KSR's 2023 Kentucky High School Football Preview: Class 3A
It’s once again football time in the Bluegrass. With just nine days remaining until the kickoff of the 2023 Kentucky High School football season, KSR will preview all 220 schools and all six classes. We’ve already covered Class 1A and Class 2A. Up next is Class 3A, home to the reigning state champion Christian Academy-Louisville Centurions.
Class 3A | District 1
Hancock County, Hopkins County Central, McLean County, Trigg County, Union County, Webster County
District 1 is full of new faces this season, as Hancock County, Hopkins County Central, and McLean County will be entering their first season in Class 3A. Hancock County returns two 100+ tacklers from last season in sophomore linebacker Ross Powers (118 TACK, 11 TFL) and senior linebacker Aiden Weatherholt (117 TACK, 5 TFL, 5.5 SACK) as the Hornets look to make a splash in their 3A debut season.
Union County experienced a phenomenal 2022 season, as the Braves advanced to the 3A quarterfinals at an unblemished 12-0 before being blown out 66-33 by Class 4A bound Bardstown. Coach Derek W. Johns has done a phenomenal job with the program and looks to ride last season’s momentum to an even deeper postseason run this season.
After starting the 2022 campaign by winning their first six games, Trigg County finished out the season losing four of their final five. There is hope for the Wildcats this year however, as the Class 3A returning leader in sacks, senior defensive lineman TayShaun Linton (11.5 sacks), returns to Trigg for his final year of high school ball. Paired with senior defensive back Jeremiah Shearer (five interceptions last season), the Trigg County defense looks to be one of the most impressive in all of Class 3A.
Class 3A | District 2
Adair County, Butler County, Franklin-Simpson, Glasgow, Hart County
Of all the teams in District 2, only Hart County advanced to the second round of the postseason last year. The Raiders of Hart County return one of the deepest cores in all of Class 3A, as QB1 senior Keaton Walters (1,211 yards passing, nine touchdowns, five interceptions), RB1 senior Joshua Dan Crump (1,200 yards, 10 touchdowns), and four of their best defensive players (Sr. LB Jaxson Shoulders, Sr. LB AD Milby, Jr. LB Brenan Griffin, and Jr. DB Kohner Trent) are all returning this season. Shoulders, Milby, and Griffin all recorded over 100 tackles last year.
Butler County and Franklin-Simpson are entering their first season in 3A. The Franklin-Simpson Wildcats experienced an up-and-down 2022 campaign, as they were bounced in the first round by Hopkinsville. Returning however is senior defensive end Tytus Brown, who racked up an impressive seven sacks last season.
Class 3A | District 3
Central, #9 Christian Academy-Louisville, Elizabethtown, LaRue County
District 3 may feature the most talent in all of Class 3A.
Obviously, you can’t discuss Class 3A without the Centurions of Christian Academy-Louisville. Fresh off of their third-ever state championship last season, the ‘Turions have done nothing but reload. After an undefeated 15-0 campaign in 2022 that featured impressive wins over Lexington Christian and Bardstown, East Carolina commit/senior quarterback Cole Hodge returns as the program looks to repeat this season. Hodge enjoyed a phenomenal junior season in which he racked up 2,949 passing yards, 48 touchdowns, and just four interceptions. Returning along his side are his top two receivers from last season, junior Darwin Cotton (967 receiving yards, 12 touchdowns) and senior Justin Ruffin (735 receiving yards, 12 touchdowns). Opposing defenses beware.
Cole’s brother Connor Hodge returns for his junior season as well. The Hodge connection is strong, as Cole connected with Connor for 472 yards and eight touchdowns last season. Cole spoke with KSR earlier this summer, saying his “favorite memory is throwing a touchdown to [Connor] in the state championship game. That was a really cool experience and a life-long memory.”
Cole isn’t the only superstar in district three, as Central running back Cortez Stone will make his 3A debut this season following their move from 4A. Stone, who has racked up offers from Louisville, Purdue, and Cincinnati, finished with the second-most rushing yards in the state of Kentucky last season (2,191 yards). Along with his yards on the ground, Stone found the endzone on 26 different occasions, tied for 10th in the state. The Yellow Jackets advanced to the 4A semifinals last season before being outlasted by eventual champions Boyle County.
Not to be overshadowed, Elizabethtown bounced back from a rough 2021 campaign with eight wins last season. The Panthers are just two seasons removed from making a run to the 2020 3A state championship game.
Class 3A | District 4
Casey County, Garrard County, Marion County, Mercer County
2023 is looking to be greener pastures for District 4, as Casey, Garrard, Marion, and Mercer all failed to win a postseason game last season. In Marion County’s case, they had to forfeit their first-round matchup against Cortez Stone and Central as they didn’t have enough players. After a successful 2022 campaign in which Casey County did win eight games (their most since 2018), coach Steve Stonebraker and his son junior receiver Solomon Stonebraker jumped ship to Adair County. New head coach Levi Rogers will now inherit what is left of the Rebels (including 100+ tacklers seniors Bo Patterson and Evan Stephens) as Casey County looks to make a deep postseason run for the first time since 2016.
Former Kentucky Football great Craig Yeast returns to Mercer County for his second season as head coach. Yeast’s Titans went 5-6 last season, losing in the first round of the postseason to Elizabethtown. The Rebels return last season’s starting quarterback in senior Thaddeus Mays, who racked up 1,258 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, and just six interceptions.
