapless Betsy Layne and now must get the energy cracked up with a massive showdown against Raceland looming. 13. Raceland Rams (1A, 5-3)- Raceland didn't break a sweat as they pulverized Fairview and set the table for this week's big clash. The Rams are atarting to get healthy again and need a big win this week. 14. Hazard Bulldogs (1A, 5-3)- It was a rough night in the dawg pound as Pikeville toyed with the pooches and left them in the dog house. Expect Phelps to feel the wrath of Coach Dixon as they try to right the ship. 15. Whitley County Colonels (5A, 5-3)- The Colonels have had a productive season with their three losses coming to teams all in the Top 10 by respectable enough outcomes. Whitley should be able to continue to get their confidence up with South Laurel next. Three Big Performances: Pike Central Hawks (3A, 7-1)- Make it 7 in a row for the Hawks and if not for a couple penalties in their seas opener, they may be undefeated. Pike Central didn't give Magoffin County room to breathe and now gear up for Belfry in a huge District game. East Carter Raiders (3A, 6-2)- The Raiders can count 2019 as a successful season regardless of how it winds up. With a one-point win over Greenup County they basically assure themselves they will see Russell two of the next three weeks. The question remains will both be on the road? West Carter Comets (2A, 6-2)- Not to be outdone, the other Carter County squad also secured a huge win by locking up the 1-seed in their District by taking down Martin County in convincing fashion for their fifth straight win. East Ridge is next up so go ahead and call it 7 wins. Three Tough Defeats: Knox Central Panthers (4A, 1-7)- Perhaps the best 7-loss team in the State is Knox Central. The Panthers tough schedule continues to put them in the loss column, the latest being a valiant effort falling short versus Wayne County. Lincoln County is now a must-win. Harlan County Black Bears (4A, 6-2)- Noone was calling for an upset, but Harlan County had a chance to at least show some backbone that they will be a factor come November and had little gas in the tank against Johnson Central. Prestonsburg Blackcats (2A, 2-7)- Prestonsburg simply cannot score points as in all seven of their losses they have not hit three touchdowns. With the loss to Bath County they are now facing a must-win situation against Martin County to even make the playoffs. Player of the Week: QB Dalton Ponder, Williamsburg- Ponder was magnificent as the Yellowjackets took down Pineville to secure the 1-seed in 1A District 8. Ponder completed 18/27 passes for 341 yards and 4 TD's, he also scrambled for 58 yards and added another score on the ground. Game of the Week: #8 Wayne County Cardinals at #9 Corbin Redhounds- This one has so many levels to it a paragraph won't do it justice. The Class 4A District 7 one seed is on the line. Braedon Sloan needs this game as a statement on his unbelievable season. Corbin needs to rebound after a lackluster effort. So many story lines, no doubt the one game to be at.

1. Johnson Central Golden Eagles (4A, 9-0)- The Eagles are flying high and flying far. They polished off Letcher Central in another running clock performance and now set their sights on fellow EKY titan Belfry. 2. Bell County Bobcats (3A, 9-0)- The Bobcats continue their dominance by crushing Estill County and now just need to defeat Harlan County and hope their RPI holds up as the 1-seed in the East. 3. Pikeville Panthers (1A, 9-0)- The Panthers get the win via forfeit over Jenkins and now stand only a win against stout Ridgeview, Virginia away from a flawless regular season. 4. Belfry Pirates (3A, 6-2)- Belfry flexed their muscles against Pike Central to lock up the 1-seed in their District and now set their sights on Johnson Central. The Pirates need a big win as they still lag behind in the RPI after two losses. 5. Ashland Tomcats (3A, 8-1)- Ashland put a hurting on nose-diving Greenup County and know the first two rounds at least will be at Putnam. Spring Valley may be a must-win due to the RPI's weight on out of state teams, but it won't be easy. 6. Somerset Briarjumpers (2A, 8-1)- Somerset bounced back against Washington County and now have only a big showdown for Southern Kentucky bragging rights remaining. A win against Corbin and the Briarjumpers will certainly be viewed as the cream of the crop in the Lake Cumberland area. 7. Wayne County Cardinals (4A, 7-1)- The Cardinals pulled out a thriller by stunning Corbin late and with it claimed the District's top seed. North Laurel is all that is standing in their way as Wayne County hopes to make big noise in Class 4A. 8. Corbin Redhounds (4A, 5-3)- Corbin certainly thought they had it safe and secure but Wayne County's late kick recover and clutch conversion brought the Hounds down. Somerset will be a tough game to rebound in. 9. Breathitt County Bobcats (2A, 9-0)- Another week, another romp. Breathitt is tearing through their District like a hurricane and now need to maintain form against a Pike Central team smarting from a tough loss. 10. Russell Red Devils (3A, 7-2)- Russell didn't let the hangover of their loss to Ashland stop them as they took care of business against East Carter. They stick with their carter County theme as they look to take down red-hot West Carter next. 11. Paintsville Tigers (1A, 7-2)- Paintsville got the big win over a tough Raceland team and now look for an RPI statement with top-ranked 2A Lexington Christian up next. Trying to avoid Pikeville until the State Finals could be vital. 12. Pulaski County Maroons (5A, 8-1)- It was a tough loss in more than one way as Pulaski fell to rival Southwestern. Not only does losing to your rival smart, but losing their QB to injury may have hurt the most big picture. Can they rally against Tates Creek. 13. Raceland Rams (1A, 5-4)- It's been a tough schedule and a tough go for the Rams with four losses all to teams already featured in these rankings. The Rams should be able to end on a high note against hard-luck Lawrence County. 14. Hazard Bulldogs (1A, 6-3)- Hazard got back on track after losing to Pikeville to pummel Phelps. The Bulldogs look to pick up momentum heading into November against Whitley County. 15. Whitley County Colonels (5A, 6-3)- Whitley County didn't exactly make a statement with a two score victory over South Laurel, but they do keep moving the ball forward and with a big injury at Pulaski County looming they may be able to make a move if they can beat Hazard. Three Big Wins: Southwestern Warriors (5A, 4-5)- It has been a season that didn't meet expectations for the Warriors, but no matter the outcome beating your rival has to feel good. The Warriors wrap up with a winnable game against 6A Madison Central. Clay County Tigers (4A, 6-3)- With Clay County's win over Magoffin County they lock up at worst a winning regular season. If they can defeat Green County as expected they guarantee a winning season which has not be a common occurrence in Manchester in recent years. Middlesboro Yellowjackets (2A, 7-2)- Speaking of winning seasons, that is exactly what the Yellowjackets have clinched as Coach French's re-brand of Middlesboro pushes on. The Yellowjackets close with Martin County and may have an 8-win season coming. Three More for Fun: Fleming County Panthers (3A, 7-2)- Fleming has been lingering in the "just outside" category all season and after polishing off Lewis County they need only finish off Harrison County to potentially secure a Top 20 finish. Lawrence County Bulldogs (3A, 4-5)- Lawrence County needed a good showing against Floyd Central and they got it. This allows them to avoid a disappointing 4-seed and also avoid the path of Belfry in the 1st Round. Shelby Valley Wildcats (2A, 8-2)- The Wildcats get BYE to end the season, so their regular season work is done. Can they dig down and make corrections to knock off West Carter in two weeks? Player of the Week: QB Noah Parkey, Rockcastle County- The Rockets needed a win against Garrard County in the worst way and Parkey helped ensure that happened with an almost flawless performance. He complete all but one of his twelve pass attempts for 180 yards and 3 TD's, he also carried the run game with 134 yards on 12 carries and another score. Game of the Week: #1 Johnson Central Golden Eagles at #4 Belfry Pirates- This rivalry has not lacked for emotion or big games, but with the RPI changes new life has been breathed into this series. Both teams still have some work to do toward securing their best possible playoff scenarios and a win in this game would be vital for either as both teams enter with a hefty ratings boost.

1. Johnson Central Golden Eagles (4A, 7-0)- The Golden Eagles have had it coasting in a lower gear and Perry Central was the latest running clock win. Harlan County may make the Eagles stretch their wins, but anything less than another win will be surprising. 2. Somerset Briarjumpers (2A, 7-0)- Danville competed but Somerset simply was in a different class. This week they get LCA in the biggest Class 2A game of the year in the regular season. This will be a humdinger! 3. Bell County Bobcats (3A, 7-0)- Bell just keeps chopping down inferior competition. Garrard County was beat before they got off the bus. Jackson County will probably be beat before they even fuel the bus up! 4. Pikeville Panthers (1A, 7-0)- Phelps was no competition for the powerhouse Panthers. Pikeville draws their third game against a team entering in the Top 5 of Class 1A. Hazard will be a great game. 5. Pulaski County Maroons (5A, 7-1)- Pulaski County keeps winning and were able to put some distance on the rest of their District by taking care of North Laurel. The Maroons get this week off. 6. Belfry Pirates (3A, 4-2)- No more BYE’s for Belfry, they jump back into District play with a Lawrence County team limping into the matchup. Pirates are trying to get healthy and find some continuity. 7. Ashland Tomcats (3A, 6-1)- Ashland got a nice challenge from East Carter but proved to just be a cut above and won comfortably. Now we get the biggest game in NEKY this season. 8. Wayne County Cardinals (4A, 5-1)- Wayne County returned to action and wasted little time by waxing Lincoln County. The Cards get back to back games with massive District ramifications beginning with the lesser of the two teams Knox Central. 9. Corbin Redhounds (4A, 4-2)- Corbin is finding a groove fueled by their Defense and a ball control Offense. Knox Central would not hang with the Hounds and Lincoln County won’t be able to as well. 10. Russell Red Devils (3A, 6-1)- The Red Devils just keep exceeding expectations and have a Defense that is yet to allow 14 points or more. They have an opportunity to make a massive statement this week if they can keep their trend up. 11. Breathitt County Bobcats (2A, 7-0)- No game for Breathitt this past week as they focused on self-improvement. They might as well do it again as Knott Central will be lucky to avoid a running clock before Half Time. 12. Hazard Bulldogs (1A, 5-2)- The little engine that could got a win without ever having to suit up and now set their focus on their prize prey. Beating Paintsville opened eyes, beating Pikeville would send shockwaves throughout Kentucky. 13. Paintsville Tigers (1A, 5-2)- Paintsville did what you would expect against outmanned Fairview. Betsy Layne will be a second consecutive running clock. 14. Raceland Rams (1A, 4-3)- The Rams got back above .500 by blasting Betsy Layne. Fairview will be nothing more than a tune up as the Rams plod toward a showdown next week with District foe Paintsville. 15. Harlan County Black Bears (4A, 6-1)- The Black Bears hibernated for a week as they gear up for a potentially defining game. Johnson Central is going to require perfection from Harlan County, especially on the road. Three of Note: Nicholas County Bluejackets (1A, 5-3)- Nicholas County and Paris have had some competitive games in recent years with Paris usually getting the best of the series. The Bluejackets turned the tables and put a statement on the Greyhounds. Pineville Mountain Lions (1A, 6-1)- In a game that live dup to the billing, the Mountain Lions survived Lynn Camp and now get their shot at the team everyone is chasing in their District, Williamsburg. Casey County Rebels (3A, 3-4)- The Rebels needed a game to get them back on track and a hard fought win over Adair County proved the ticket. Hart County should allow them to reach the .500 mark. Three Teams Needing a Rebound: Mason County Royals (3A, 3-4)- The Royals had a chance to shake things up but could not find enough points to upset Fleming County. Lewis County will allow them every opportunity to get back on the right road though. Lawrence County Bulldogs (3A, 3-4)- Lawrence County has had the upper-hand on Pike Central in the now longstanding District rivalry. The Hawks flipped the script and now Lawrence County must face Belfry with their confidence wavering. Greenup County Musketeers (3A, 3-4)- Greenup needed a good showing to bolster their playoff hopes and internal confidence, but instead they were white-washed and dominated by Russell. If they cannot rebound against East Carter they will be facing a dreaded 4-seed. Co-Games of the Week: #4 Pikeville Panthers at #12 Hazard Bulldogs- The Panthers are still pursuing perfection and perhaps their biggest test remaining in the Regular Season is a road trip to Hazard against the stingy Bulldogs. The winner gets an all-important 1-seed. #7 Ashland Tomcats at #10 Russell Red Devils- This game has levels of importance. Not only is it a rivalry game, not only is it for the District Title, not only is it for homefield advantage in a potential playoff rematch, but with the new RPI system this may determine the 1 seed in 3A East. Player of the Week: RB Braedon Sloan, Wayne County- Alright at this point he is just showing off. Sloan wins the award for the second time this season after yet another superb showing. Sloan accounted for 397 All-Purpose yards and 6 TD’s in the Cardinals’ win over Lincoln County. He is currently on pace for over 3000 total yards and 40 TD’s as he is making a strong case for EKY Player of the Year.

