KSR Game of the Week: No. 5 Highlands heads to Danville for showdown with No. 11 Boyle County

The KSR Game of the Week is heading to Danville for a showdown between two ranked teams.

The undefeated No. 5 Highlands Bluebirds (3-0) will travel south to face the hosting No. 11 Boyle County Rebels (2-1) this Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET inside Rebel Stadium. These two Class 4A schools haven’t gone head-to-head all that often as of late, the last meeting a 46-7 blowout victory for Boyle County in 2020, but they’ve historically been among the best in the entire state.

Highlands has 23 state championships to its name (second most, regardless of class, only to Trinity’s 29), but none since 2014 — they’re looking to change that this season. Taking down a Boyle County program that has run through 4A in recent years (winners of four straight titles from 2020-23 and 12 throughout its history) would be an inspiring step in making it happen. We should be in for a close game, too. The On3 Massey Ratings currently call for a 28-20 outcome in favor of the Rebels.

Here’s what you need to know about both schools going into Friday’s showdown.

No. 5 Highlands Bluebirds (3-0)

Fans of the Kentucky football program will likely associate Highlands with the late, great Jared Lorenzen, who set records at the high school in the mid-to-late 1990s while winning the Mr. Football Award in 1999. Lorenzen’s son, Tayden, has been following in his father’s footsteps.

Tayden Lorenzen has been a do-it-all athlete for the Bluebirds, accumulating most of his stats on the ground. The 6-foot-3, 235-pound junior has 35 rushes for 144 yards and five touchdowns through three games. He’s also caught eight balls for another 61 yards as a receiver. You might see him line up in the Wildcat or fill in on defense in spurts, too. Miami (OH) offered him a scholarship in May. He’ll draw plenty of eyes from the Boyle County defense.

But the Rebels can’t solely focus on Lorenzen. Senior quarterback Rio Litmer is averaging 208 passing yards per game. Junior wide-outs Cale Harris and Gabe Williams have a combined 24 receptions for 268 yards and a touchdown. Aiding Lorenzen in the backfield is the versatile Williams, who has 34 rushes for 136 yards and a score. You’ll also find Williams filling in as a star on defense, too. He leads the Bluebirds in tackles at 14 in addition to a fumble recovery and an interception.

Along with Williams, the Highlands defense is propped up by plenty of veteran talent. Seniors Max Merz (13 tackles), Ryan Dunn (12), Brady Carnohan (11), and Isaac Niemann (10) have all recorded double-digit tackles so far this season. Merz, who splits time as an offensive lineman, is a three-star recruit committed to Louisville. The Highlands defense is giving up fewer than 100 passing and rushing yards per game.

It hasn’t been easy reaching a 3-0 record for the Bluebirds, which included a 21-20 overtime win over No. 25 Frederick Douglass in the season-opener, followed by a 28-14 victory against No. 8 Cooper. Highlands cruised last week against Campbell County, 55-13, but something tells us we’re in for another right result on Friday.

No. 11 Boyle County Rebels (2-1)

Boyle County will be out for revenge this week. Not necessarily because of the opponent in front of them, but because of last week’s surprising 17-7 upset loss to an unranked Lexington Catholic team. The Rebels dominated Bullitt East in the opener, 50-7, before sneaking past No. 21 Lexington Christian Academy the following week, 28-21. But the Knights were able to snap Boyle’s 22-game regular-season winning streak by dominating both sides of the ball and avoiding mistakes.

We should expect a better showing from Justin Haddix’s squad this week. Senior quarterback Baylor Murphy has played well this season — 35-49 passing with 505 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception. Senior Ji’Dyn Smith-Hisel is the bell cow in the backfield with his 35 rushes for 311 yards and two touchdowns, while senior Darryl Yancey leads the team with three rushing scores.

But Boyle County’s offense is headlined by one of the best players in the entire country. 6-foot-7 junior tight end Seneca Driver is being recruited by nearly every major college program. He’s considered a four-star recruit and the No. 73 overall prospect from the 2027 class. Driver leads the Rebels with 11 receptions for 153 yards and a touchdown. He’s also filled in on defense with six tackles (one for loss) and an interception.

Sophomore tackle Christian Bryant is another name to watch on both sides of the field. He plays left tackle on the offensive line and has five tackles (two for loss) on the defensive line. Junior Lucas Akers leads Boyle County with 27 tackles, while senior Jax Crowe isn’t far behind with 22 tackles of his own, six coming for a loss. Eight different Rebels have double-digit tackles already this season. Like Highlands, the Boyle County defense is allowing fewer than 100 passing and rushing yards per game.

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