Class 3A | District 5
Bourbon County, Lexington Catholic, Lloyd Memorial, Pendleton County
Pendleton County is the lone returner to Class 3A, as Bourbon County, Lexington Catholic, and Lloyd Memorial all bring rich tradition and star power to the class. A young Catholic squad ran into a buzzsaw in Boyle County last season, bringing their season to a close in the 4A quarterfinals. Lloyd Memorial also made a deep postseason run last season, falling in the 2A semifinals to eventual champion Beechwood.
Along with CAL’s Cole Hodge, Lexington Catholic’s Jackson Wasik was one of the most prolific passers in all of Kentucky High School football last season. Wasik finished his junior campaign with 2,954 passing yards, 41 touchdowns, and just seven interceptions. Wasik will gain a dangerous weapon in Henry Clay transfer junior Jackson Kreutzer, who hauled in 726 receiving yards and eight touchdowns as a sophomore. The Knights venture into 3A under new leadership, as head coach Bert Bathiany bolted to Ohio to become head coach of Archbishop Moeller after just one season in Lexington. As a replacement, the Knight hired St. Xavier assistant coach Nicklaus Baisch.
In an interview with the Lexington Herald-Leader back in April, Baisch said, “It’s an elite program. When you think of Catholic football programs in the state of Kentucky, Lexington Catholic is right there. When I saw (the job) come open, I was like, ‘I want to chase that.’ We played them when I was in high school, and I’ve coached against them a couple of times. It’s just a great facility, a great school and a great program.”
The Lloyd Memorial defense is no doubt excited for the challenge of 3A, as head coach Kyle Niederman’s squad returns a boatload of talent in senior defensive back Elijah Westwood (106 tackles), senior defensive linemen Avander Abrams (10 sacks) and TJ Jackson (seven sacks), and junior defensive back Isaiah Sebastian, who’s eight interceptions last season ranks as the most for a returning player in Class 3A. After allowing just an average of 19 points per game last season, they will be battle-tested against some great offenses in 3A.
Class 3A | District 6
Bath County, East Carter, Fleming County, Lewis County, Russell, West Carter
Anything is an improvement for District 6 this season as Fleming County was the only team to advance past the first round of the postseason. Things are looking up for the Panthers, as Fleming County returns almost their entire starting offense. Senior quarterback Nate Ruark returns for his second season as QB1, as he threw for 1,402 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions last season. Also returning is one of the best running backs in 3A in senior Austin Trent, whose 1,788 rushing yards last season ranks third among returning players in 3A behind superstars Cortez Stone (Central) and Daniel Thomas (Bell County). Ruark also returns his lead receiver in senior Landon Johnson. Johnson hauled in 728 yards and eight touchdowns last season.
East Carter, Lewis County, Russell, and West Carter were bounced from the first round of the postseason last year by an average score of 47-12, so a fresh start in 2023 is much appreciated. Speaking of fresh starts, Bath County finished 2022 at a lowly 1-9 after winning their first game of the season against Fairview. Here’s to hoping 2023 goes better for these squads.
Class 3A | District 7
Bell County, Clay County, Knox Central, McCreary Central, Rockcastle County
District 7 features one of the most prolific players in all of Kentucky High School football entering the season, Bell County senior running back Daniel Thomas. Thomas’ 2,228 rushing yards and 29 rushing touchdowns from just a season ago both rank first in the state of Kentucky among returning players this season. Thomas is entering the final season of an incredible career in which he has rushed for 3,326 yards and 41 touchdowns. Since losing in the 3A state championship game back in 2019, Bell County has lost in the quarterfinals every single season since. There would be no better ending to the career of Daniel Thomas than holding up the 3A championship trophy at Kroger Field.
Clay County, Knox Central, McCreary Central, and Rockcastle County all failed to advance past the first round in the postseason last year, but the 2023 season looks promising for all four squads. McCreary Central in particular brings back sophomore quarterback Peyton Higginbotham, who threw for 1,418 yards, 16 touchdowns, and just five interceptions as a freshman. In a few years’ time, Higginbotham could find himself as one of the best quarterbacks in Class 3A, and possibly all of Kentucky.
Class 3A | District 8
Belfry, Estill County, Lawrence County, Magoffin County, Powell County
2023 marks the 20th anniversary of coach Phillip Haywood’s first state championship with the Belfry Pirates, which came all the way back in 2003 with a 33-27 win over Elizabethtown in the Class 2A state championship. During his legendary tenure at Belfry, Haywood has racked up over 470 wins and eight state titles, with the last one coming in 2021 with a nail-biting 33-28 win over Paducah Tilghman at Kroger Field. 2023 looks to be a bounce-back season for Haywood and Belfry, as they finished at just 6-6 last season after being blown out in the second round of the postseason by Ashland Blazer.
It will be a rebuilding year for Estill, Lawrence, Magoffin, and Powell as well, as Estill County was the lone program to advance past the first round of the postseason last year. District 8 has long been run by Belfry, but it looks like a changing of the guard could be on the horizon.
Preseason Honors
- Class 3A Player of the Year – QB Cole Hodge (Christian Academy-Louisville)
- Class 3A Coach of the Year – Thomas Cantwell (Christian Academy-Louisville)
- Class 3A State Champion – Christian Academy-Louisville Centurions
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