KSR Game(s) of the Week will feature North Laurel, Madisonville-NH for Friday doubleheader

We’re switching things up for this edition of the KSR Game of the Week — or should I say Games of the Week.

Friday night’s Kentucky high school football action will feature a pair of matchups for the KSR Game of the Week. We’ll be covering games on opposite ends of the state, too. A county rivalry between South Laurel and North Laurel will be coupled with a ranked showdown between Owensboro and Madisonville-North Hopkins. This will be the first time each school is featured for the KSR Game of the Week this year.

KSR’s Sterling Hohman will make the drive out to London, KY to cover the Laurel County schools, while KSR’s Phoenix Stevens will cover the second Game of the Week remotely. We’re excited to give these schools the recognition they deserve. Here’s what you need to know about each game ahead of Friday’s action.

RV South Laurel (8-1) @ North Laurel (6-2)

Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET

South Laurel, which is receiving votes in KSR’s latest Top 25 statewide poll, will clash with North Laurel in what has been dubbed the First Priority Bowl. These two nearby schools have met every season dating back to 1998, with North Laurel leading the series 17-13 since then. From 2012 to 2021, North Laurel won every game, but South Laurel came out on top last year. The On3 Massey Ratings project North Laurel to sneak out with a 27-20 win.

We’ll start with South Laurel, which has suffered just one loss on the season, a 42-7 blowout defeat at the hands of No. 22 Pulaski County. Otherwise, the Cardinals have shut out two opponents and held four others to under 15 points. QB Mason Griffin (2,341 yards, 22 TDs) has been excellent through the air with RB Wes Dowell (851 yards, 20 TDs) serving as the perfect complementary piece. Dowell, Garrison Brown, and Carter Kelley all rank among the top 20 receivers in 5A. On defense, Malachi Smith, Tim Thompson, and Mika Smith all have over 95 tackles, while Liam Newton ranks second in 5A with eight sacks. South Laurel’s offense ranks 4th in 5A with 39.8 points per game, while the defense sits in second, giving up just 13.8 points per game.

As for North Laurel, the Jaguars use a two-man rushing attack rotation. Jude McWhorter (715 yards, 8 TDs) and Cooper Robinson (704 yards, 6 TDs) have created one of the most dangerous running threats in the class. McWhorter also lines up under center, having thrown for 862 yards and seven touchdowns. Brody Pruitt is the name to watch on defense with his 89 tackles, but don’t forget Kingston Reams and Gage Baker, who have posted a combined 9.5 sacks. North Laurel’s defense is right behind South Laurel’s, ranking third in 5A by allowing only 14 points per outing. The Jaguars’ offense isn’t nearly as potent, though, putting up just 20.5 points per contest.

No. 17 Owensboro (6-2) @ No. 21 Madisonville-NH (7-1)

Kickoff: 7:00 p.m. CT

Moving on to our ranked matchup, we’re used to seeing Owensboro with a number next to its name, but this is new territory for Madisonville-North Hopkins. This is a series that has been owned by the Red Devils, with Owensboro holding an 11-3 record against the Maroons going back to 2009. The On3 Massey Ratings are calling for that trend to continue, projecting a 38-20 win for Owensboro.

And that’s the team we’ll start with. After a 0-2 start to the season saw blowout losses against top 10 opponents St. Xavier and Christian Academy-Louisville, the Red Devils have won six straight, including a huge rivalry victory over a ranked Owensboro Catholic team. Evan Hampton, a Vanderbilt commit, is the team’s star. He has 905 rushing yards and 12 TDs through eight games played. Hampton is helped out by QB DaMarcus Ganaway and his 1,1164 yards plus 14 touchdowns through the air. Kingston Dillard is the go-to target outside, having totaled 584 yards and eight touchdowns. Ty Ashley (69 tackles), Jaxon James (6 sacks), and Landon Clark (5 sacks) help pace the Owensboro defense, which has recorded nine interceptions and five fumble recoveries this season. The Red Devils rank among the 5A top 10 in both scoring offense (36 PPG; 5th) and defense (16.1 PPG; 6th).

Moving on to Madisonville-North Hopkins, the Maroons are coming off their first loss of the season, a 49-40 defeat against Apollo. They made noise early in the regular season by being the first and only team to knock off Paducah Tilghman so far in 2025. Madisonville is led by the best rusher in the class, Markezz Hightower, who has tacked up 1,328 yards and 22 touchdowns on the ground — both tops in 5A. Alex Richards (1,072 yards, 8 TDs) lines up under center with Ryder Sandidge (368 yards, 3TDs) acting as his primary target. If needed, the Maroons can rely on kicker Noah Mays (6-7 on FGs this season) to tack on more points. Defensively, Kirk LaGrange (84 tackles) and Travion Stafford (71 tackles) lead the Madisonville defense, with four players having totaled four or more sacks and two having pulled in three interceptions. Madisonville sits at the top of 5A in scoring at 45.4 points per game, while ranking 11th in points allowed per game at 20.4.

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