1. Johnson Central Golden Eagles (4A, 2-0)- The Golden Eagles are comfortably in the catbird seat after an impressive win over Capital, WV as well as seeing the same Lafayette team they dismantled play Scott County tough. 2. Belfry Pirates (3A, 2-0)- The Pirates defense rose to the occasion in the 2nd Half and the Belfry playmakers made plays defeating LCA. The Pirates get an off week before getting a very tough test in Ohio. 3. Corbin Redhounds (4A, 2-0)- Corbin is getting good at winning over Tennessee teams in their Pigskin Classic, this time knocking off a well-regarded Notre Dame team from Chattanooga. The Hounds look to continue their heavy-handed advantage over Pulaski County. 4. Pikeville Panthers (1A, 2-0)- Pikeville is starting to creep up on the big school powers. The Panthers obliterated Mingo Central, WV and will look to stymie Paintsville’s momentum. 5. Bell County Bobcats (3A, 2-0)- Knox Central was expected to be one of Bell’s stiffest challenges and the Bobcats passed the exam 22-8. Expect South Laurel to offer a far easier path to victory. 6. Somerset Briarjumpers (2A, 2-0)- Somerset’s Offense appears to be in mid-season form and their Defense is playing just fine. The Jumpers look to avenge a 2018 loss to Beechwood and hand the Tigers their consecutive defeat at the hands of an EKY team. 7. Ashland Tomcats (3A, 2-0)- Ashland barely broke a sweat against Boyd County and now roll forward. George Washington , WV is always quality competition it seems, but the expectation is certainly that the Tomcats emerge 3-0. 8. Pulaski County Maroons (5A, 1-1)- Pulaski County bounced back from their Week 1 loss to survive a scare against Wayne County. The Maroons will get Corbin next with a chance to earn major RPI points for down the road. 9. Paintsville Tigers (1A, 2-0)- The Tigers sent shockwaves throughout Class 1A by going to a neutral site and knocking off the reigning back to back 1A Champs Beechwood. With Pikeville up next, Paintsville can become the front runner in 1A overnight with a win. 10. Russell Red Devils (3A, 2-0)- Complete and total domination. The Red Devils wanted to enter the Power Rankings and they made their presence felt by blowing out rival Raceland. There is no rest for the wicked, Ironton is always a tough team especially on the road. 11. Breathitt County Bobcats (2A, 2-0)- Breathitt County needed to make a statement against South Laurel and they did just that by pounding the Cardinals early and often. Magoffin County can make late dinner reservations, expect Breathitt to put them away this week early and quick. 12. Williamsburg Yellowjackets (1A, 2-0)- Williamsburg won the battle of the Jackets and took care of Middlesboro with yet another Offensive explosion. Though it may not be the Game of the Week, the game against Leslie County may be one of the best match-ups this week. 13. Knox Central Panthers (4A, 0-2)- Knox Central is keeping it competitive, but after back to back losses the Panthers would love a big win. Southwestern will be tough, but for once Knox Central will enter as the team expected to win. 14. Wayne County Cardinals (4A, 1-1)- Wayne County battled Pulaski County until the end, but just simply could not get enough firepower. The Cardinals get ole District foe Rockcastle County next and there is no love lost between these two programs. 15. Raceland Rams (1A, 1-1)- It was a humbling night against Russell that left the Rams wishing they had what other EKY 1A teams had this weekend. Rowan County should afford them the ability to rebound. Three Big Winners: Harlan County Black Bears (4A, 2-0)- The win over Hazard allowed them to see the field and get some competitive reps in. With Knox Central’s confidence wavering, Harlan County can continue to accumulate wins starting with Martin County. Martin County Cardinals (2A, 2-0)- Wins have not been easy to come by in recent years for the team formerly known as Sheldon Clark. A win over Magoffin County has the Cardinals on a trajectory where a 5-5 season is a real possibility. Whitley County Colonels (5A, 1-1)- After a tough loss to Corbin, defeating a quality for from the Volunteer State was what the doctor ordered. Whitley now embarks on a tough 4-game stretch where they can make a name for themselves. Three Tough Losses: Pike Central Hawks (3A, 1-1)- The Hawks’ Offense went from unstoppable to sputtering in the span of a week with their loss to rival Shelby Valley. Pike Central had a drive and a chance, but just could not make the big play down the stretch. Harlan Green Dragons (1A, 0-2)- It was bad enough that Harlan had to take a forfeit loss to open the season, but losing to perennially struggling Berea is an indicator that Harlan’s best days are behind them Bath County Wildcats (2A, 1-1)- A year removed from a historical high water mark, the Wildcats have already been brought to earth with a 40-7 shelling at the hands of Rowan County. Bath needs a win over Powell County or they may be staring at flipping their win/loss total. Player of the Week: RB Isaac Dixon, Belfry- Dixon is starting to make a case for being the top player in East Kentucky and Friday’s win over a ranked 2A LCA exhibited exactly why. Dixon led the way with 28 carries for 207 yards and a pair of TD’s. Perhaps his biggest role was not reflected in the stats at all. With the Belfry Offense struggling to get going in a 26-20 game, Dixon assumed the role of QB in the pistol formation and led Belfry on a 98-yard drive. Game of the Week: #4 Pikeville Panthers at #9 Paintsville Tigers- No Class 1A teams, or for that matter arguably any small school teams, will enter on an emotional high like these two teams. Paintsville made a statewide statement against Beechwood, and Pikeville made a statement that crossed the borders into a second state all together. The winner puts themselves in prime position to be the #1 overall RPI seed down the road.

1. Johnson Central Golden Eagles (4A, 2-0)- The Eagles leave their week off behind and get back into action against South Charleston, WV. This same team just got beat badly by the Capital squad Johnson Central already defeated. Expect the Golden Eagles to roll on. 2. Belfry Pirates (3A, 2-0)- Belfry also enjoyed an open date and will get back into action against an opponent from a different state. Belfry won’t be favored when they travel all the way to Kettering, Ohio to take on traditional power Archbishop Alter. 3. Somerset Briarjumpers (2A, 3-0)- It is Somerset with a bullet. The Briarjumpers are red hot and just put the finishing touches on an impressive romp of powerhouse Beechwood. Somerset takes this week off before taking on another highly ranked small school team. 4. Pulaski County Maroons (5A, 2-1)- Not only did Pulaski make a statement by knocking off Corbin, they saw their lone loss of the year turn heads when Lexington Catholic gave Covington Catholic all they wanted. The Maroons will get a solid 6A Henry Clay team next as they try to keep the momentum going. 5. Corbin Redhounds (4A, 2-1)- Corbin suffered a rare loss to another Southern Kentucky team during the Coach Haddix tenure. The Redhounds will look to rebound against a Beechwood team that also have some proving to do of their own. 6. Ashland Tomcats (3A, 3-0)- The Tomcats just keep turning heads, this time by making short work of George Washington, WV. Ashland will get perhaps their stiffest regular season test against a very strong Wheelersburg, Ohio squad. 7. Pikeville Panthers (1A, 3-0)- It may not have been pretty, but the Panthers got the big win on the road at Paintsville. The Panthers now look to knock off their second ranked 1A team in as many weeks when they hist Raceland. 8. Bell County Bobcats (3A, 3-0)- The Bobcats blew up the scoreboard by scoring 80 points against South Laurel. Unfortunately, one of the biggest takeaways might have been what the Bobcats gave up. The Cardinals put up 40 points, most of those against the Bell Varsity, leaving questions to be answered big picture. 9. Paintsville Tigers (1A, 2-1)- Paintsville fans will argue the only thing the Tigers did not outperform Pikeville on Friday was the scoreboard. The Tigers looked solid, but Special Teams play proved the difference as they fell 9-8. The tigers will try to put that heartbreak in the rear view against 5A East Jessamine. 10. Russell Red Devils (3A, 2-1)- Russell fell 10-0 to rival Ironton, Ohio and tasted defeat for the first time. A win at Ironton is never an easy thing. Russell looks for a rebound against fellow 3A Lawrence County. 11. Breathitt County Bobcats (2A, 3-0)- Breathitt continues to tear up the stat sheet against lesser competition, this time by trouncing Magoffin County. Estill County is a little better competition, but still expect the Bobcats to take care of business once more. 12. Williamsburg Yellowjackets (1A, 3-0)- Williamsburg may not have move dup in ranking, but they bolstered their resume for a better ranking by making short work of a pretty good Leslie County team. If Williamsburg can shock Somerset, the Jackets can make a monster move, but first is Frankfort. 13. Knox Central Panthers (4A, 1-2)- Knox Central finally broke into the win column with a hard-fought win over 5A Southwestern. The Panthers now get yet another tough opponent in a confident 5A Harlan County. 14. Wayne County Cardinals (4A, 2-1)- Wayne County took Rockcastle’s punches and then delivered their own hay-makers to pull away from the Rockets and make a statement. Wayne will try to keep their trajectory upward against 5A Southwestern. 15. Raceland Rams (1A, 2-1)- A blowout win over Rowan County was just what the doctor ordered for Raceland to get over their first defeat. The Rams will need every bit of that confidence as they travel to the Hambley Athletic Complex and a date with 1A’s top-ranked Pikeville Panthers. Three Big Winners: Pineville Mountain Lions (1A, 3-0)- Pineville kept their perfect record intact by pounding Paris. The Mountain Lions will keep their Offense hot against an East Ridge team they should be able to defeat. East Carter Raiders (3A, 3-0)- Speaking of 3-0 starts, how about the Raiders? Not only are they winning, but they are winning impressively. Their 49-0 win over Morgan County means they have outscored opponents 152-12. This week is a big game against rival West Carter. Middlesboro Yellowjackets (2A, 2-1)- The Coach French project continued with their second nice victory, this time over a Lynn Camp team that was riding high. The Jackets have twice as many wins as they did last year and will make it three times as many against Harlan. Three Tough Losses: Shelby Valley Wildcats (2A, 2-1)- It was a long night for the Wildcats against Ridgeview, VA as they allowed 63 points. They will need to re-calibrate their Defense, but back to back games against Knott Central and Phelps should aide that. North Laurel Jaguars (5A, 1-2)- The Jags had lofty expectations entering the season, but through three weeks they are now staring at a whole lot of the same struggles they saw in 2018. Lincoln County is not going to be the easiest game to turn their fortunes around with. South Laurel Cardinals (4A, 1-2)- Losing by 40 hurts. Losing by 40 when you allow 80 is even worse. South Laurel allowed 123 points against back to back Bobcat opponents If the Cards cannot sure things up against West Jessamine it may be a long year. Player of the Week: RB Braedon Sloan, Wayne County Sloan was superb in Wayne County's victory over Rockcastle County. The Junior ran for 238 yards and four huge scores on the ground and added a 37-yard Touchdown reception for the fun of it. Sloan has amassed almost 750 total yards and 13 TD's through only three games. Game of the Week: West Carter Comets (2A, 1-1) at East Carter Raiders, (3A, 3-0)- This may be the most anticipated game between these two cross-county rivals in recent memory. East Carter is looking as sharp as they have in several years and West Carter feels confident, they will be a player in the 2A playoff picture. This will be bragging right worth having this year.

1. Johnson Central Golden Eagles (4A, 3-0)- Johnson Central lit the scoreboard up and lit up South Charleston in all-discipline en route to a blowout win. The Eagles are scheduled to play another out of state foe in Bishop Sycamore, Ohio. Hopefully that game will go as scheduled. 2. Belfry Pirates (3A, 2-1)- Playing a GCL foe to a 7-0 game until the end of the 4th Quarter is certainly a moral victory at the very least. Belfry needs to get their Offensive confidence back and a huge rivalry game will not be an easy proving ground to do that. 3. Somerset Briarjumpers (2A, 3-0)- Somerset got a much-needed week or rest and relaxation and now get to jump back into action with a highly regarded ranked 1A foe. Williamsburg will be the best Offense the Jumpers have seen so far. 4. Pulaski County Maroons (5A, 3-1)- Henry Clay made the Maroons play for all Four Quarters, but in the end Pulaski took care of business. Up next is another Central Kentucky foe, but expect Pulaski to keep their winning ways going. 5. Bell County Bobcats (3A, 3-0)- Bell County had an extra week of preparation and it is starting to look like they may be the only 3A team capable of going undefeated in the regular season. Whitley County will be a team they cannot take lightly if they hope for that dream to continue to materialize. 6. Ashland Tomcats (3A, 3-1)- Wheelersburg proved that even when they are not 100%, the Southern Ohio power is still a tough out. The Pirates took down Ashland in Overtime and Ashland tasted defeat for the first time. It doesn’t get any easier as Ironton, Ohio is next, and they defeated Wheelersburg already this season. 7. Pikeville Panthers (1A, 4-0)- On the bright side, Pikeville collected their fourth high quality win in a row by defeating Raceland. On the negative side, the Panthers Offense has only scored three TD’s in two weeks and they will need as many points as they can find against rival Belfry. 8. Wayne County Cardinals (4A, 3-1)- It is time to take notice of the Cardinals. After flattening Southwestern and with their lone loss a close defeat to a very good Pulaski County team, Wayne County is certainly a team on the rise. The Cardinals get a big-time test this week with another surging team, Harlan County, on the schedule. 9. Corbin Redhounds (4A, 2-2)- Corbin seemingly was surprised by Beechwood and the Redhounds never could find any Offensive traction as they fell to the Tigers. It was also a costly loss as the Hounds may have lost a couple key playmakers for a while. A crucial off-week is next, because on the other side of it is heavyweight Bowling Green. 10. Russell Red Devils (3A, 3-1)- Russell took care of business and left no doubt against fellow 3A Lawrence County. The Devils are looking impressive and will have no issue with a free-falling Montgomery County. 11. Paintsville Tigers (1A, 3-1)- Paintsville played up in class and played to the wire to get a win over East Jessamine. Coach Chirico’s bunch will return to 1A competition with the always solid hazard Bulldogs up next. 12. Breathitt County (2A, 4-0)- The Bobcats just keep winning and winning big. Estill County had nothing for the boys from Jackson and Breathitt’s pursuit of perfection continues. Old District mate Powell County is the next team in the cross hairs. 13. Williamsburg Yellowjackets (1A, 4-0)- The Jackets flexed their 1A muscles by dismantling Franfkort. Now the Yellowjackets will try to prove to all of Eastern Kentucky they are the real deal with red hot Somerset standing before them. 14. Harlan County Black Bears (4A, 4-0)- Harlan County has had a tough time putting away Knox Central in recent years, although the games are always close. The Black Bears got over the hump Friday and now look to make shock waves in Class 4A with a monster game against Wayne County. 15. Raceland Rams (1A, 2-2)- The Rams gave it the ole College try and played their hearts out at Pikeville. Unfortunately, another injury at QB and Pikeville’s Defense were too much to overcome in the close loss. Raceland needs a week off to heal up. The Next 4: East Carter Raiders (3A, 4-0)- It was a game that lived up to the hype as the Raiders held on for a tight win against rival West Carter. If they can beat Fleming County a rare 5-0 start awaits. Knox Central Panthers (4A, 1-3)- The Panthers may be one of the best 1-3 teams in Kentucky, but that does little to change things. Bourbon County is next and Knox desperately needs a confidence booster. Hazard Bulldogs (1A, 2-1)- After taming the Floyd Central Jaguars, hazard improves their record and continue to lie in the tall grass of the 1A picture. Danville is not the Admiral team we are accustomed to, so a nice win is within reach. Whitley County Colonels (5A, 2-1)- The Colonels had a chance to take the night off and do some scouting. They will get an equally fresh bell County team with a chance to make a serious statement with a win. Four Teams of Note: Pike Central Hawks (3A, 2-1)- Pike Central looks much improved and are a couple plays away from being undefeated. A nice win over Perry Central and the opportunity to beat another larger school has the Hawks on the right track. Lawrence County Bulldogs (3A, 2-2)- The Bulldogs needed a good showing against Russell to prove they are a team to keep eyes on in the 3A picture, instead Lawrence County was measured and found wanting. Pineville Mountain Lions (1A, 4-0)- Don’t sleep on the forgotten school in Bell County. The Mountain Lions are 4-0 after pounding East Ridge. If Pineville can get past resurgent Middlesboro, they will certainly be making major waves in the EKY picture. Clay County Tigers (4A, 2-1)- It has been a long time since Clay County was relevant, but the Tigers are making major strides in 2019 including a blowout romp of Lynn Camp. The Tigers have a chance to get some serious momentum in their community if they can beat a stout Leslie County foe. Player of the Week: QB/DB Ryley Preece, Johnson Central- In the Golden Eagles 59-29 win over South Charleston, WV Preece was everywhere. The Senior 4-year starter at QB was 2/3 passing for 77 yards and 2 TD’s, he ran the ball 7 times 102 yards and two more scores, and he completed the trifecta with an Interception Return for a TD as well. Preece may not be accustomed to filling the stat sheet, but there is no doubt Johnson Central does not reach a State Finals in each of his seasons as the starter without him under center running the Offense. Game of the Week: #7 Pikeville Panthers at #2 Belfry Pirates- The battle for Pike County supremacy has long been one of the premier rivalries in EKY, but in recent years it has taken on new vigor as the Pikeville program has elevated. Last season, the Panthers nearly made a huge statement, but Belfry was able to stave them off for the win. With both teams ranked at or near the top of their class expect this one to have a huge gate and huge drama.

