Jim Mashek

WARREN EAST TRAVELS TO RUSSELL COUNTY ON FRIDAY; SOUTH WARREN RETURNS HOME TO TANGLE WITH PADUCAH TIGHLMAN

High school football in South Central Kentucky is starting to take definite shape.

Bowling Green High School is one of five unbeaten squads in the region, and the Purples (4-0) have a high-profile game against tradition-rich Boyle County High School on Friday night at El Donaldson Stadium. The Tigers remained unbeaten in four games last week with a 31-17 victory over visiting Henderson County.

Meanwhile, Warren East (4-0) is taking considerable momentum into Friday night’s KHSAA Class 4A, 2nd District opener at Russell County (1-3). Raiders quarterback Dane Parsley had another big game on Friday night, completing 9 of 14 passes for 297 yards and four touchdowns in an impressive 60-12 victory over Russellville.

Tailback Quinton Hollis added 92 yards rushing as Warren East moved to 4-0 on the season.

“We played well, for the most part (against Russellville),” Warren East coach Jeff Griffith said via text message Sunday morning. “(Wide receiver) Ahmad Alexander (two receptions for 110 yards and two TDs) and (linebacker/tight end) Simon Ghee are two of our kids who really played well.

“Handling success and keeping our humility will be a big factor, going forward, as well as handling adversity, which we know is coming.”

No one knows more about handling adversity than Warren Central High School coach Mark Nelson.

Nelson, in his second season at the Dragons’ helm, is looking for a spark after Friday night’s 49-8 loss to crosstown Greenwood. The Gators (3-1) earned their eighth consecutive victory over Warren Central in impressive fashion, amassing 348 yards total offense while maintaining a steady pass rush on Dragons quarterback Kayumba Jean Aime.

Warren Central opened the season with an impressive 13-0 victory over Bullitt Central, snapping the Dragons’ 61-game losing streak dating back to the 2015 season. Since then, the Dragons (2-1) have fallen to Trigg County, falling 49-26, before their open date and the loss to Greenwood.

Warren Central will make its debut in KHSAA Class 4A, 2nd District play on Friday night, hitting the road for the short trip to Allen County-Scottsville (1-3).

A scheduling quirk has left Nelson’s Warren Central squad with just three home games this season.

Bowling Green improved to 4-0 overall with a 35-6 victory over homestanding Hopkinsville High School on Friday night.

The Purples will face Boyle County (4-0) on Friday night, and they’ll open KHSAA Class 5A, 2nd District play on September 30, at home, against archrival South Warren (1-2). On October 14, they’ll lock horns with Greenwood, which is still looking for its first victory in school history against Bowling Green High School.

The Purples swept Greenwood in two games last season.

Warren Central coach Mark Nelson was impressed with the Gators’ balance and strength up front.

“Greenwood is a better team (than WCHS), period. They outplayed us in every aspect of the game,” Nelson said via text message Saturday evening. “Special teams, offense, and defense … Allen County-Scottsville is a very good football team, and they’ve played a very tough schedule. They are just as physical as Greenwood.

“Coach (Brad) Hood does an awesome job in getting his (AC-S) team prepared each week.”

Greenwood used an aggressive defense and a balanced offense to cruise past Warren Central on Friday night at The Swamp. The Gators will play host to Logan County (4-0) before playing three consecutive games on the road, starting with Glasgow (4-0) followed by KHSAA Class 5A, 2nd District opponents Christian County (1-3) and Bowling Green (4-0).

“We’ve really improved, every week, since (the 20-15 loss to Bardstown on August 20),” Greenwood running back/cornerback Tel Tel Long said. “We’ve got a good chemistry, in the locker room, on the practice field. We all hang out … We’ve got some tough games coming up.”

Warren Central coach Mark Nelson made note that fifth-year Greenwood coach William Howard chose to take a knee at the Dragons’ 1-yard line, in the game’s final minute or so, instead of adding a cosmetic touchdown.

Sophomore quarterback Ryan Huff had given way to backup Ethan Griffs, and most of the Gators’ starters were on the sidelines for the majority of the fourth quarter.

“I thought Coach Howard and Greenwood were very classy,” Nelson said. “They could have scored that touchdown but took the knee.”

Logan County coach Todd Adler has guided his team to a 4-0 start, which includes two victories over the Dragons’ rivals in the Class 4A 2nd District — a 26-16 victory over Allen County-Scottsville, on Opening Night in the J. Allen Builders Bowl at Warren East High School, and Friday night’s 41-31 triumph at Franklin-Simpson High School.

In the victory over Franklin-Simpson, Logan County quarterback Davin Yates turned in an amazing performance. Yates, a junior who also competes in basketball and baseball, completed 16 of 20 passes for 191 yards and four touchdowns.

Butler County, meanwhile, is off to a 4-0 start, too. The Bears of Morgantown have beaten all four of their opponents to date by double digits, including Friday night’s 35-13 triumph over visiting Grayson County.

The Bears, a KHSAA Class 2A squad, have outscored their four opponents 150-42. They’ll have their open daten before playing host to another unbeaten team, McLean County (4-0). It’s the first 4-0 start at Butler County since the 2012 season.

Butler County has an effective 1-2 punch with the running game, led by seniors Brody Hunt (422 yards rushing, 4 touchdowns) and Colton Dunnells (408 yards, 8 touchdowns). Sophomore quarterback Garrett Phelps works behind an experienced offensive line, led by senior right tackle Dalton Freeman.

“We’re averaging about 300 yards (rushing),” Butler County coach Brandon Embry said via text message Sunday morning. “Brody Hunt and Colton Dunnells have led the way, but Keegan Grubb and Gage Beasley also have contributed good yardage.”

Glasgow, 4-0 after last week’s 28-7 victory over Allen County-Scottsville, is on the road to tangle with Hart County (3-1) on Friday night. Meanwhile, Class 6A Barren County (3-1) is on the road for Friday night’s non-district game with North Laurel (2-1) in London, Kentucky.

In Class 2A, Metcalfe County (4-0) is yet ANOTHER undefeated team in South Central Kentucky. The Hornets opened the season with a hard-fought 12-9 victory over Class 6A Barren County in Glasgow, and since then, they’ve rolled past Bellevue (42-0), Campbellsville (36-14) and Eminence (46-0). Senior running back Michael Bennett has rushed for a team-high 412 yards and three touchdowns.

Russellville, the KHSAA Class 1A state runnerup in 2021, is still looking for its first victory of the season. The Panthers (0-4) play host to Class 4A Franklin-Simpson (2-2) on Friday night at historic Rhea Stadium. Sophomore quarterback Octavious McKeage is a dual threat for Russellville.

South Warren, last year’s KHSAA Class 5A state champion, is looking for its first victory since opening night in the Rafferty’s Bowl at WKU’s Houchens-Smith Stadium.

After drubbing North Hardin 49-14 on the WKU campus, the Spartans (1-2) have dropped two hard-fought decisions, a 28-22 loss to Hendersonville (Tennessee) and last week’s 28-24 setback at Gibson Southern High School in Fort Branch, Indiana.

South Warren plays host to Paducah Tighlman (2-1) on Friday night.