Kroger KSR Game of the Week Preview: Bullitt East at Male
319 days after Bullitt East and Male clashed in an all-time 6A State Championship game last December, the No. 25 ranked and reigning 6A State Champion Chargers travel to No. 3 Male in this week’s Kroger KSR Game of the Week. This will be one of two Game of the Week’s set for Friday night, the other a showdown between Kentucky Country Day and Campbellsville.
Bullitt East senior QB Travis Egan, who was voted KSR’s 2022 Offensive Player of the Year, passed for 285 yards and four touchdowns while snagging the game-winning two-point conversion in Bullitt East’s thrilling 28-27 victory. East’s win marked their first state title in school history.
This time around, 2022 KSR Coach of the Year Keegan Kendrick’s Chargers look much different.
Gone are senior superstars Egan, RB Mason Gauthier, and FS Ryan Still. Senior QB Jack Zwernemann, who received just 21 snaps last season as a junior, has looked impressive in his first and only season under center. Zwernemann has passed for 1,596 yards and 20 touchdowns while throwing just eight interceptions. Along with his passing ability, Zwernemann is an immensely talented runner as well. The senior QB leads the Chargers in rushing with 653 rushing yards and nine touchdowns.
However, things don’t look much different on the defensive side of the ball, as the Bullitt East defense looks just as impressive as they did last season. Over 15 games in 2022, the Chargers allowed an average of 17 points per game. In 2023 (through eight games), Kendrick’s defense is allowing just 15 points per game. The return of sophomore DE Baron Hardesty (42.5 tackles, seven TFL, 4.5 sacks) and juniors LB Ryan Rayhill (40.5 tackles, three TFL, one sack) and LB Brady Cornell (38 tackles, three TFL, 0.5 sacks) have fueled this young defense to another great season.
Since suffering their lone loss of the season to No. 12 St. Xavier on September 1st, Male has outscored their last five opponents a combined 234-41, including wins over No. 6 Trinity (37-20) and previously ranked Pleasant Ridge Park (43-8). Chris Wolfe’s team has bounced back nicely and is right back on track in the hunt for their ninth state championship.
Male QB Kolter Smith has been phenomenal in his senior season, throwing for 1,530 yards and 21 touchdowns. Smith has had an amazing crew to work with, as RB Shammai Gates (347 rush yards, 11 touchdowns) and wide receivers Max Gainey (531 receiving yards, 11 touchdowns) and Antonio Harris (422 receiving yards, eight touchdowns) have been nearly impossible to stop. The Male offense has averaged 318 yards per game this season and shows no signs of slowing down.
The Male defense hasn’t been too shabby either, as they’ve allowed an average of just 138 opposing yards per game. Only St. Xavier and Trinity, who are both ranked inside KSR’s top 12, are the lone two teams to hit the 20-point mark against the Bulldogs. Junior LB Solomon Conley (57 tackles, three TFL) and senior LB Kevin Wilson (51 tackles, three TFL) anchor Chris Wolfe’s defense.
Bullitt East and Male have played seven times since 2019, with Male winning five of the seven matchups. However, Bullitt East has won the last two games played, both of which came last season and one resulting in a state title. Kick-off is scheduled for Friday night at 7:00 p.m. EST at Male.
Discuss This Article
Comments have moved.
Join the conversation and talk about this article and all things Kentucky Sports in the new KSR Message Board.
KSBoard