1. Johnson Central Golden Eagles (4A, 13-2, Class 4A Runner-Up)- The Golden Eagles lost their rubber match with Franklin Simpson and set their eyes on a vastly improved Class 4A. After four straight Finals trips it is hard to ignore a veteran crew for Coach Matney. 2. Corbin Redhounds (4A, 13-2, Class 3A Runner-Up)- It is hard to ever be disappointed with a State Runner-Up finish, but when Corbin dropped their second straight 3A Title game the Redhound faithful were left wanting more. The Hounds move up to 4A and will have some key holes to fill but should still be very stout. 3. Belfry Pirates (3A, 10-3)- For the second consecutive season Belfry’s fortunes came to an end in a Regional Finals loss where key injuries played a big role. Belfry must replace their three year starting QB and most of a dominant O-Line, but the Pirates have loads of skill talent and some nice pieces back in the middle of their Defense. 4. Pikeville Panthers (1A, 11-3, Class 1A Runner-Up)- Of the three EKY team who came up shy in the State Finals, perhaps none were more deserving to win than Pikeville. The Panthers gave Beechwood all they wanted but fell just shy, but don’t feel too bad as Pikeville returns a loaded roster including Jackson Hensley. 5. Pulaski County Maroons (5A, 11-3)- After a disappointing 2017, Johnny Hines’ Maroons came storming back in 2018 to reach the 5A Semi-Finals. Wiley Cain has left the building at Quarterback, but Pulaski’s new signal caller will be set up for success with Jake Sloan back as their primary receiving threat. 6. Bell County Bobcats (3A, 11-2)- Bell County was undefeated and relatively untouchable in 2018, well, except for their two games against Corbin. The Bobcats say goodbye to the Redhounds as they move up to 4A, and immediately take form as one of the teams to beat in the East. The Bobcats boast perhaps EKY’s most explosive player in QB London Stephney and have a veteran squad ready to make waves. Losing their leading rusher though was a late blow of much significance. 7. Ashland Tomcats (3A, 11-2)- It’s a bittersweet Summer for Ashland. On the bright side, the Tomcats move down to 3A and in the process shake free of District foe Johnson Central. On the negative side, not only does Ashland say goodbye to graduating QB Braxton Ratliff, but also to his younger brother who was expected to start. The Tomcats will enjoy their new digs in the smaller Class, but they still have work to do to advance past the Regional Finals. 8. Somerset Briarjumpers (2A, 11-3)- Perhaps no program in EKY History has had as much success without a State Title as Somerset. The Jumpers added to that pedigree with a Semi-Finals push in 2018, but the hope is 2019 is the year they finally get over the hump. The Jumpers will not lack for experience, they return their QB, their top RB, and a star defender. Expect the new turf field at the Briar Patch to serve as a canvas for some strong football. 9. Southwestern Warriors (5A, 10-3)- It hurts when you come up one TD short of a Regional Title. It hurts even worse when it comes to your bitter cross-town rival. It hurts even more when your other crow-town foe also plays on Black Friday as well. Larry French departs Southwestern and in comes Coach Jason Foley. Though the Warriors lose QB Drew Sawyers and WR JP Vaught, the future is still bright. 10. Raceland Rams (1A, 11-3)- The Rams have become one of the most consistent small school programs in Kentucky and 2018 was no exception with a Regional Championship before losing in the Semi’s to Pikeville. Raceland returns swiss army knife Gunnur Lewis and QB Jacob Heighton and appear poised for yet another 10+ win season. 11. Williamsburg Yellowjackets (1A, 9-3)- The vast majority of teams in the State of Kentucky failed to reach 4200 yards of total Offense. QB Dalton Ponder hit that mark by himself with nearly 3000 passing yards and almost 1300 rushing yards to go along with an astounding 55 total TD’s. Gavon Thomas and Caleb Rose are destined for monster seasons as well. Coach Herron has been eyeing the Title that eluded him and this may be their best chance to get back. 12. Breathitt County Bobcats (2A, 8-4)- Only two years ago Breathitt finished 4-7 with a very non-typical First Round playoff loss. After righting the ship in 2018, this year’s Bobcat team has the potential to do something even more special. It wasn’t enough for Breathitt to return QB Braxton OHara and WR Brandyn Slaughter, they added a transfer from one of the State’s Top RB’s CA Collins and also picked up a transfer from Hopkinsville in excellent two-way linemen William Long. 13. Knox Central Panthers (4A, 10-4)- If you were asked to list the EKY team who reached the State Semi-Finals in 2018, one would most likely forget that Knox Central in fact was left standing at the end of November before eventually falling to Johnson Central. The Panthers lost a solid Senior Class, but will build around QB Brady Worley and RB Ethan Mills. The big question Knox Central is on Defense where Tucker Holland and Bevin Campbell appear to be massive holes to fill. 14. North Laurel Jaguars (5A, 4-6)- Was 2018 a forgettable season for the Jaguars? Of course, they finished with a losing record and missed the playoffs. So why are they a Top 15 team in 2019? Simply put, how can they not make major strides after returning essentially their entire roster? The Jags lost three District games by a TD or less and should be able to really make strides with an entire Offense ready to click after playing together for a season. 15. Greenup County Musketeers (3A, 6-5)- Not only did Ashland escape the wrath of Johnson Central, they brought Greenup County with them to Class 3A. Eli Sammons is a physical specimen for a QB and the D1 prospect should enjoy the smaller school competition. The big question for the Musketeers will be replacing Dalton Halstead at RB after he posted a 1700+ yard season. The Next 10 16. Wayne County Cardinals (4A, 8-4) 17. Montgomery County Indians (5A, 9-3) 18. Russell Red Devils (3A, 8-5) 19. Paintsville Tigers (1A, 10-3) 20. Harlan County Black Bears (5A, 4-7) 21. Lawrence County Bulldogs (3A, 7-5) 22. Hazard Bulldogs (1A, 7-4) 23. Rockcastle County Rockets (3A, 5-6) 24. Perry Central Commodores (5A, 8-3) 25. South Laurel Cardinals (5A, 5-6) Pre-Season Offensive Player of the Year 1A QB Dalton Ponder, Williamsburg Pre-Season Defensive Player of the Year 1A DB Gunnur Lewis, Raceland Pre-Season Offensive Player of the Year 2A RB CA Collins, Breathitt County Pre-Season Defensive Player of the Year 2A LB Jase Bruner, Somerset Pre-Season Offensive Player of the Year 3A QB London Stephney, Bell County Pre-Season Defensive Player of the Year 3A DE Grayson Cook, Belfry Pre-Season Offensive Player of the Year 4A RB Devin Johnson, Johnson Central Pre-Season Defensive Player of the Year 4A DE Ethan Wine, Corbin Pre-Season Offensive Player of the Year 5A WR Jake Sloan, Pulaski County Pre-Season Defensive Player of the Year 5A LB Austin Barnes, Southwestern Week 1 Game of the Week: Greenup County at Raceland- Talk about a tone setter! These two NEKY rivals move their annual meeting up to the first week of the season and for two optimistic programs, neither will want to start the year off on the wrong foot.

1. Johnson Central (4A, 1-0)- The Golden Eagles left little doubt against 6A Henry Clay and put a running clock up on the Generals. Johnson Central now draws one of West Virginia’s premier large schools in a rivalry that has been very competitive. 2. Belfry Pirates (3A, 1-0)- Belfry put on a Defensive clinic against Southwestern and Isaac Dixon decided to upgrade his Hudl highlights. Belfry now gets a tough test against one of 2A’s top teams. 3. Corbin Redhounds (4A, 1-0)- Corbin had a tougher go of things than expected against rival Whitley County before scoring 21 unanswered to pull it out. They will look to round into form against Notre Dame, TN. 4. Pikeville Panthers (1A, 1-0)- Pikeville got tested by 3A Bardstown but put their foot down in the 4th Quarter to get a nice win in the opener. Expect a capacity crowd against one West Virginia’s top 2A teams, Mingo Central. 5. Bell County Bobcats (3A, 1-0)- Bell County kicked off an optimistic 2019 season with a convincing win over Collins. The Bobcats will have to be on their “A-game” taking on a Knox Central team looking for their first win. 6. Pulaski County Maroons (5A, 0-1)- It looked good for a Half against Lexington Catholic, then Beau Allen took over and the Maroons fell short. Pulaski now must head to Monticello for a tilt with the always stout Wayne County Cardinals. 7. Ashland Tomcats (3A, 1-0)- Ashland gutted out a tough win over Knox Central in come from behind fashion. They should have a little easier go this week with Boyd County on the schedule. 8. Somerset Briarjumpers (2A, 1-0)- New field, new year, new expectations, and one great season opener against Rockcastle. Somerset and their home-field both looked sharp and they hope to keep the magic going heading to Montgomery County. 9. Raceland Rams (1A, 1-0)- It was not pretty, but the Rams held off the challenge of Greenup County by three points to get the first win under their belt. The rivalry tour continues with a formidable Russell team next. 10. Williamsburg Yellowjackets (1A, 1-0)- Jellico, Tennessee was no match for the Jackets’ air raid. Now they set their sights on a Middlesboro team that is breathing fresh breath. 11. Knox Central Panthers (4A, 0-1)- The Panthers gave a valiant effort but came up short against Ashland. They have a second chance for an early season statement with Bell County next. 12. Breathitt County Bobcats (2A, 1-0)- Breathitt showed mercy and sportsmanship against an over-matched Jenkins team. On a light schedule, perhaps one of their toughest games will be this week against 5A South Laurel. 13. Greenup County Musketeers (3A, 0-1)- Greenup will point to self-inflicted wounds that may have cost them an opportunity to knock off Raceland. They will look to iron those issues out in practice and will set their course for Fleming County. 14. Southwestern Warriors (5A, 0-1)- It was a tough night at home against Belfry as the Warriors showed that the graduation losses of their top play-makers will be a work in progress to overcome. Southwestern will travel to Berea to face Madison Southern next. 15. Paintsville Tigers (1A, 1-0)- Paintsville took some time to get their wheels spinning on Offense against Lawrence County, but once they did… it was full steam ahead. The Tigers will draw a real tough one at Georgetown College when they square up Beechwood. Three Statement Winners: Middlesboro Yellowjackets (2A, 1-0)- It took Coach French one week to match the win total the Jackets posted in 2018. Middlesboro’s win over 3A Garrard County proved there is a new expectation for the program. Leslie County Eagles (2A, 1-0)- The buzz about Leslie County being a team to watch certainly rang true after the Eagles handled 5A Perry Central. The Eagles get an early season BYE before they have a chance to really turn heads against Williamsburg on September 6th. Lynn Camp Wildcats (1A, 1-0)- After the Wildcats made noise in 2018, you could not have scripted a better start to the season than beating perennial Class 1A power Frankfort. Expect the wins to continue with Jackson County next. Three Troubling Losses: Floyd Central Jaguars (3A, 0-1)- It was a brutal trip to Manchester as the Jaguars were outclassed by the host Clay County Tigers. The good news is something will have to give as their next foe is… North Laurel Jaguars (5A, 0-1)- The other East Kentucky group of Jags had lofty expectations after bringing back nearly their entire roster, unfortunately they could not hold on to a lead and took an “L” against Dunbar. Which Jaguar team will avoid the dreaded 0-2 star? Rockastle County Rockets (3A, 0-1)- Another team who was hoping to wipe the slate clean was Rockcastle, but despite their optimism the Rockets came crashing back to earth as Somerset simply dismembered them in all phases. They continue their Southern Kentucky swing against Casey County in a winnable game. Player of the Week: RB/LB Dalton Meade, Shelby Valley- Meade was superb in a very impressive season opening victory over 5A Letcher Central. Meade posted 373 yards on 28 carries and scored 4 TD’s. Just for a cherry on top he also added three 2-point conversions and 7 solo tackles. Game of the Week: #11 4A Knox Central @ #5 3A Bell County- The Bobcats welcome Knox Central to Log Mountain in a huge game for both teams. Bell County knows this may be one of their best opportunity for a statement non-District win, meanwhile Knox Central has already taken a loss and with several difficult games remaining, will look to secure an opportunity for major RPI points down the road.

