Kroger’s KSR Game of the Week: Sayre vs. Pikeville in Class A Playoffs

On3 imageby:Troy Howell•11/18/20

We are excited to have our friends at Kroger on board as we bring you high school football coverage this fall. Each week Kroger will present the KSR High School Game of the Week. We will travel to the featured game each week to bring you the best sights, sounds and incredible moments. Together we’re happy supporters of “KY Proud Products” and the “Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund.”

The first round of the playoffs is finally here!  KSR will travel down the Mountain Parkway to Pikeville High School for the second time this season.  Pikeville is ranked No. 1 in Class A according to the KSR Prep Rankings.

KSR Game of the Week History

All six home state UK commits have played in the KSR Game of the Week.  

  • Dekel Crowdus and Jager Burton (Frerderick Douglass) 
  • Jordan Lovett and La’vell Wright (North Hardin) 
  • Kaiya Sheron (Somerset) 
  • Jordan Dingle (Bowling Green)

Home teams are only 3-6 in the KSR Game of the Week, but one of the home wins came when Pikeville knocked off Belfry in Week 2.  The Panthers are 2-0 in home games this season.

  • Week 1: Frederick Douglass LOST to North Hardin 19-17
  • Week 2: Pikeville DEFEATED Belfry 20-14
  • Week 3: Simon Kenton LOST to Johnson Central 47-17
  • Week 4: Bowling Green LOST to South Warren 10-7
  • Week 5: Owensboro Catholic LOST to Owensboro 28-14
  • Week 6: Somerset LOST to LCA 28-21
  • Week 7: Bardstown LOST to Elizabethtown 33-6
  • Week 8: Johnson Central DEFEATED Belfry 35-14
  • Week 9: Lexington Catholic DEFEATED Covington Catholic 29-28

Sayre (8-0)

— Last Season:  Finished 1-7 in transition year to a full varsity schedule in 2020.   

— This Season:

  • Defeated Eminence 38-34
  • Defeated Berea 42-6
  • Defeated Trimble County 40-0
  • Defeated Covington Holy Cross 28-14
  • Defeated Carroll County 28-13
  • Defeated Phelps 53-24
  • Defeated Bishop Brossart 20-13
  • Defeated Fairview 48-14

Things to Know about the Spartans

— Sayre is playing their first full season of varsity football since 1977.

— Sayre is coached by a familiar name, former NFL QB Chad Pennington. Pennington finished 5th in the 1999 Heisman voting while throwing passes to Randy Moss for the 13-0 Marshall Thundering Herd.  He went on to play for the New York Jets from 2000 to 2007 before moving to the Miami Dolphins for 3 years.

— Junior QB Cole Pennington, Chad’s son, has an offer from Marshall.  Cole is 144-of-198 for 1,906 yards, 27 TDs and 3 INTs.  He also plays DB and has picked off two passes on defense.

— Another of Chad’s sons, freshman Luke Pennington, is the backup QB

— Juniors Caleb Kern (403 yards, 3TDs) and Jackson Marshall (307 yards, 8 TDs) lead the team in rushing.  Senior Trey Dennis (58 catches, 741 yards, 11 TDs) is Pennington’s top target.

Pikeville (5-2)

— Last Season:  Finished 14-0.  Defeated Paintsville 43-0 to win the Class A Championship, a team they beat 9-8 early in the season.

— This Season: 

  • Defeated Raceland 28-7
  • Defeated #18 Belfry 20-14 (KSR Game of the Week)
  • Defeated Henry Clay 58-41
  • Lost to Campbell County 14-8
  • Defeated Hazard 43-7
  • Lost to #9 Lexington Christian 35-13

Things to Know about the Panthers

— Pikeville is coached by Chris McNamee.  He coached the Panthers to two state titles and was named KFCA Coach of the Year last season.

— Pikeville dominated in the late 80s/early 90s, winning state championships in 1987, 1988, and 1989 and finishing runner-up in 1991.

— They have been a roll lately, winning state titles in 2015 and 2019 and finishing runner-up in 2018.

— They have a sensational junior class.

— The Panthers have a balanced offense.  Junior QB Isaac McNamee is 79-of-127 for 1,310 yards 16 TDs and 5 picks.  Junior Zac Lockhart has 43 catches for 828 yards and 11 TDs, including a state record 7 receiving TDs against Henry Clay.  He spoke to the Herald Leader’s Jared Peck after the game:

— Junior Blake Birchfield has 621 yards and 7 TDs on the ground and caught 17 passes for 185 yards and a TD.  He starred in the win over Belfry, despite being nervous that KSR was there.  He also likes to wear his KSR shirt to school.  I like that!

— Want to know more about Pikeville athletics and football in the mountains?  Listen to the Hail Pikeville podcast.  I’m always looking for high school sports podcasts and it is a good one! 

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2024-04-25