PASSES OUT GAME JERSEYS AFTER THURSDAY’S PRACTICE.
PURPLES PLAY HOST TO GREENWOOD; SOUTH WARREN AWAITS CHRISTIAN COUNTY
Second-year Warren Central High School football coach Mark Nelson engaged in one of his traditional rituals on Thursday afternoon in the WCHS Field House, just one day before the Dragons played host to district rival Franklin-Simpson.
Nelson passed out his team’s home jerseys before the Dragons’ big game with Franklin-Simpson, understanding that a victory over the visiting Wildcats would give Warren Central a HOME PLAYOFF GAME for the first time in years.
Not bad for a team that took a 63-game losing streak into the 2022 football season.
The Warriors (3-4, 2-1 in KHSAA Class 4A, 2nd District play) play host to nearby rival Franklin-Simpson (5-2, 2-0) on Friday night, intent on taking another step in turning the page on years of futility.
A 28-24 VICTORY OVER SOUTH WARREN ON SEPTEMBER 30.
The Wildcats, who have won three straight games, are expected to challenge Warren Central’s defense with its running game. Franklin-Simpson quarterbacks Brady Delk and Mathias Dickerson have attempted a mere 45 passes over the course of the Wildcats’ first seven games.
That would be a typical Sunday for the likes of Dan Marino, Dan Fouts or Dan-O from “Hawaii 5-O” fame.
Franklin-Simpson trampled the visiting Dragons 55-14 last year in Franklin, on its way to a 5-7 finish. The Wildcats ran into another district rival, Allen County-Scottsville, and dropped a 35-28 decision in that game in Scottsville.
The KHSAA has tinkered with its playoff pairings and will now pit non-district opponents against one another in first-round play of the state playoffs, which means Allen County-Scottsville and Franklin-Simpson wouldn’t run into one another any time soon in the new format.
Bowling Green High School, which twice defeated Greenwood on its way to a 6-6 finish in 2021, will again play host to the Gators (6-1, 1-0 in KHSAA Class 5A, 2nd District play) tonight. Both teams had an open date last week, in Bowling Green’s case in the aftermath of a dramatic 28-24 victory over archrival South Warren (4-3, 0-1).
Bowling Green (6-1, 1-0) is the fourth-ranked KHSAA team in the Associated Press’ weekly state rankings. The Purples have an experienced offensive line and a solid defense, which has given sophomore quarterback Deuce Bailey a chance to gain his footing as the team’s second-year starter.
South Warren, the defending KHSAA Class 5A state champion, is home to face district rival Christian County (2-5, 0-1). The Spartans have a talented sophomore quarterback themselves, in 6-foot-4 Bryce Button, and they’re poised to make another run under veteran coach Brandon Smith.
Greenwood will play host to South Warren in a Thursday night game next week, at which point there will be only one week left in regular-season play.
WARREN EAST TAKE A 7-0 RECORD TO AC-S.
Warren East, the last unbeaten team in South Central Kentucky, puts its 7-0 record on the line against longtime rival Allen County-Scottsville on Friday night. It’s been a tough year for veteran coach Brad Hood’s AC-S squad, as they’ve dropped five straight games. The Patriots (1-6, 0-2) have no shortage of talented players, however, and they’re a traditionally tough Class 4A squad come November.
Logan County (7-1), another established KHSAA Class 4A squad, has an open date on Friday night.
On Saturday, Russellville, last year’s KHSAA Class 1A runner-up, will travel to Somerset to square off with Pikeville (5-2). Pikeville slipped past the Panthers 30-26 in last year’s state title game, and it’s clearly been a transitional year for tradition-rich Russellville, which is 1-6 overall and 1-0 in KHSAA Class 1A, 1st District play.
SENIOR RB/WR/DB KANGAKOLE JEAN AIME WITH HIS GAME JERSEY.
The Panthers will close the regular season with district games against Crittenden County and Monroe County.
In other games involving South Central Kentucky squads, Butler County (5-2, 1-2 in KHSAA Class 2A, 2nd District play) is on the road to face Todd County Central (4-3, 0-2) in Elkton, while Glasgow (5-2, 1-1 in KHSAA Class 3A, 2nd District play) is on the road against Taylor Central (3-4, 0-2) and Barren County (4-3, 0-1 in KHSAA Class 6A, 2nd District play) travels to square off with North Hardin (3-4, 0-1) in Radcliff.
