Previewing Round Two of the Kentucky High School Football Playoffs

Pulaski vs Southwestern in the KSR Game of the Week presented by Kroger isn’t the only highly anticipated matchup this week.  Here is a look at the best games around the state.  All rankings are based on the final regular season KSR Prep Rankings.  I’ll start out with the games getting the most buzz around the state.

#5 Frederick Douglass at #14 Scott County (7-0) in Class 5A – 7:30 pm

KSR All-State Players:  

• Frederick Douglass: Jr. WR Dane Key, Sr. WR Dekel Crowdus (UK), Sr. OL Jager Burton (UK), Jr. DB Thomas Bryant
• Scott County:  Sr. DB Campton Martin 

Regular Season Matchup:  DNP – COVID cancellation

Analysis: Frederick Douglass had a major breakthrough last year and finally knocked off Scott County in the playoffs. I expect Scott County to keep it close early with their Wing T, ball control offense but look for Frederick Douglass to turn it on late.

Prediction: Frederick Douglass 35 Scott County 21

#14 Bowling Green (6-2) at #6 South Warren (6-0) — Class 5A – 7:00 pm       

KSR All-State Players:

• Bowling Green: Sr. TE Jordan Dingle (UK)
• South Warren: Sr. DB Jantzen Dunn (Ohio St.)

Regular Season Matchup: South Warren 10 Bowling Green 7 

Analysis: I went to the regular season game and Bowling Green could get virtually nothing going. Add in the fact that South Warren’s 4-star DB Jantzen Dunn missed that game and will be back in the lineup, and it could be another long night for the Purples’ offense. Expect their defense to keep them in the game but for South Warren’s JR QB, UK target Caden Veltkamp, to make some plays down the stretch for the Spartans.

Prediction: South Warren 17 Bowling Green 7

#25 Somerset (6-2) at #9 LCA (7-1) – Class 2A – 7:00 pm

KSR All-State Players:

• Somerset: Sr. QB Kaiya Sheron (UK)
• LCA: Jr. RB/WR Xavier Brown

Regular Season Matchup: LCA 28 Somerset 21

Analysis:  LCA QB Drew Nieves throws bombs to Xavier Brown and Mason Moore (son of UK great Marty Moore). Somerset had trouble stopping those plays last game and had trouble protecting UK QB commit Kaiya Sheron. Sheron was injured late in that game but returned to action last week. Games between these teams always seem to go down to the wire.

Prediction: LCA 38 Somerset 31

#22 Franklin County (6-1) at # 12 Central (6-0) – Class 4A – 7:00 P.M.

Regular Season Matchup: The Flyers had trouble containing junior RB Malachi Williams. He scored the go-ahead TD in the final 10 seconds to lead Central to an 18-16, rushing for 2 scores and 192 yards in the victory.

Analysis: The Flyers’ combination of QB Nick Broyles (15-for-24 for 155 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs) and WR Fred Farrier (5 catches 56 yards) will need to have more of an impact than they did in the regular season if Franklin County is going to turn the tables on Central. Since Central was able to win on the road, I’m going to pick them win at home.

Prediction: Central 24 Franklin County 21

#19 St. Xavier (4-2) at #7 Dupont Manual (3-1) – Class 6A – 7:30 pm

KSR All-State Players:

• St. Xavier: Sr. OL Evan Brown (Navy)

Regular Season Matchup: DNP COVID Cancellation

Analysis: Manual is undefeated against Kentucky competition but hasn’t played a game in nearly 2 months, so that is why I’m going to pick an upset. Who knows though, this game is an unknown. We know St. X is no match for Trinity, but a big Manual win could at least get some 6A buzz going since they haven’t played the Shamrocks yet.

Prediction: St Xavier 21 Manual 20

#15 Lexington Catholic (5-2) at #3 Boyle County (7-0) – Class 4A – 7:30 pm

KSR All-State Players:

• Boyle County: Jr. K Jackson Smith

Regular Season Matchup: Boyle County picked off Lexington Catholic 3 times and rolled to an easy 40-0 victory. QB Jagger Gillis had 4 TDs (1 passing 3 rushing) and RB Will McDaniel ran for 123 yards and a score. Lexington Catholic would have been in the game longer had it not been for inopportune turnovers.

Analysis: Lexington Catholic has been playing well of late, defeating Covington Catholic in the last game of the regular season while most other teams sat out. But things have been building toward a Boyle County Johnson Central rematch at Kroger Field.

Prediction: Boyle County 42 Lexington Catholic 21

Paintsville (6-2) at Raceland (4-5) — Class A – 7:30 pm

Regular Season Matchup:  Raceland 23 Paintsville 20 

Analysis: Raceland has played a brutal schedule and that will have them ready for this big matchup so I am picking them. Neither team’s QB (Jake Hyden for Paintsville and Jacob Heighton for Raceland – similar sounding names I know) played in the first round of the playoffs so who knows what will happen in this one. If one QB plays and the other doesn’t, I’ll take whichever team that has their QB.

Prediction: Raceland 28 Paintsville 27 

Mayfield (7-1) vs Murray (6-3) (at War Memorial Stadium in Mayfield) — Class 2A — 7:00 pm

Regular Season Matchup: Mayfield won 21-20 after Murray went for 2 in OT but threw an incomplete pass on the 2-point attempt. Murray has not defeated Mayfield in 27 years.

Analysis: Mayfield has won 7-straight games after losing their opener. They always seem to come out of this district, so I’m not picking against them.

Prediction: Mayfield 17 Murray 6