1. Johnson Central Golden Eagles (4A, 12-3, State Runner-Up)- Franklin-Simpson took out some revenge on the Golden Eagles in the Finals but don’t feel sorry for Matney’s bunch. Johnson Central returns a wealth of starters and get back superstar RB Joe Jackson from a season ending injury. 2. Corbin Redhounds (3A, 13-2, State Runner-Up)- Corbin came up just short against a peaking Boyle County team. Corbin must replace their heartbeat in QB Camron Sizemore, but Chase Estep is dynamic. The Hounds should still be solid on Defense. Cross-Bracketing also is favorable for Corbin as they avoid the heavyweights of the Class until the Semi-Finals. 3. Belfry Pirates (3A, 11-2)- Untimely injuries at the LB position led to Belfry getting whitewashed by familiar foe Central and ending their streak as the Kings of their Class. Belfry must replace some key parts at the skill positions and will rely on one of the State’s best Offensive Lines which returns in tract. 4. Ashland Tomcats (4A, 10-3)- Ashland shocked rival Johnson Central in the regular season but had their dreams crushed when the Golden Eagles returned the favor in the playoffs. The Tomcats will try to rebound and will do so behind the arm and legs of dynamic QB Braxton Ratliff. 5. Raceland Rams (1A, 10-5, State Runner-Up)- The Rams got over the hump and finally fought their way to the 1A Final before falling to the Beechwood Buzzsaw. Raceland has plenty of experience back and will have the slightest of edges in what should be a stacked 1A Eastern Semi-State. 6. Pikeville Panthers (1A, 8-5, Lost in Semi’s)- It was called a “Rebuilding Year” as Coach MacNamee sent out a very young team and took several early season losses. The Panthers hit their stride and almost made a run to the State Finals and will return the farm. 7. Harlan County Black Bears (5A, 8-6, Lost in Semi’s)- The Black Bears were an after thought as the 5A Playoffs started. They entered as the 3-seed and with a 5-5 record, but they left with a shocking run that came a touchdown short of reaching the Championship. Expect continued improvement. 8. Southwestern Warriors (5A, 10-3)- Southwestern must replace one of the top players in school history with the graduating of Patric Edwards. It certainly helps when you have an all-purpose threat like Drew Sawyers to step up. 9. Pulaski County Maroons (5A, 4-7)- The 2017 season was a forgettable one for the Maroons. They hobbled to a losing record against a brutal schedule. Pulaski will not stay down for long under Coach Hines, but they have a lot of ground to make up to return to form. 10. Hazard Bulldogs (1A, 9-3)- Hazard was in the thick of the 1A race but were a couple defensive shootouts and a couple key injuries away. The Bulldogs will rely on their stud QB Bailey Blair and will once again be a major factor in what should be an exciting season for small school football. The Next Ten: 11. Knox Central Panthers (4A, 8-4) 12. Paintsville Tigers (1A, 11-2) 13. Wayne County Cardinals (4A, 12-2, Lost in Semi’s) 14. Rockcastle County Rockets (4A, 8-4) 15. Bell County Bobcats (3A, 7-5) 16. Somerset Briarjumpers (2A, 7-5) 17. Montgomery County Indians (5A, 10-3) 18. North Laurel Jaguars (5A, 9-3) 19. Whitley County Colonels (5A, 7-5) 20. Russell Red Devils (3A, 5-6) Large School Pre-Season Offensive Player of the Year: QB Braxton Ratliff, Ashland Small School Pre-Season Offensive Player of the Year: QB Bailey Blair, Hazard Large School Pre-Season Defensive Player of the Year: LB Devin Johnson, Johnson Central Small School Pre-Season Defensive Player of the Year: DB Gunnur Lewis, Raceland 15 Players to Watch In 2018: ATH Blevin Campbell, Knox Central ATH Seth Conn, Pike Central ATH Chase Estep, Corbin LB Austin Fields, Belfry RB Colby Frazier, Bell County LB Grant Gibson, Corbin ATH Jackson Hensley, Pikeville LB Garry Henson, Harlan County RB Joe Jackson, Johnson Central RB Seth Johnson, Shelby Valley RB Jayden Neace, Perry Central RB/LB Jaden Payne, Rockcastle County ATH Drew Sawyers, Southwestern ATH Landan Swartz, Bath County RB/DB Ethan Varney, Prestonsburg

1. Corbin Redhounds (3A, 2-0)- The Redhounds looked good by taking care of business against the defending 2A Champions and QB Chase Estep is proving the drop off after Cameron Sizemore is not nearly what people expected. 2. Johnson Central Golden Eagles (4A, 0-1)- The Eagles took a tough loss to Capital, WV. They will try to rebound against Henry Clay. The good news is Joe Jackson is back and as good as we remember. 3. Belfry Pirates (3A, 0-1)- Belfry had a tough hand to work against Friday missing their veteran QB and turning it over 4 times against a very good foe, but the Pirates still had a chance to win the game in the 4th Quarter. Bryan Station will be the second straight large school coming into CAM Stadium. 4. Ashland Tomcats (4A, 2-0)- Ashland had to do some scrambling to survive small school rival Raceland, but the Tomcats got the answers they need to pull it out. George Washington, WV should be a game they can post another "W" in. 5. Pikeville Panthers (1A, 2-0)- No team in EKY made as big of an impression as Pikeville in their desolation of Lexington Christian Academy. Pikeville is a bonafide 1A Contender and after they take an off-week, expect a HUGE clash against Paintsville. 6. Southwestern Warriors (5A, 2-0)- Southwestern didn't exactly make a statement against one of Fayette County's weaker programs, but they will have their second shot at a 6A statement win against a solid Madison Central squad. 7. Raceland Rams (1A, 1-1)- Raceland may have suffered a loss against 4A Ashland but they proved they are legit in the process by giving the Tomcats all they wanted. The Rams should bounce back quickly against an over matched West Carter club. 8. Hazard Bulldogs (1A, 1-0)- Hazard's debut was solid. The Bulldogs kept 5A Harlan County at bay and held on for a three score victory. Hazard will draw their second consecutive 5A foe with Letcher Central next on the slate. 9. Paintsville Tigers (1A, 2-0)- There is no doubt Paintsville has looked strong outscoring their first two foes 106-6. Neither Harlan or Estill County will be a factor in their class' playoff picture though, but 6A Frederick Douglass is everything you want to see as a measuring stick. 10. Wayne County Cardinals (4A, 1-1)- Speaking of Frederick Douglass. The Cardinals of Wayne County looked solid rebounding from their blowout loss to the Stallions for a quality win against Pulaski County. Warren East should be a winnable game, but the Cardinals will have to play well. 11. Bell County Bobcats (3A, 2-0)- Dudley's crew is 2 for 2 after getting the job done against Letcher Central. They welcome fellow 3A Pike Central and should move to 3-0 if they can continue to get Defensive stops. 12. Pulaski County Maroons (5A, 1-1)- Wayne County was too stiff of a test and the Maroons now will have to rally against powerhouse Corbin to once again avoid being on the wrong side of 2 losses before Labor Day. 13. Knox Central Panthers (4A, 1-1)- The Panthers had the unenviable task of Tennessee powerhouse Alcoa and as expected they were a bit out classed. Knox will lick their wounds before getting back into action against Harlan County. 14. Somerset Briarjumpers (2A, 2-0)- Somerset continues to rise up the rankings after not only handling Williamsburg, but seeing the Lincoln County team they previously dominated put a hurting on Rockcastle County. The Jumpers really have a chance to turn heads against 1A's top team Beechwood. 15. Greenup County Musketeers (4A, 2-0)- Greenup moves into the Top 15 after leaving little doubt against rival Russell. The Musketeers eye a little payback against Fleming County, the Panthers beat them this time last season. The Next 5: 16. Harlan County Black Bears (5A, 0-2) 17. Montgomery County Indians (5A, 1-1) 18. Whitley County Colonels (5A, 1-1) 19. South Laurel Cardinals (5A, 2-0) 20. Perry Central Commodores (5A, 2-0) Three Impressive Winners: Phelps Hornets (1A, 1-0)- The Hornets have came a long way in a few years and now resemble a formidable 1A team. Phelps outclassed 2A East Ridge in every sense of the word. Powell County Pirates (3A, 2-0)- The Pirates started last year 0-2 with losses to Garrard County and West Carter, so far they have turned it around to beat both of those teams. East Carter Raiders (4A, 2-0)- East Carter is 2 for 2 on the early season. So far the Raiders have scored 7 Offensive TD's in each of their games and will be a hevay favorite for 3-0 against 2A Betsy Layne. Three Tough Losses: Prestonsburg Blackcats (2A, 0-1)- After North Laurel took a lopsided loss in Week 1, the Blackcats needed to at least go toe to toe to prove they have something to say. North Laurel controlled the game against P'burg and the Blackcats now need answers. [ B]Rockcastle County Rockets (4A, 1-1)[/b]- Rockcastle caught a skeptical eye in Week 1 with a closer than expected win over Paris, getting ran off the field by 5A Lincoln County caused the Rockets to fall out of orbit and out of the Top 20. Fairview Eagles (1A, 0-1)- Fairview already has a tough hill with Paintsville and Raceland already being loaded for bear in their District. Losing their season opener in lopsided form to win-starved Boyd County did not help. Player of the Week: RB Seth Johnson, Shelby Valley- with Shelby Valley's Defense struggling to stop the Pike Central offense, it was apparent that the Wildcats needed to outscore the hawks to win. Johnson stepped up to the plate with 215 rushing yards and 3 TD's. Game of the Week: Powell County at Bath County- If there was a #21 and #22 position in the rankings this week it would be held down by these two teams respectively. The Wildcats opened their season with an OT win over a vastly improved Rowan County team behind Landan Swartz carrying the load over 40 times for over 200 yards. The Pirates of Powell County are 2 for 2 against 3A foes and will be looking to keep that streak going.

1. Corbin Redhounds (3A, 3-0)- The Hounds continued to flex their muscles by overwhelming Pulaski County. Corbin now gets their stiffest challenge of the year as they host the #1 team in Class 1A Beechwood. The Tigers defeated Corbin last year. 2. Johnson Central Golden Eagles (4A, 1-1)- Johnson Central got off the mat from a season opening loss and took down 6A Henry Clay. The Eagles' Offense still sin't quite humming the way they like, they will look to get on the same page against South Charleston, WV. 3. Belfry Pirates (3A, 1-1)- Belfry got back in the win column by putting a running clock on 6A Bryan Station. Belfry hosts the always stout 2A Newport Central Catholic Throughbreds this week. 4. Ashland Tomcats (4A, 3-0)- Ashland went back and forth with George Washington, WV before putting their foot down en route to a nice win. The Tomcats draw rival Russell as they continue to pile up wins behind Braxton Ratliff. 5. Pikeville Panthers (1A, 2-0)- Pikeville should be well rested heading into their clash with rival 1A foe Paintsville. The Panthers can send shock waves throughout the class potentially. 6. Southwestern Warriors (5A, 3-0)- Southwestern seized the opportunity to make a statement when they beat highly thought of 6A Madison Central. The Warriors will look to win three straight against Central KY's biggest teams when they draw Henry Clay. 7. Raceland Rams (1A, 2-1)- Raceland merely had to break a light sweat against West Carter. They can expect a much stiffer challenge as they challenge a Greenup County team that is looking sharp. 8. Hazard Bulldogs (1A, 2-0)- The Dawgs put a hurting on a Letcher Central team that had previously played fellow Top 15 teams Knox Central and Bell County competitively. They now get a small school showdown with their own fellow Top 15 foe Somerset. 9. Wayne County Cardinals (4A, 2-1)- Wayne County's Offense looked impressive by scoring 57 points against Warren East, unfortunately their Defense still has a long way to go after giving up 40 points. The Cardinals have perhaps the toughest draw of the week against 3As top ranked team Boyle County. 10. Bell County Bobcats (3A, 3-0)- Heading into the BYE the Bobcats are looking solid. Bell just polished off Pike Central in shutout fashion. In previous years Pike Central was able to make Bell County have to work, so this is a sign of positive advancement. 11. Paintsville Tigers (1A, 2-1)- Paintsville stepped up in class in a big way taking on 6A Frederick Douglass and the Tigers found out the water was a little too deep. Paintsville will have to re-calibrate and put the loss behind them with a monster 1A clash looming. 12. Knox Central Panthers (4A, 1-1)- The Panthers licked their wounds and took the week off after losing their first game to Alcoa, Tennessee. Knox will have a physical battle awaiting against Harlan County. 13. Greenup County Musketeers (4A, 3-0)- Greenup could not have asked for a better start. A 60-13 drubbing over a Fleming County team who beat them last year has the Musketeers feeling confident. They have a chance to make a leap into the Top 10 if they can beat Raceland. 14. Somerset Briarjumpers (2A, 2-1)- Mother Nature was her own mercy rule against Beechwood for Somerset when they were put out of their misery with the game was called down 28-0 in the First Half. Somerset gets another one of 1A's best teams with Hazard next. 15. Harlan County Blackbears (5A, 0-2)- Harlan County felt confident they would get their first win against 6A Tates Creek but the weather would not cooperate and the game was called before it could even get going. They will need to break their maiden against a solid Knox Central squad. The Next Five: 16. Pulaski County Maroons (5A, 1-2) 17. Montgomery County Indians (5A, 2-1) 18. Perry Central Commodores (5A, 3-0) 19. Bath County Wildcats (3A, 2-0) 20. Rockcastle County Rockets (4A, 2-1) Three Big Winners: Floyd Central Jaguars (3A, 3-0)- Floyd Central is still undefeated after winning a nice back and forth battle with Breathitt County. The Jags have a chance to make their claim for the Top 15 this week. Lynn Camp Wildcats (1A, 2-0)- Lynn Camp has outscored their opponents 89-21 and looked good against 3A Jackson County. The Wildcats get the aforementioned Floyd Central team in a big EKY statement game. Clay County Tigers (4A, 1-2)- Despite being competitive, after an 0-2 start most though "same ole Clay County", but the Tigers secured a monster win over East Jessamine. The Jaguars had beat Top 20 Montgomery County and gave a ranked 2A Lloyd all they wanted previously. Three Tough Losses: South Laurel Cardinals (5A, 2-1)- Speaking of Jessamine County schools. After building early momentum in their first two games the Cardinals hit a glass door by falling to the Colts of West Jessamine. Prestonsburg Blackcats (2A, 0-2)- Prestonsburg took their second straight loss of the season against 3A Lawrence County, and in the process have been outscored 85-14 to start the year. Shelby Valley Wildcats (2A, 1-1)- With a chance to make a statement that they are the team to beat in their District, Shelby Valley fell flat against Ridgeview, Virginia and were ran off the field. Player of the Week: QB Garrett Adkins, Morgan County His stat line may not jump out: 3/5 Passing for 105 yards, 6 carries for 27 yards. With that said, the story of Garrett's stat line was the TD column. All three of Adkins completions went for Touchdowns and half of his carries found the endzone as well for 6 total scores in Morgan County's first win of the year against Jenkins. Game of the Week: #11 Paintsville Tigers at #5 Pikeville Panthers Pikeville has lost four of their last five games against the Tigers including a 28-0 loss last year. Many in Pikeville feel the Panthers area ready to make a push to the 1A Finals, but in order to validate those suspicions the Panthers will have to prove they can get over the Paintsville hump. Paintsville equally needs a statement win after getting mercy ruled against Frederick Douglass.

