KSR Game of the Week: No. 21 Woodford County hosts South Oldham in District showdown

The KSR Game of the Week will feature a pair of District foes.

On Friday night under the lights, the No. 21 Woodford County Yellow Jackets will play host to the South Oldham Dragons. These Class 5A, District 6 schools have played one another each of the last two seasons, splitting both. But South Oldham pulled off a 32-27 win last season — revenge will be on the brain for the Yellow Jackets. Kickoff is scheduled for Friday, October 3rd (7:30 p.m. ET) at the Woodford County Falling Springs Complex in Versailles, KY.

The On3 Massey Ratings project an easy win for Woodford County, 40-14, but looking back to our last KSR Game of the Week, Trinity was expected to win 38-14 against St. Xavier. The Shamrocks still came away with the victory, but it was only an 11-point difference. We’ll be hoping for another close and exciting game on Friday. Dive in below to learn more about the Yellow Jackets and Dragons.

No. 21 Woodford County Yellow Jackets (4-1) | 5A

Led by longtime head coach/athletic director Dennis Johnson (the father of Kentucky men’s basketball freshman, Jasper Johnson), Woodford County is once again among the top teams in a deep and talented class. The Yellow Jackets have only faced two in-state teams so far this season, beating Fairdale and Great Crossing with ease. Coach Johnson has made it a point over the years to go beyond the Kentucky borders. Woodford County has beaten Harvest Prep (OH) and Heritage Palm (FL) this season, but lost to Munford (TN) to reach its current 4-1 overall record.

Woodford County uses a relatively balanced offensive approach, although it leans toward the air. Junior QB Foxx Coons has tossed for 1,285 yards through five games (257 YPG; 6th-best in the state), throwing 14 touchdowns and four interceptions. Four different receivers have over 100 yards catching, led by a trio of juniors: Greyson Hodge (446 yards, 3 TDs), Omari Jointer (366 yards, 5 TDs), and Kael Rihtar (262 yards, 3 TDs). Another junior, RB Darrian Tomlin, has racked up 459 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground. Sophomore RB Aidyn Powell only has 108 yards rushing, but he’s found the end zone four times.

The Yellow Jackets rank 25th in the state in scoring (38 points per game), in large part thanks to three-star junior OL Justyn Perez, a top 500 national recruit, holding down the offensive line.

Defensively, junior LB Elias Tackett leads the way with a team-high 35 tackles, including three tackles for loss and a pair of sacks. Sophomore DB Neamiyah Davis-Jones isn’t far behind with 30 tackles and an interception. Junior DE Josiah McKee is constantly creating havoc, having posted four tackles for loss and four sacks through four games of action. Junior DB Jordan Holman is a name to watch with his 28 tackles and five tackles for loss. He’s considered a three-star recruit and a top 500 prospect in the country.

South Oldham Dragons (5-1) | 5A

South Oldham head coach Cain Sams has the Dragons off to a terrific start, posting two shutouts in six games with just one loss on the season, a 31-21 defeat to rival North Oldham. But Woodford County will be the toughest challenge yet and the first of a few challenges down the stretch of the regular season. The Dragons also have Scott County and Bryan Station on the schedule. An upset of Woodford County would be a great way to start that run.

Paving the way on offense will be junior QB Adrian Miles, who’s thrown for 736 yards, seven touchdowns, and three interceptions. He’s a dual-threat with the ball in his hands, having also run for 216 yards and three more scores. South Oldham prefers to keep the ball on the ground. Senior running backs Anthony Dixon (506 yards, 6 TDs) and Kole Greenwell (262 yards, 5 TDs) will handle a bulk of the ball-carrying responsibilities. The Dragons rank among the state’s top 50 schools in rushing yards per game (212). Dixon also has 13 receptions for 188 yards and three touchdowns through the air. Senior ATH Charlie Temple leads the team with 197 receiving yards and two scores.

South Oldham’s defense is what fuels them, though. Senior LB Blake Dickamore is already up to 63 tackles, five for loss, which easily leads the team. Six other Dragons have eclipsed the 30-tackle threshold. Senior DE Sam Dawson, a three-star recruit committed to Louisville, has registered 35 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks, while Temple has added 27 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks. The South Oldham defense has picked off seven passes and recovered four loose fumbles. The Dragons’ rushing defense ranks 20th in the state, giving up just 64 yards per game on the ground. Their overall scoring defense ranks 21st at just 13.2 points per game.