CAL looking for 3-peat in Class 3A, but Union County stands in the way

No. 11 ranked Christian Academy-Louisville will clash with No. 23 Union County on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. EST in the Class 3A State Championship Game at Kroger Field. CAL is searching for its fifth state title in program history and third in a row, while Union County is clamoring for its first EVER championship.

In a rare twist, these teams have never met and have not played a common opponent this season. Here’s what you need to know about both teams.

No. 23 Union County Braves (12-2)

2024 has been a dream season for coach Derek Johns’ Union County Braves.

Johns, who has been the head coach in Morganfield since the 2016 season, had never reached the Class 3A Semifinals in his seven years in charge. That changed this season when they met Belfry with a trip to Kroger Field on the line. The Braves dominated that game, winning 43-21. They’ve rolled through the postseason, outscoring teams 146-64.

After opening the season with a 34-6 loss to Madisonville-North Hopkins (shoutout Drew Franklin), the Braves won 11 of their last 12 games including 10 in a row. Playing in District 1 however, the competition was not great on their schedule, as they have beaten just one team that was ranked at any point this season in KSR’s weekly Top 25 Rankings (Hart County, who peaked at No. 20 in Week 8).

CAL will certainly pose a major challenge that they haven’t faced at any point this season.

Union County is an extremely run-heavy team, as they average 291 rushing yards per game. It’s easy to put up unreal numbers like that when led by one of the best rushers in the state, senior Jarren Johnson. Along with leading the Braves in passing yards (629 yards) and passing touchdowns (six), Johnson has compiled a whopping 2,533 rushing yards (second most in the state) and 43 rushing touchdowns (most in the state) this season.

Johnson clashing with the CAL defense will be an interesting development to see play out, as the Centurions allow just an average of 90 rushing yards per game.

Elsewhere, the Braves defense allows 102 rushing yards per game and 115 passing yards per game, along with just 16 points. They’re led by seniors Amare Black (99 tackles, 7.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks), Kamden Davis (72 tackles, 10.5 TFL, nine sacks), and Jarren Johnson, who leads the team in interceptions along with his offensive contributions.

A victory on Saturday would be a dream come true for a Union County community thirsting for its first-ever taste of a football state championship.

No. 11 Christian Academy-Louisville Centurions (11-3)

On the other side of the ball, the No. 11 Christian Academy-Louisville Centurions enter Saturday’s matchup as massive favorites.

Coach Hunter Cantwell has built a dynasty out of the program, which is seeking its third state championship in a row. A three-peat for the Centurions would be the longest active streak in the state of Kentucky, as Boyle County‘s quest for a five-peat in Class 4A was snapped this season.

At one point in the season, CAL lost three of five games from Sep. 13 to Oct. 18, although all three losses were to teams who placed in KSR’s second-to-last Top 25 Rankings of the season (No. 6 Ryle, No. 17 Lexington Christian Academy, and No. 24 Central). Following this rough patch, however, the Centurions have won six games in a row, including a 28-6 victory in a playoff rematch vs. Central.

As always, Cantwell’s squad is an offensive juggernaut. CAL averages 279 passing yards and 124 rushing yards per game, good for a scoring average of 39 points.

Following the departure of three-star quarterback and now East Carolina Pirate Cole Hodge after the 2023 season, converted wide receiver and brother Connor Hodge took over the position this season. He picked up right where his brother left off, passing for 3,434 yards (second most in the state) and 38 touchdowns (10th most in the state) along with leading the team in rushing (847 yards and 15 touchdowns).

11 different players have caught touchdowns this season, but senior wide receiver Darwin Cotton leads the team with 20. Cotton has hauled in 71 receptions this season for 1,346 yards, which ranks third in the state. The Braves defense is going to have to be on its A-game to prevent the Centurions from hitting their scoring average.

The Centurion defense is a juggernaut as well, allowing just 15 points and 201 yards of offense per game. Junior Jackson Settle (76 tackles, 16 TFL, three sacks), sophomore Garyon Hobbs (72 tackles, 14 TFL, one sack), and Hodge himself (five interceptions) will look to wrap up a third consecutive state title on Saturday.

Score Prediction

*KSR’s Prediction: Christian Academy-Louisville 30, Union County 16

**Massey Ratings’ Prediction: Christian Academy-Louisville 45, Union County 13

*KSR’s Prediction is an average from five voter predictions.*

**The Massey Ratings is a system created in 1999 by statistician Kenneth Massey that was used to help determine the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) until 2013.**