1. Corbin Redhounds (3A, 4-0)- Redhounds get some revenge and take care of business against 1A's top-ranked team. Corbin will get a much needed week off before jumping back into action against another heavyweight. 2. Johnson Central Golden Eagles (4A, 2-1)- Even lightning could not delay the Central onslaught as they put a hurting on South Charleston. Moore makes the long trek from Louisville and brings their 4-0 record with them. 3. Belfry Pirates (3A, 2-1)- Belfry had 2A Newport Central Catholic beat after running three Offensive plays. The Pirates will take a substantial step up in class against rival Pikeville. 4. Ashland Tomcats (4A, 4-0)- Ashland's perfect season continues as they romp rival Russell. The rivalry tour continues with Ironton, OH next and expect Ashland to remain undefeated. 5. Pikeville Panthers (1A, 3-0)- Pikeville left no doubt by handling Paintsville in almost every facet. Connor Roberts is a bonafide star and they will need him to shine in this week's big clash with Belfry. 6. Southwestern Warriors (5A, 4-0)- Southwestern was able to hold off Henry Clay and in the process make amends for a loss suffered last year. Madison Southern also handed the Warriors a loss in 2017, but Southwestern should definitely flip the script in 2018. 7. Raceland Rams (1A, 3-1)- Raceland needed two days to polish off rival Greenup County, but they got the job done cementing their place as the team to beat in Northeastern Kentucky small school football. The Rams draw Ohio Counterpart Lucasville-Valley next. 8. Knox Central Panthers (4A, 2-1)- The Panthers made a statement by using some forced turnovers to pound Harlan County. Expect Knox Central to keep rolling against an over-matched 2A Green County team. 9. Bell County Bobcats (3A, 3-0)- Bell County got to rest and scout. The Bobcats will be back in action against Whitley County as they look to keep the winning ways going. 10. Somerset Briarjumpers (2A, 3-1)- Somerset rebounded nicely from their loss against Beechwood to keep Hazard at bay. They will make the short trip don Route 80 and try to claim a 5A victim against North Laurel. 11. Wayne County Cardinals (4A, 2-2)- The Cards' tough schedule claimed them as a victim for the 2nd time as they were no contest for an excellent Boyle County team. The Cardinals will try to keep Harlan County down and out. 12. Paintsville Tigers (1A, 2-2)- Paintsville simply could not match up with Pikeville and now must go back to the drawing board to figure out how they can close the gap. Their first order of business is beating another solid 1A team on the road at Williamsburg. 13. Hazard Bulldogs (1A, 2-1)- Hazard could not find a rhythm and were knocked off by a stout Somerset squad. The Bulldogs will take the week off before calibratin on what it will take to challenge Pikeville down the road. 14. Greenup County Musketeers (4A, 3-1)- Greenup tasted defeat for the first time as they could not find the Offense to challenge Raceland. The Musketeers will hit the road looking for a bounce back against Lawrence County. 15. Pulaski County Maroons (5A, 2-2)- Pulaski got exactly what they needed when they kept the game in control against 2A Danville. The Maroons cannot rest on their laurels though as Allen County- Scottsville is not a bad team. THE NEXT FIVE: 16. Perry Central Commodores (5A, 4-0) 17. Montgomery County Indians (5A, 3-1) 18. South Laurel Cardinals (5A, 3-1) 19. Bath County Wildcats (3A, 2-1) 20. Powell County Pirates (3A, 3-1) ...Four More Making Moves (No Particular Order): Lynn Camp Wildcats (1A, 3-0) Williamsburg Yellowjackets (1A, 3-1) Phelps Hornets (1A, 3-0) Rowan County Vikings (4A, 3-1) ...Four That Are Sliding (No Particular Order): Rockcastle County Rockets (4A, 2-2) Prestonsburg Blackcats (2A, 0-3) Harlan County Black Bears (5A, 0-3) Middlesboro Yellowjackets (2A, 1-3) Player of the Week: QB Connor Roberts, Pikeville The Panther Quarterback single handily had Paintsville in tears throwing for 193 yards and 2 TD's and adding 231 yards and 3 TD's on the ground in ONLY 11 carries. Game of the Week: #3 Belfry Pirates at #5 Pikeville Panthers- The Real Pike County Bowl has probably not been as highly anticipated as this one in over 15 years. Pikeville looks to have one of their better teams in recent memory and Belfry is still a formidable buzzsaw. Expect some heavy hitting and every broken tackle to have significance.

1. Johnson Central (4A, 0-0)- The Eagles jump into action with a Pre-Season Top 5 team from West Virginia when they welcome the athletic Capital Cougars squad. All reports are that RB Joe Jackson is back and better than ever after he turned heads in a scrimmage against Beechwood. 2. Corbin Redhounds (3A, 1-0)- Corbin was not necessarily in mid-season form against Whitley County, but they also left no doubt they are for real once more. Corbin will take on Defending 2A Champion Danville. 3. Belfry Pirates (3A, 0-0)- Belfry will open against one of the best big schools in West Virginia when Huntington comes to Haywood Field. Huntington beat Belfry last year and will be a very stiff test. 4. Ashland Tomcats (4A, 1-0)- Ashland may have stubbed their toe against Harlan County in the 2017 debut, but no such thing came close to happening this season. Ashand will look to keep the momentum going against small-school rival Raceland. 5. Southwestern Warriors (5A, 1-0)- After winning the pre-season with some exceptional scrimmage performances the Warriors proceeded to open the year by dominating a Tennessee foe. Expect the tribe to keep riding when Dunbar takes them on. 6. Pikeville Panthers (1A, 1-0)- It was a big week for Pikeville football. The Panthers debuted one of the nicest locker rooms in the State earlier in the week and then followed it up by christening the facilities with a blowout win over Covington Holy Cross. Pikeville will look for a measure of revenge in the Pike County Bowl against Lexington Christian Academy, a team who beat them last season. 7. Raceland Rams (1A, 1-0)- Raceland was a bit slow out of the gate against 3A Lawrence County, but the Rams made some adjustments and took control in the 2nd Half. Raceland will look to make a big statement against Ashland. 8. Hazard Bulldogs (1A, 0-0)- Hazard got some good work in against Belfry in a scrimmage and will draw 5A Harlan County to officially open the year. Last season the Dogs beat the Bears and they will look to do it again. 9. Pulaski County Maroons (5A, 1-0)- Pulaski began their rebound season by outlasting Clarksville-Northwest 48-39. There might be some cause for concern as the Viking were 1-10 a year ago and were no match for Southwestern in the same Bowl Game. Pulaski ill try to calibrate against a Wayne County team that took a loss. 10. Paintsville Tigers (1A, 1-0)- Paintsville made short work of 3A Estill County and rolled to a blowout victory behind a balanced Offensive assault. Expect the Tigers to have a similar type of performance against Harlan. The Rest of the Top 20: 11. Knox Central Panthers (4A, 1-0) 12. Harlan County Black Bears (5A, 0-1) 13. Bell County Bobcats (3A, 1-0) 14. Wayne County Cardinals (4A, 0-1) 15. Rockcastle County Rockets (4A, 1-0) 16. Somerset Briarjumpers (2A, 1-0) 17. Montgomery County Indians (5A, 1-0) 18. Russell Red Devils (3A, 0-0) 19. Greenup County Musketeers (4A, 1-0) 20. Whitley County Colonels (5A, 0-1) Three Teams Who Impressed: Pineville Mountain Lions (1A, 1-0)- Pineville entered a slight under dog to 2A Leslie County, they left a 50-12 winner in an almost 60 point swing from the season opener last year. Powell County Pirates (3A, 1-0)- Powell has high expectation and they opened the season by taking down the always solid 3A Garrard County Golden Lions. Powell seems poised to be the team to beat in their District. Sheldon Clark Cardinals (3A, 1-0)- Wins have not been common in recent years for Sheldon Clark, let alone wins by comfortable margins. The Cardinals put a hurting on 2A Bteys Layne and got off on the right foot. Three Teams Who Want To Press Re-Start on the Season: Leslie County Eagles (2A, 0-1)- Leslie fans felt as if the struggles of 2017 were in the past and the Eagles were poised to contend for a District Title, losing to Pineville alone would have been cause for concern, but to get taken to the woodshed had to be alarming. North Laurel Jaguars (5A, 0-1)- North Laurel had owned the rivalry against their cross town foe, but this weekend it was the Cardinals who had the last laugh as they dominated the Jaguars. Middlesboro Yellowjackets (2A, 0-1)- I don't think many expected Middlesboro to beat Bell County, but the 54-0 defeat has to serve as a reminder of how far Bell has come since having some "down" years and how far Middlesboro has not came. After being competitive against the Bobcats the past two season openers, it is clear Middlesboro has a long way to go to get close to their historical stature. Player of the Week: RB Dalton Cook, Lynn Camp In Lynn Camp's season opening win over 3A Knott County Central, Dalton Cook was one Happy Camper. Cook ran for over 250 yards and added 3 TD's as the Senior laden Wildcats served notice that they plan to be a part of the Class 1A picture. Game of the Week: #18 Russell at #19 Greenup County- The battle for Greenup County should be as even as it has ever been. The Musketeers feel as confident entering a season as they have in many years, but need to get off on the right foot to build momentum for when the games start to count. Russell has a brutal schedule lined up and need a big momentum surge because losses are sure to come.

1. Johnson Central Golden Eagles (4A, 8-1)- The Eagles made a statement by taking rival Ashland to the woodshed and locking up homefield advantage. All that remains now is a battle with Belfry for power running game bragging rights. 2. Corbin Redhounds (3A, 8-1)- Corbin leaned on their Defense for a shutout and stretched their legs late to put away Casey County and lock up a District Title. The Hounds will look for geographical supremacy with Knox Central in a nice season finale clash. 3. Belfry Pirates (3A, 8-1)- Belfry keeps their momentum rolling by polishing off another running clock District win. The Pirates would love nothing more than to stretch their win streak to 9 entering the playoffs, but Johnson Central will be a tall order. 4. Ashland Tomcats (4A, 9-1)- Ashland simply did not have the horses on Defense to beat Johnson Central on the road. The Tomcats will now regain their focus and square their sites on getting back to re-match. 5. Pulaski County Maroons (5A, 7-2)- The Maroons win their 6th straight and in the process ruin rival Southwestern's hopes of a perfect season. Pulaski is suddenly playing their best ball of the season and if they can handle a non-District clash with Collins, now have their destiny in their hands with the 1 seed. 6. Southwestern Warriors (5A, 8-1)- Southwestern had played spoiler to Pulaski many times in the past and now sees the tables turned. The Warriors must re-group quickly as the last thing they want is a tow game losing streak entering November, but Lexington Catholic is more than capable of doing just that. 7. Bell County Bobcats (3A, 8-1)- A 53-point win was what the Doctor ordered to get over the hangover of a Corbin loss. Bell knows what they have to do to close the gap and get another shot at the Hounds. The road begins with 5A Harlan County and some Pine Mountain pride. 8. Somerset Briarjumpers (2A, 8-2)- Somerset puts the 2018 regular season on ice with a solid 8-2 mark and a District Title. The Jumpers will need to keep their momentum moving forward as they set their sights on likely seeing their District mates all over again. 9. Pikeville Panthers (1A, 6-2)- Class 1A-East is a mess. A beautiful mess of excellent teams, but a mess nonetheless and Pikeville may be at the head of the class. The Panthers draw one more out of state foe before they drive toward a State Finals trip on a path that is sure to be ripe with ranked foes. 10. Knox Central Panthers (4A, 7-2)- The Panthers continue to hang out just outside the radar, but have quietly pieced together an excellent season. Knox has a chance to firmly appear on the scene if they can shock Corbin. 11. Paintsville Tigers (1A, 8-2)- Winner! Winner! Offense gets thinner! Paintsville upsets the apple cart and reshapes the Class 1A scene in a Defensive stalemate victory over Raceland. Suddenly everyone has to stand up and take note that the Tigers are a team firmly in the race for the Finals. 12. Raceland Rams (1A, 8-1)- The Rams took a step back courtesy of a lack of Offense and a tough Paintsville squad. Raceland's Defense is ready to do big things, but they have got to start finding some points. Russell provides a quality test to sharpen their mind to end the season. 13. Hazard Bulldogs (1A, 5-3)- Hazard feels like the only person at the dance without a partner after losing to both Pikeville and Paintsville in close battles. The Bulldogs still have to navigate 5A Whitley County, but they have to feel they are plenty capable of getting their signature win in November if given the chance. 14. Montgomery County Indians (5A, 7-2)- The Indians need only to avoid a loss to fellow 5A Lincoln County to secure back to back 8-2 regular seasons. Montgomery County has to feel that if they can make up the 8-point deficit they suffered in their loss to undefeated Anderson County, bigger things are possible. 15. Wayne County Cardinals (4A, 6-3)- Wayne County once was program that was content with a .500 season, but now Coach Thompson has the folks from Monticello viewing a potential 7-3 regular season as a slightly "down" year. Wayne will look to put another nail in Madison Southern's coffin and then they will turn their attention toward trying to reach Thanksgiving football once more. Three Making Waves: Williamsburg Yellowjackets (1A, 7-2)- The Jackets gave up 44, but ended up hanging a whopping 72 on previously undefeated Lynn Camp. Williamsburg now enters the 1A playoffs looking to prove they belong in the same company as the rest of the logjam of great teams. Shelby Valley Wildcats (2A, 8-1)- Presuming Valley can take care of business against a Boyd County team who has lost 7-straight, you can chalk Shelby Valley up as perhaps the quietest 9-1 team in Kentucky. The Wildcat backfield can churn the yards, they will hope that trend continues as the competition increases. Russell Red Devils (3A, 6-3)- It appeared Russell was heading toward a different kind of season when they started 0-3, but fast forward and Russell is exactly where they want to be after defeating Bath County for the District Title. Russell can really put a cherry on the top of their regular season sundae if they can shock Raceland. Three Needing a Win: Harlan County Black Bears (5A, 3-5)- Harlan County somehow pulled a District Title out of their bag despite losing every non-District game on their schedule. With predictions of a playoff sweep from the opposite District already stirring, a win over Bell would go a long way to propelling the Bears forward. Bath County Wildcats (3A, 6-3)- The difference between a 7-3 season and a 6-4 season really may not seem like much, but if Bath loses to rival Nicholas County it will be feel like an anchor tied around their neck in the wake of losing to Russell. Bath needs all the momentum they can get with a tough playoff draw ahead. East Carter Raiders (4A, 5-4)- Speaking of symbolic wins and perspective. East Carter clinched a playoff birth with a tough win over Rowan County and close the regular season against Powell County. A win means that the Raiders are assured a winning season for the first time since 2005. Player of the Week: QB Wiley Cain, Pulaski County- In the Maroons' big win over rival Southwestern the signal caller was simply splendid. Cain finished 35/49 for 352 yards with a score and added 32 yards and a TD on the ground. Game of the Week: #3 Belfry Pirates at #1 Johnson Central Golden Eagles- The two most consistently dominant programs in the Mountains renew their rivalry with each looking for the shot of momentum a win would provide. The Eagles have their biggest statement win after taking down Ashland, the Pirates still need their crown jewel and would love to get it at the hands of Matney's crew.

