No. 2 CAL extends winning streak to 21, advances to 4th straight 3A championship

No. 2 Christian Academy-Louisville is Kentucky football’s premier dynasty. They have the longest current winning streak in the state at 21 after Friday’s 56-20 thrashing over No. 22 Bell County in the KHSAA Class 3A semifinals, and now sit one game away from capturing their fourth consecutive state title.

“Heading back home next Saturday. Yeah, that’s our second home. We get to defend our home turf,” says CAL head coach Hunter Cantwell on Kroger Field.

CAL started the game off dominant, forcing a three-and-out and capping off their first offensive drive with a two-yard touchdown run from Tyree Stoner, who we will see a lot of in this game.

After forcing another three-and-out, it only takes two plays for the Centurions to score again. Quarterback Jackson Burke had plenty of time in the pocket as he found Micah Akin along the sideline and made an acrobatic dive to reach the ball over the pylon, extending CAL’s lead to 14-0 in the first quarter.

Later in the quarter, Stoner found the end zone again on an eight-yard run, giving the Centurions a 21-0 lead after the first.

On the first play of the second quarter, the Bobcat offense got going with a long reception from Joseph Brigmon, getting them into CAL territory for the first time all game. However, on third-and-long, Bobcat quarterback Blake Burnett threw his first interception all season to CAL’s Stone Perkins, who returned the ball from his own goal line into Bell County territory.

Just when it looked like CAL would put the game away in the second quarter, Burke dove into the end zone but fumbled the ball on the goal line, coughing it up to the Bobcats for a touchback.

However, the Centurions’ defense held strong, forcing another three-and-out, and the offense drove down the field for another Stoner two-yard touchdown run, extending the lead to four touchdowns.

The Bobcats would not concede and get points on the board before the half. On CAL’s 15-yard line, Burnett rolled to his right and found Logan Green, who kept his balance and scurried into the end zone.

CAL is not done before halftime, however, as they drove quickly down the field, and who else but Tyree Stoner to take the direct snap and run untouched into the end zone for his fourth rushing touchdown of the half.

“That’s four!” exclaimed Stoner into the camera. The Centurions held a 35-6 lead into the half.

CAL received the ball to begin the second half, looking to activate the running clock. With the ball just inside Bobcat territory, Burke bullets a pass to Gaines Howard, who jukes a defender and saunters into the end zone, extending their lead to 42-6 and activating a running clock for the remainder of the game.

Bell County would answer on the next drive, where near midfield, running back Kaleb Miller takes a pitch to the house on 4th-and-3, shortening CAL’s lead to 42-12.

The Centurions would answer back with a touchdown of their own, where Burke finds receiver Ja’Hyde Brown on a slant for the score. CAL would hold this 49-12 lead into the fourth quarter.

Brown, the 2026 Navy All-American Bowl select, would finish the game with eight receptions for 106 yards and a TD.

On the Centurions’ next drive, Stoner shows his versatility, as he takes a direct snap, rides the play-fake, and fires the ball in the back of the end zone to tight end Micah Akin for his second receiving touchdown of the game, extending the lead to 56-12.

Stoner would finish this game with 98 rushing yards and four rushing TDs with nine passing yards and a TD through the air.

“The running back room can’t do nothing without the O-line, and that’s number one. When we have those two things working out, then I think we’re unstoppable,” says Stoner. 

Stoner and running back Jeffery Vazzana split carries evenly with nine apiece, and Vazzana finished with 99 rushing yards.

However, Bell County is not done. With under four minutes left, Burnett found Brigmon one-on-one in the end zone for the touchdown catch. Kaleb Miller would punch in the two-point conversion, but CAL would hold onto the ball for the rest of the game, and move on to their fourth straight state title appearance with a 56-20 win.

The Centurions will take on Murray in the 3A championship next Saturday (Dec. 6 | noon ET) at Kroger Field.