3rd annual Kroger KSR Hometown Classic highlights community, features unbelievable INT

The third annual Kroger KSR Hometown Classic was once again a rousing success. Not only was the on-field product an exciting matchup between two evenly-matched teams, but it was also a reason to highlight how different — yet noticeably similar — the communities of Louisville Shawnee and Jackson County truly are.

Hailing from the west end of Louisville, the Shawnee Golden Eagles traveled nearly 150 miles to the small town of McKee in southeastern Kentucky to take on the Jackson County Generals. These two teams had never met until the 2020 season, but the series has quickly built itself into an annual rivalry. With the COVID-19 pandemic in its early stages and protests taking over the city of Louisville, Shawnee needed an opponent and was desperate to find one. No one came calling — until Jackson County picked up the phone.

Since then, and with the help of our friends at Kroger, the two schools have scheduled to play each other every season. Two schools from completely different backgrounds getting together once a year to forget their troubles and play some football. Jackson County won the inaugural Hometown Classic at Shawnee 30-20, although the following matchup in 2021 was ultimately canceled due to COVID-19 issues with one team. Shawnee then took the 2022 contest, winning 40-0.

Shawnee ultimately came away with the Hometown Classic victory in 2023 too, beating the host school Jackson County by a final score of 28-14 on Friday night. But the biggest highlight of the entire event came near the very end, when Shawnee junior defensive back Khamoni Ball came down with one of the more unbelievable interceptions you’ll ever see at any level of football. The pick sealed the victory for Shawnee, which won its second game in a row for the first time since 2021.

Check out KSR’s video recap of the third annual Hometown Classic below. We’re already looking forward to the fourth in 2024.

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Kroger is dedicated to supporting communities across the Commonwealth. KSR is honored to highlight both Shawnee and Jackson County in the Hometown Classic. Kroger is your hometown, community spot for all your shopping needs. Kroger is also proud to support local schools through Kroger Community Rewards. This includes up to 3.5 million in quarterly gifts to the non-profit of your choice. Sign up using your Kroger loyalty card at Kroger.com/communityrewards.