1. Johnson Central Golden Eagles (4A, 5-1)- The Golden Eagles flew in a gentle breeze by dusting off East Carter. Greenup County is not a pushover, but Johnson Central should have no issue. 2. Ashland Tomcats (4A, 7-0)- The Tomcats get the slight bump thanks to the value of their win over Raceland looking better and better each week. After pounding Boyd County expect the same result against East Carter. 3. Belfry Pirates (3A, 5-1)- Belfry had little resistance from Floyd Central and now step back out of the District for the always stout Knights from Cabell Midland, WV. Pirates will get to see if their Defense is showing the improvement they hope. 4. Corbin Redhounds (3A, 5-1)- Corbin had a light jog to put McCreary Central away. Jackson County has improved, but expect another Second Half full of subs for the Redhounds again. 5. Raceland Rams (1A, 6-1)- After a hard fought Defensive stand-off against Somerset it is starting to look more and more than the Rams are the team the rest of 1A-East is chasing. After a well-deserved off-week the Rams will then dive into District play. 6. Southwestern Warriors (5A, 6-0)- Southwestern continues to legitimize that they are a team more than capable of playing deep into November by taking care of business against a reeling 6A Central Hardin. They can't let their guards down against South Laurel, the Cards are impressive. 7. Bell County Bobcats (3A, 6-0)- Facing their first real test of the year against undefeated Clay County the Bobcats made an emphatic statement with a blowout win. They will try to keep the forward momentum going against Clay County. 8. Pikeville Panthers (1A, 4-2)- Pikeville got back into the win column in a back and forth classic with Hazard. The Panthers needed the confidence boost and also need this week off to heal up. 9. Knox Central Panthers (4A, 5-1)- It wasn't Knox's most stellar performance, but the Panthers got the win and kept moving the ball forward. A massive game now looms this week with the eyes of 4A firmly fixed. 10. Somerset Briarjumpers (2A, 5-2)- If nothing else in their close loss to Raceland, the Jumpers proved that their Defense is as good as advertised. Somerset came up just short, but should still have the amount of swagger they want entering a monster clash with Danville. 11. Wayne County Cardinals (4A, 5-2)- Rockcastle was no match for the Cardinal Offense and they seem to be humming nicely. It will be all hands on deck with a District Title essentially on the line this week. 12. Hazard Bulldogs (1A, 3-2)- Hazard may not have achieved the desired result they wanted against Pikeville, but the Bulldogs also proved they are not some second tier product. Before they can direct their ship toward a potential re-match they must first take care of business against an improved Phelps squad. 13. Paintsville Tigers (1A, 5-2)- Paintsville loaded up the buses for a long game against a quality 2A Walton-Verona team and returned happy. Expect the smiles to continue as Fairview will be no contest. 14. Montgomery County Indians (5A, 5-1)- The Indians made a nice statement against a solid South Laurel team. Their pursuit of a District Title now cranks up against Madison Southern, the reigning Title holder. 15. Pulaski County Maroons (5A, 4-2)- The Maroons return to action for a game that has huge implications that most would not have expected entering the season. Lincoln County is playing great football and want nothing more than to force Pulaski to take their playoff games on the road. The Next 5: 16. South Laurel Cardinals (5A, 4-2) 17. Williamsburg Yellowjackets (1A, 4-2) 18. Shelby Valley Wildcats (2A, 5-1) 19. Russell Red Devils (3A, 3-3) 20. Powell County Pirates (3A, 5-1) Player of the Week: RB Nathan Skidmore, Powell County- In the Pirates' win over Knott Central Skidmore was superb. He carried the ball 19 times for 209 yards and 3 TD's as Powell County looks to take the District Tiitle for a second season. Game of the Week: #11 Wayne County at #9 Knox Central- 4A District 6 will likely come down to the clash in Barbourville. The Panthers have been getting it done with Defense and outside of their loss to Tennessee power Alcoa, the Panthers have looked the part of a 4A team who can make a deep push. Wayne County ahs been the gold standard in their District and will look for a statement road win.

Breaking Down The The Halfway Stats: Only using current teams ranked in the Top 10 Top 10 Scoring Offense: 1. Mayfield- 281 Points 2. Owensboro Catholic- 243 Points 3. Glasgow- 212 Points 4. CAL- 199 Points 5. Somerset- 176 Points 6. LCA- 170 Points 7. DeSales- 160 Points 8. Lloyd- 150 Points 9. Danville- 139 Points 10. Newport Central Catholic- 107 Points Top 10 Scoring Defense: 1. CAL- 41 Points 2. Somerset- 45 Points 3. Lloyd Memorial- 74 Points 4. DeSales- 91 Points 5. Glasgow- 102 Points 6. Mayfield- 124 Points 7. Danville- 135 Points 8. Owensboro Catholic- 162 Points 9. Newport Central Catholic- 173 Points 10. LCA- 190 Points Top 10 Strength of Schedule (Per Calpreps): 1t. DeSales- 10.9 1t. Newport Central Catholic- 10.9 3. Danville- 9.2 4. Mayfield- 8.5 5. LCA- 6.6 6. CAL- 1.1 7. Somerset- (-1.1) 8. Owensboro Catholic- (-3.2) 9. Glasgow- (-10.6) 10. Lloyd Memorial (-14.7) Ranking The 15 Best Wins (Top 10 Teams Per Calpreps): 1. Mayfield vs. #942 Corbin 2. DeSales vs. #1186 Lexington Catholic 3. DeSales vs. #1619 St. Xavier 4. Mayfield vs. #1799 Paducah Tilghman 5. DeSales vs. #1905 Butler 6. CAL vs. #1972 South Oldham 7. Owensboro Catholic vs. #2045 Owensboro 8. Somerset vs. #3635 Hazard 9. LCA vs. #3703 Waggener 10. Danville vs. #3703 Waggener 11. LCA vs. #3847 Lincoln 12. Mayfield vs. #4325 McCracken County 13. Somerset vs. #4642 Lincoln County 14. Mayfield vs. #4981 Hopkinsville 15. Mayfield vs. #5187 Graves County Ranking the 10 Best Losses (Top 10 Teams Per Calpreps): 1. Danville vs. #584 Boyle County 2. Owensboro Catholic vs. #603 Reitz 3. NewCath vs. #721 CAL 4. Danville vs. #942 Corbin 5. LCA vs. #1186 Lexington Catholic 6. Somerset vs. #1208 Beechwood 7. Lloyd vs. #1208 Beechwood 8. Glasgow vs. #1732 Franklin-Simpson 9. Newport Central Catholic vs. #1792 Belfry 10. LCA vs. #2454 Pikeville Ranking the 15 Best Performances (Top 10 Teams Per Calpreps): 1. Mayfield vs. Corbin- 52.4 2. Mayfield vs. Tilghman- 44.1 3. DeSales vs. LexCath- 40.7 4. DeSales vs. St. X- 36.5 5. CAL vs. South Oldham- 36.4 6. DeSales vs. Butler- 34.0 7. Mayfield vs. McCracken County- 33.7 8. Owensboro Catholic vs. Owensboro- 33.0 9. Somerset vs. Lincoln County- 32.3 10. CAL vs. Elizabethtown- 30.8 11. Mayfield vs. Graved County- 30.2 12. CAL vs. Central Hardin- 29.0 13. CAL vs. Newport Cental Catholic- 25.8 14. Somerset vs. Hazard- 23.0 15t. DeSales vs. Fern Creek- 22.7 15t. Danville vs. Waggener- 22.7 15t. LCA vs. Waggener- 22.7 In Summary: The Stats LOVE Mayfield and DeSales. Who would have thought it? Obviously this is sarcastic, OF COURSE the stats will love the two top-ranked teams, but at this point it would suggest from a statistical standpoint that these two teams are leaps and bounds in front of the pack. Both teams have combined for six of the seven best performances and have all five of the top wins against the highest ranked teams in the Calpreps rankings. Of the Top 5 teams in the State, they also have the two hardest Strength of Schedules. Though neither team is ranked among the best Defensively, you have to consider the correlation between their standing and their Strength of Schedule. If you are playing better teams, it would lend itself that they are better Offenses to have to defend. It is surprising to see CAL so far behind in the comparative analysis of quality of competition and quality of results, outside of the South Oldham victory the Centurions really don't have another win that truly stands out as elite. With that said, CAL is a strong #3 team when you look at the statistics, specifically their Defensive ranking where they have proven they have an elite level Defense. The Centurions really only have one game left that should be a notable challenge and that is DeSales, otherwise their schedule is actually surprisingly weak compared to what we are accustomed to from them. Glasgow is probably the most disappointing team of the Top 7 when looking at their statistics. Despite playing a painfully weak schedule the Scotties do not trend well and in their lone challenge of notable stature, they were outclassed by Franklin-Simpson. Though most associate Glasgow as being on similar footing as Somerset and Owensboro Catholic, just behind the Top 3, the statistics seem to suggest the Scotties are actually another step below and more similar to Danville, LCA, and Lloyd Memorial. Meanwhile, Around the State WKY Cards Trump Corbin Most anticipated the Mayfield and Corbin game to be an instant classic. The #2 ranked teams in their respective classes going to battle on a neutral field. Corbin's solid Defense and Mayfield's efficient Offense doing battle. There was no shortage of bravado entering the game, but after Mayfield took the Redhounds to the woodshed 45-21 there were not many Hounds left barking. Mayfield put on a clinic. The Cardinals harassed Corbin standout QB Chase Estep all night with pressure from their Defensive Line, the Cardinal DB's blanketed the Corbin receivers, and the Cardinals absolutely owned Special Teams. The Cardinals would score both a kickoff return for a TD and a Field Goal, while a fumble generated in kick coverage would lead directly to another score. The Cardinal Offense also was business as usual. Mayfield's balanced attack kept Corbin off balance all night as the Cardinals consistently found success in all downs and distances, whether it be from the run or pass. It was frightening display of team football for the rest of Class 2A, as once again Mayfield resoundingly proved they are a legitimate title threat. The Cardinals jump into District play this week with most likely District Contender Murray on the slate. After this week the Cardinals should be able to cruise and rest anyone with a bump or bruise before their final showdown with a solid 3A Caldwell County squad. NKY A Cringe Worthy Night For District 6 When the highlight of the night may have been a loss by two Touchdowns, you know it was not a great night. Newport Central Catholic looked stronger than recent weeks when they pushed 4-1 6A Conner to their limit, before succumbing 34-18 on the road. The Breds had been outscored 93-12 the three previous games so this was a step in the right direction despite the loss. Lloyd Memorial did find a way to fly the "W" flag, but it surely was not pretty in the least. The Juggernauts needed all Four Quarters to survive a scare from historical whipping post Grant County 26-12. The Braves entered with losses in 21 of their past 22 games and do not compete for a District Title, but ti didn't stop them from only trailing by a lone TD with under 2:00 to go. The Juggernauts now take on that same Conner team NewCath just faced. Newport's hot start came to a halt against 1A Frankfort. The Wildcats were no match for Frankfort and fell 42-21. Covington Holy Cross remained winless by taking a 63-6 drubbing at the hands of Beechwood. The Indians have now been outscored 288-18 on the season. EKY District 8 To Start Shaping Up Shelby Valley continues to look like the team to beat in District 8. The Wildcats are now 5-1 and have successfully established their rushing prowess in recent weeks. Valley has scored 161 points in their last three games against lesser competition. They will take this week as their BYE and it should afford a valuable chance to scout. The Shelby Valley staff will certainly be in Hyden watching Leslie County and Prestonsburg do battle. The Blackcats are still searching for their first win after a solid non-district schedule has left them 0-5 and without a single game that they were within 4 TD's of the victor. Leslie County got off the mat in their sixth try to handle East Ridge 47-6 for their first win of the year. The loser of this game will have a lot of work to do with a road playoff game looming. The winner will at least have a chance to surprise Shelby Valley and get that all important #1 seed. CKY Trains in Opposite Directions? When the season opened most expected Danville to be the team everyone was chasing in District 7, meanwhile LCA was the team most expected to struggle to find a home playoff game after losing so much talent. As the first few weeks played out little came from the results to suggest otherwise, Danville was very competitive against a pair of 3A's best teams and LCA was ran off the field against Pikeville and Lexington Catholic. The Eagles though have started to find their groove on Offense with back to back quality wins. Danville has went 2-1 in their past three games, but that doesn't tell the full story. The Admirals laid an egg against a lackluster 5A Pulaski County and followed it up with "Closer than it should be" wins against 3A foes Waggener and Garrard County. The latest, a 28-22 win over the Golden Lions from Lancaster, was perhaps the most concerning as Danville continues to struggle to find their identity on both sides of the ball. Since their season opening win over Woodford County, Danville has yet to have a rusher hit the 70 yard mark and after Danville's Defense carried them to the title, they continue to struggle to get key stops on 3rd Down.

1. Johnson Central Golden Eagles (4A, 4-1)- The Eagles are now in District play and feasting as expected. After pounding Boyd County expect the same story against East Carter. 2. Belfry Pirates (3A, 4-1)- Belfry over matched Sheldon Clark and should do likewise this week hosting Floyd Central. If the Pirates can get healthy they are starting to show improvement. 3. Ashland Tomcats (4A, 6-0)- The Tomcats keep their perfect season alive with a convincing win over a vastly improved Rowan County team. There will be no reason the Tomcats are not 9-0 before their season finale with Johnson Central 4. Corbin Redhounds (3A, 4-1)- Corbin tasted defeat for the first time against 2A powerhouse Mayfield, but most did not expect them to be outclassed the way they were. A pair of easy District games should help them regain their confidence. 5. Raceland Rams (1A, 5-1)- Perhaps the most eye opening win of the week was the Rams crossing the river and beating an excellent Portsmouth West team by two scores on their homefield. Raceland's Defense is legit and if they can take care of business against Somerset their 1A title hopes may soar. 6. Southwestern Warriors (5A, 5-0)- The Warriors return back into action hosting a 6A Central Hardin team that has some great talent. The Bruins may be a tough test despite their record, they have struggled with injuries and one of Kentucky's toughest schedules. 7. Pikeville Panthers (1A, 3-2)- Back to back losses has Pikeville reeling. The Panthers could not finish standing up in a shootout at Point Pleasant. There is no rest for the weary as Pikeville now has to fight for a District Title against Hazard. 8. Knox Central Panthers (4A, 4-1)- The Panthers continue to fly under the radar. The Panthers polished off Russell County and will look to do the same against Clay County leading into their huge clash with Wayne County. 9. Somerset Briarjumpers (2A, 5-1)- Somerset continues to impress after shutting down and shutting out Rockcastle County. The Bunnies will have their work cut out for them as they take on yet another 1A powerhouse. 10. Bell County Bobcats (3A, 5-0)- Bell continues to roll, but we are all still waiting for them to play a team with a pulse. The Bobcats will finally get that distinction this week against an undefeated Casey County team with huge District implications on the line. 11. Wayne County Cardinals (4A, 4-2)- The Cardinals are hitting their stride. They pummeled Clay County and should be able to do the same to a struggling Rockcastle County team. The 28th is when we can see how far they have come. 12. Hazard Bulldogs (1A, 3-1)- Hazard should be well rested and well prepared. They will need both when they load up and head to Pikeville for a monster clash of 1A heavyweights. 13. Paintsville Tigers (1A, 4-2)- The Tigers Offense continues to stumble, but their Defense is really starting to shine. Paintsville made it hard on Lawrence County and will need to step up again versus a solid Walton-Verona team. 14. Pulaski County Maroons (5A, 4-2)- The Maroons finally have some momentum going and were able to take down the 5A Runner-Ups from last season. Coach Hines will take a week off their schedule before challenging a suddenly surging Lincoln County team in a big District clash. 15. Montgomery County Indians (5A, 4-1)- The Indians probably did not circle their schedule to start the year with South Laurel listed. Now it is a big clash of 4-1 teams that should let us know whether either have serious chances of making a deep playoff run. The Next 5: 16. South Laurel Cardinals (5A, 4-1) 17. Williamsburg Yellowjackets (1A, 4-2) 18. Bath County Wildcats (3A, 4-1) 19. Powell County Pirates (3A, 4-1) 20. Shelby Valley Wildcats (2A, 5-1) Player of the Week: QB Brady Worley, Knox Central It is hard to have a more perfect night than what Worley gave us against Russell County. He finished 10/10 for 267 yards and 5 TD's. Just to put a cherry on the top he also threw in a rushing score as well. Three Big Games: #10 Bell County at Casey County- The Bobcats may be for real. They very well may be. Casey County, 5-0 as well, may be for real as well. Unfortunately it is hard to tell as neither has really played a difficult schedule. This is a huge clash of unbeatens with major playoff implications. #12 Hazard at #7 Pikeville- Speaking of huge implications, most likely the District 8 Title and homefield advantage throughout the playoffs is going to be determined when Hazard heads to Pikeville. The Panthers have a great team but after two weeks of tough losses they may be searching a little. Hazard will be a tough out. Whitley County at North Laurel- Their records do not suggest it, but this is a pivotal game when it comes to the pecking order in the District. Both teams desperately need a good win and a loss may mean that you are on the Outside looking in come November. Game of the Week: #5 Raceland at #9 Somerset- It is ironic, but if any team could serve as the barometer for the best teams in Class 1A it may be 2A Somerset.The Jumpers have faced Beechwood, Williamsburg, and Hazard prior to the game with Raceland. For the Rams this is a chance to legitimize their Title aspirations if they can make a statement on the road. For Somerset, the Jumpers need one last tuneup before going head first into a District they now may be expected to win.

1. Corbin Redhounds (3A, 4-0)- Corbin jumps back into action this week in a big way travelling to Clarksville, TN to take on the powerhouses Mayfield Cardinals. This series has been tremendously competitive and expect that to continue. 2. Johnson Central Golden Eagles (4A, 3-1)- Moore was a quality challenge for Johnson Central, but the boys from Paintsville were too strong. District play starts with an over-matched Boyd County team. 3. Belfry Pirates (3A, 3-1)- Belfry got every bit the challenge from Pikeville they were looking for and then some, but the Pirates claimed the big road victory. Belfry should have a chance to work on some things and add a couple wins the next two weeks starting with Sheldon Clark. 4. Ashland Tomcats (4A, 5-0)- Ashland remained undefeated by taking down Ironton, OH but the game was much more closer than expected. Ironton is a tough place to play, but this is also not a vintage Fighting Tiger team. Ashland draws a surprising 4-1 Rowan County next. 5. Pikeville Panthers (1A, 3-1)- Pikeville tasted defeat for the first time despite looking impressive against rival Belfry. The Panthers have no room to rest as they travel all the way to Point Pleasant, WV to take on one of the better mid-sized schools in the Mountain State this year. 6. Southwestern Warriors (5A, 5-0)- Southwestern's revenge tour continued with a blowout of Madison Southern. Southwestern will take a week off before aiming for yet another 6A foe. 7. Raceland Rams (1A, 4-1)- Raceland exploded Offensively on Lucasville Valley, OH in a Saturday tilt. The Rams will keep their focus on the Buckeye State as undefeated Portsmouth West is up next. 8. Knox Central Panthers (4A, 3-1)- Knox punched the time clock in a rout of 2A Green County and will now calibrate on winning a District Title. Russell County is up first and is improved, but expect Knox to keep their winning ways going. 9. Bell County Bobcats (3A, 4-0)- Bell remained undefeated but their schedule has yet to really put a worthy challenge before them. The Bobcats should make it 5-straight with hapless McCreary Central next and then we will see that first big hurdle. 10. Somerset Briarjumpers (2A, 4-1)- The Bunnies keep hopping along as Somerset dismantled North Laurel. Somerset will stay up in Class for another week against a 4A Rockcastle County team that has struggled to stop any form of Offense. 11. Wayne County Cardinals (4A, 3-2)- The Cardinals kept Harlan County's face to the mat in blowout fashion and continue to seek respect as a 4A threat. Clay County is next and the Tigers need a rebound after getting spanked by Perry Central. 12. Perry Central Commodores (5A, 4-0)- It's time to start giving Perry Central some love as they handled Clay County and now look like a team who have a shot at the running the table in the regular season. Letcher Central is up next and it should be a quality test. 13. Hazard Bulldogs (1A, 2-1)- Hazard's 9-game schedule meant an extra BYE week following their first loss. The Bulldogs should be able to keep Prestonsburg in a hole as Hazard will be able to outclass the Balckcats. 14. Paintsville Tigers (1A, 3-2)- Painsvville got a bit of a tougher challenge from Williamsburg than they were expecting. The Tigers were able to hold on in a tight ballgame, but now they will need to back it up against a confident Lawrence County team. 15. Pulaski County Maroons (5A, 3-2)- The Maroonsearned a hard fought win over a quality Allen County- Scottsville team. Pulaski seems to be pointing in the right direction after a rough start to the season and should be able to keep Uncle Mo moving forward against Madison Southern. The Next 5: 16. Montgomery County Indians (5A, 4-1) 17. South Laurel Cardinals (5A, 3-1) 18. Williamsburg Yellowjackets (1A, 3-2) 19. Bath County Wildcats (3A, 3-1) 20. Powell County Pirates (3A, 3-1) Three Teams Moving Toward the Top: Lynn Camp Wildcats (1A, 4-0)- Expect Lynn Camp to be 6-0 before taking on Pineville in a big District match in a few weeks. Lawrence County Bulldogs (3A, 3-2)- Most expected Lawrence County to lose to Greenup County. Very few expected Lawrence County to win. Noone expected Lawrence County to crush Greenup. Rowan County Vikings (4A, 4-1)- How bout those Vikes? Traditional doormat Rowan County is off to a red hot start and just crushed a Bourbon County who may very well win their District. If the vikings can pull the shocker this week expect them to make a big move in the rankings. Three Teams Needing Confidence: Whitley County Colonels (5A, 1-3)- Every week their win over Leslie County looks worse and their loss to Rockcastle does as well. The Colonels were ran off the field against bell County and desperately need to win against East Jessamine. Greenup County Musketeers (4A, 3-2)- The Musketeers used the express lane to exit the rankings after back to back losses. Raceland was acceptable, but getting beat 37-6 to Lawrence County means it is time to circle the wagons. Leslie County Eagles (2A, 0-5)- Noone in Hyden would have expected an 0-5 start. Breathitt County was the latest to beat the Eagles. All hope is not lost though, with Prestonsburg reeling the next three District games are all winnable and despite the rough start it i still not unlikely to see an October clash with Shelby Valley with a District Title on the line. Player of the Week: Seth Johnson, Shelby Valley It was a historic night for Johnson as he rushed 14 times for 380 yards and 4 TD's against Jenkins. Shelby Valley appears to be the team to beat in their District and Johnson is the straw that stirs the drink. Game of the Week: West Carter at Russell- There is no better kickoff to the District slate than a game that could play a huge factor in crowning the Champion in Class 3A, District 5. Bath County certainly will still have a lot to say, but whoever wins this match-up will certainly control their own destiny.

]Our Eastern Kentucky Power Rankings are Sponsored by Lake Cumberland Sports LakeCumberlandSports.com is an internet broadcast and media company out of Somerset, KY founded by four guys who love High School Sports and love broadcasting! When local radio decided to opt out of airing High School Sports; We decided to jump in. In 2016, we worked with an out of state company and did well. Starting in 2017, we decided to do this all by ourselves and we have been in Overdrive ever since. We have been named the Official Broadcast Partners for both Southwestern and Pulaski County High Schools. We will be doing Football, Basketball (Boys and Girls), as well as Baseball, and Softball in the spring. We may even sneak in some other sports as well. We can be found at LakeCumberlandSports.com and on Tune-In. All games will be archived throughout the season, so if someone misses a game we will have them covered. If you would like to advertise with us we can be reached by email at sales@lakecumberlandsports.com LakeCumberlandSports (@L_C_Sports) on Twitter Lake Cumberland Sports - Home | Facebook And Instagram (still learning) 1. Belfry Pirates (3A, 9-1)- The Pirates score 35 unanswered to take down Johnson Central and earn the right to be called the best in the East. 2. Corbin Redhounds (3A, 9-1)- The Redhounds wrap up an impressive regular season by outlasting Knox Central. 3. Wayne County Cardinals (4A, 9-1)- The Cardinals' lone loss was a very good Boyle County team. Coach Thompson's boys have their eyes on their first State Title. 4. Ashland Tomcats (4A, 8-2)- Ashland has to like their playoff draw and the fact a re-match with Johnson Central would be at historic Putnam Stadium. 5. Johnson Central Golden Eagles (4A, 8-2)- The Eagles enter November with rare back to back losses. Matney's crew looked good for a Half but now must re-group with a tough playoff path awaiting. 6. Southwestern Warriors (5A, 8-2)- Patric Edwards was superb as the Warriors won a shootout with Lexington Catholic. Southwestern has to think this is their best shot at getting that elusive Regional Title. 7. Paintsville Tigers (1A, 9-1)- Paintsville put the final strokes on an eye opening regular season by crushing Fleming County. Is this the year Paintsville gets to the promised land? 8. Somerset Briarjumpers (2A, 6-4)- Somerset has a nice spot in the Top 10, but the Jumpers have to feel they have unfinished business after a disappointing third place finish in their District. Can they become road warriors and shock the 2A world? 9. Hazard Bulldogs (1A, 7-2)- Hazard held on against Whitley County for one last quality win. The goal now is getting back to the Finals, but it won't be easy. 10. Montgomery County Indians (5A, 8-2)- The Indians finalized their surprising season with a close win over Lincoln County. Can they make noise in the playoffs? 11. Knox Central Panthers (4A, 7-3)- The Panthers made it interesting against Corbin but could not get the plays they needed down the stretch. The mission now is earning a re-match with Wayne County to redeem their earlier loss. 12. Raceland Rams (1A, 6-4)- Raceland took down rival Russell and now looks to embrace the role of spoiler. 13. North Laurel Jaguars (5A, 8-2)- The Jags took their District Title and now get to enjoy playing at home for a while. Can their ground and pound Offense make a run? 14. Rockcastle Coutny Rockets (4A, 7-3)- Rockcastle kind of faltered drown the stretch and nearly fell to Garrard County in the finale. The last time Wayne County and Rockcastle met tensions were high, expect them to see each other in Round 2. 15. Whitley County Colonels (5A, 6-4)- Whitley was playing a good brand of ball in recent weeks until a set-back to Hazard. The Colonels will look to re-focus for a November push. 16. Fleming County Panthers (3A, 8-2)- With a chance to make a statement the Panthers got beat thoroughly by Paintsville. Fleming will have one of the toughest 4-seed match-ups to open the playoffs. 17. Harlan County Black Bears (5A, 5-5)- The Bears get to .500 against a tough schedule by taking down Bell County. Harlan County will travel to Pulaski County for a familiar foe, the Bears have played the Maroons well in recent years. 18. Pulaski County Maroons (5A, 4-6)- It was a disappointing season for the Maroons who suffered nearly as many losses as the past three years combined. They can make amends if they can get some post-season magic. 19. Greenup County Musketeers (4A, 6-4)- The Musketeers lost four games to teams ranked ahead of them in this poll. Bourbon County will be one of the more intriguing First Round playoff games. 20. Perry Central Commodores (5A, 7-3)- Perry Central ended a three game skid by taking down a game Prestonsburg team. The Commodores get a tough draw to open the playoffs. 21. Russell Red Devils (3A, 5-5)- It was a down year for Russell standards as they limp to a .500 record. WanDale Robinson and Western Hills will be tough to avoid a losing season against. 22. Pikeville Panthers (1A, 5-4)- The Panthers played an extremely difficult schedule for a 1A team with all of their losses coming to teams in their respective class' Top 5. The Panthers are peaking and may have some dark horse in them. 23. Bath County Wildcats (3A, 7-3)- The good news for Bath is they reached a new high-point this season and were one of the more pleasant surprises in EKY. The bad news is they have to open with Lexington Catholic and their dynamic Offense. 24. Prestonsburg Blackcats (2A, 6-4)- Prestonsburg may have overachieved a bit this season and have some hardware to show for it. The Blackcats need to take full advantage of their home field drawing the toughest District in Class 2A. 25. Floyd Central Jaguars (3A, 7-3)- How about Floyd Central? The Jags get a home playoff game in their innaugural year and showed great promise. Can they get a playoff win on the the mountain top? The Next 10: 26. Williamsburg Yellowjackets (1A, 7-3) 27. Bell County Bobcats (3A, 6-4) 28. Lawrence County Bulldogs (3A, 5-5) 29. Pike Central Hawks (3A, 5-5) 30. Mason County Royals (4A, 7-3) 31. South Laurel Cardinals (5A, 5-5) 32. West Carter Comets (3A, 5-5) 33. Powell County Pirates (3A, 6-4) 34. Lynn Camp Wildcats (1A, 7-3) 35. Rowan County Vikings (4A, 3-7) Small School Coach of the Year: David Jones, Phelps Large School Coach of the Year: Tony Love, Ashland Small School Offensive Player of the Year: Bailey Blair, Hazard Small School Defensive Player of the Year: Josh Cornett, Somerset Small School Most Valuable Player: Tyrese Allen, Paintsville Large School Offensive Player of the Year: Camron Sizemore, Corbin Large School Defensive Player of the Year: Derek Wellman, Belfry Large School Most Valuable Player: Patric Edwards, Southwestern

Our Eastern Kentucky Power Rankings are Sponsored by Lake Cumberland Sports LakeCumberlandSports.com is an internet broadcast and media company out of Somerset, KY founded by four guys who love High School Sports and love broadcasting! When local radio decided to opt out of airing High School Sports; We decided to jump in. In 2016, we worked with an out of state company and did well. Starting in 2017, we decided to do this all by ourselves and we have been in Overdrive ever since. We have been named the Official Broadcast Partners for both Southwestern and Pulaski County High Schools. We will be doing Football, Basketball (Boys and Girls), as well as Baseball, and Softball in the spring. We may even sneak in some other sports as well. We can be found at LakeCumberlandSports.com and on Tune-In. All games will be archived throughout the season, so if someone misses a game we will have them covered. If you would like to advertise with us we can be reached by email at sales@lakecumberlandsports.com LakeCumberlandSports (@L_C_Sports) on Twitter Lake Cumberland Sports - Home | Facebook And Instagram (still learning) 15. Raceland Rams (1A, 3-1)- Rams secure a huge win over Greenup County to earn their first Top 15 appearance of the year. Raceland takes on an always stout Lucasville Valley, OH squad. 14. Ashland Tomcats (4A, 2-2)- Tomcats get back to .500 by beating Russell in convincing manner. The rivalry tour continues with Ironton, OH. 13. Fleming County Panthers (3A, 3-0)- The Panthers overpower Rowan County and a 5-0 start is well within grasp. Fleming will get some competition from Montgomery County. 12. Hazard Bulldogs (1A, 2-1)- Hazard lost a hard hitting war to Somerset but they are hoping a bigger loss did not happen with their star RB leaving with an injury. A much needed week off is next. 11. Somerset Briarjumpers (2A, 2-2)- Jumpers are starting to find their mojo and secured a very impressive win at Hazard. The previous week's 7-0 loss to Beechwood also looks much more impressive. No rest for the weary as red hot North Laurel is next. 10. Whitley County Colonels (5A, 1-2)- The Colonels rest up and now face a challenge from bell County who are looking to earn a spot in the Top 15 of their own. 9. Paintsville Tigers (1A, 3-1)- Paintsville is able to bounce back with a convincing win for 1A pecking order supremacy. It may have came at a cost with Dalton Daniels leaving with an injury. Another Class 1A semi-state showdown awaits with Williamsburg. 8. Pulaski County Maroons (5A, 1-3)- The Maroons saw their ship wreck for a third time as they were no match for Danville. Allen County- Scottsville now becomes a "must win" game. 7. Rockcastle County (4A, 3-0)- The Rockets are starting to take flight and put hurting on Woodford County. Harrison County should not be much of a threat. 6. North Laurel Jaguars (5A, 4-0)- North Laurel has made short work of their schedule thusfar, the last victim being Grant County. Things get a bit more difficult this week. 5. Southwestern Warriors (5A, 3-1)- Southwestern tasted defeat for the first time as they could not contain the athleticism of Henry Clay. Southwestern already has one win over Madison County schools and look for their second against Madison Southern. 4. Wayne County Cardinals (4A, 3-1)- Wayne County took it on the chin as Boyle County simply outplayed them in every capacity. The Cardinals will need to bounce back against a Harlan County team who will not be happy after their own beatdown. 3. Corbin Redhounds (3A, 3-1)- The Hounds reign at the top was short lived. Corbin could not take down the State's top 1A team. It is back to the drawing board for Haddix as they have a week off before a showdown with Mayfield. 2. Belfry Pirates (3A, 2-1)- Belfry's offense continues to roll on and their defense showed improvement against 2A Newport Central Catholic. The Pirates take on rival Pikeville before easing into District competition. 1. Johnson Central Golden Eagles (4A, 3-0)- Matney's bunch goes 2 for 2 against WV AAA teams by besting South Charleston. The Golden Eagles will see their fourth consecutive ultra athletic team when they load the buses for Louisville to play Moore. Fives Scores of Note: Floyd Central 43 Lynn Camp 14- Yes folks, that is now 4-0 for the Jaguars. Knox Central 43 Harlan County 23- The Panthers make a statement by cruising past the Black bears with surprising ease. Montgomery County 51 GRC 21 - The Indians are a quiet 301 but can suddenly make a lot of noise if they can knock off Fleming County Phelps 49 Jackson County 14- The Hornets start the year 3-0... this is not a typo. West Carter 38 East Carter 20- The Comets take the rivalry game and hand East Carter their first loss. Co-Players of the Week: QB Chandler Dunaway and WR Levi Dunaway, Mason County The Dunaway boys were superb in Mason County's win over Morgan County. Senior QB Chandler Dunaway was 13/19 for 325 yards and 6 Passing TD's. He also added a a rushing TD and gained 75 more yards on the ground. Senior WR Levi Dunaway caught 7 of those balls for 177 yards and 4 TD's. For good measure he also added 4 tackles on Defense. Game of the Week: Prestonsburg at Floyd Central- This is more than just bragging rights, this is potentially about both History and The Future. If Floyd Central can knock off the Floyd County powerhouse this will be a cornerstone to the growth of their program. You can count on one finger the number of times P-burg has lost to another Floyd County program in the modern era.

Our Eastern Kentucky Power Rankings are Sponsored by Lake Cumberland Sports LakeCumberlandSports.com is an internet broadcast and media company out of Somerset, KY founded by four guys who love High School Sports and love broadcasting! When local radio decided to opt out of airing High School Sports; We decided to jump in. In 2016, we worked with an out of state company and did well. Starting in 2017, we decided to do this all by ourselves and we have been in Overdrive ever since. We have been named the Official Broadcast Partners for both Southwestern and Pulaski County High Schools. We will be doing Football, Basketball (Boys and Girls), as well as Baseball, and Softball in the spring. We may even sneak in some other sports as well. We can be found at LakeCumberlandSports.com and on Tune-In. All games will be archived throughout the season, so if someone misses a game we will have them covered. If you would like to advertise with us we can be reached by email at sales@lakecumberlandsports.com LakeCumberlandSports (@L_C_Sports) on Twitter Lake Cumberland Sports - Home | Facebook And Instagram (still learning) 15. Montgomery County Indians (5A, 4-1)- Montgomery's Offense went off in a big win over Fleming County. The Indians get a well deserved weak off before entering Class 5A competition. 14. Raceland Rams (1A, 4-1)- It is hard to deny Raceland has been one of the more pleasant surprises in EKY and they kept the train rolling by crushing Lucasville Valley, Ohio. The Rams will square up another Buckeye foe, but expect Portsmouth West to be a bit stiffer competition. 13. Ashland Tomcats (4A, 3-2)- The Tomcats brought out the beat down stick for rival Ironton and made a nice statement. Rowan County should allow them to improve their record. 12. Hazard Bulldogs (1A, 2-1)- The Bulldogs' took a loss on the BYE week without even playing a foe. Hazard will have to adjust to life without star RB Cory Smith and will have to acclimate quick against a Prestonsburg team that is showing improvement. 11. North Laurel Jaguars (5A, 4-1)- The Jags tasted defeat for the first time at the hands of Somerset in a defensive showdown. North Laurel cannot live in the past, District play opens with Harlan County in the always competitive 5A District 8. 10. Somerset Briarjumpers (2A, 3-2)- One of the hottest teams in East Kentucky are the Jumpers who secured their second straight signature win and now have momentum building. Somerset now can prove they are ready for a 2A push with one last tough non-district match-up with Rockcastle County. 9. Whitley County Colonels (5A, 2-2)- Whitley had an opportunity to flex some muscle and did exactly that by taking care of Dudley Hilton's Bell County squad. Whitley will travel to Nicholasville to face off with East Jessamine. 8. Paintsville Tigers (1A, 4-1)- Tigers solidified their Top 5 standing in Class A by putting a beat down on Williamsburg. The Tigers will now look to show some US 23 supremacy against the boys out of Louisa as Lawrence County is next. 7. Southwestern Warriors (5A, 3-2)- The off week could not come sooner as the Warriors have dropped back to back games, this time to fellow 5A Madison Southern. Souuthwestern has went from a potential contender in 5A East to a team who may be on the fringe of the Top 10. 6. Pulaski County Maroons (5A, 2-3)- Speaking of Madison Southern, Pulaski will need to defend the honor of their County as they get the Eagles next. Pulaski enters on a high note with a quality win over Allen County- Scottsville. 5. Rockcastle County Rockets (4A, 4-0)- The Rockets are still unblemished and had little trouble with Harrison County. Things will escalate in a hurry with red hot Somerset up next. 4. Wayne County Cardinals (4A, 4-1)- Wayne County bounced back from their first defeat by obliterating Harlan County and returning to form. The Rockcastle County clash looms on the horizon, but first the Cards should have little trouble against Clay County. 3. Corbin Redhounds (3A, 3-1)- Corbin had a week to heal and prepare as they enter into a big time showdown. In a Kentucky High School oddity, Corbin travels to Tennessee to square up with Kentucky 2A powerhouse Mayfield. 2. Belfry Pirates (3A, 3-1)- Belfry had command over rival Pikeville before the First Quarter had ended, they also saw last week's win over Newport Catholic gain value as the Breds secured a huge win over CAL. Belfry throttles down against Sheldon Clark as the starters will get plenty of rest. 1. Johnson Central Golden Eagles (4A, 4-0)- The road warriors of Eastern Kentucky will be happy to play a game in the 606 area code after travelling to Louisville and dismantling Moore. Boyd County should not offer much resistance for Class 4A's top team. Three Teams Who Turned Heads: Bath County Wildcats (3A, 3-1)- Coach Poynter's Wildcats came from behind to clip a fellow 3A Estill County squad who may very well win their District. They get another surprise 3A 3-1 team with Pendleton County. Prestonsburg Blackcats (2A, 2-2)- With the eyes of EKY upon them, Prestonsburg beat Floyd Central into submission and looked good doing it. They have a chance to make an even bigger statement against Hazard. Pike Central Hawks (3A, 3-1)- Pike Central's Offense continues to hum and their Defense came up with a stand to hold off 5A Letcher Central. They now enter a must-win Friday as home field playoff aspirations are on the line against Floyd Central. Three Teams Who Caused Grimaces: Estill County Engineers (3A, 1-3)- Estill still may be the team to beat in their District, but their 3A pecking order standing is dropping fast. Estill lost a late lead to Bath County and suffer their second loss to 3A teams from other Districts. Fleming County Panthers (3A, 3-1)- The Panthers were riding a bullet but Montgomery County became the Kevlar vest. Montgomery was able to hang 61 points on the Panthers Defense. West Carter Comets (3A, 2-2)- Losing to Nicholas County might not be the worst loss in the world, but it certainly raises questions especially considering that the Bluejackets last week dropped a game by a three touchdown margin to West's district mate Lewis County. Player of the Week: RB Seth Johnson, Shelby Valley Johnson was superb in a 55-26 win over 3A Morgan County. He ran the ball 23 times for 347 yards and 5 TD's. Game of the Week: Harlan County Black Bears at North Laurel Jaguars- Class 5A, District 8 is always the picture of parity. Harlan County is reeling after starting the year with a bang and desperately need a win to secure their footing. North Laurel should enter as a favorite, but their Offense sputtered against 2A Somerset. A win in this game keeps the District Title firmly in the picture, a loss and a home playoff game becomes much more difficult to secure.