KSR Game of the Week: No. 8 Cooper hosts No. 13 Ryle in NKY

The KSR Game of the Week is headed to northern Kentucky for the third primetime showdown of the 2024 high school football season. After making stops in Bowling Green and Lexington for the first two weeks, respectively, we’re headed just shy of the southern Ohio border to check out a Top 15 matchup.

This Friday, we’ll get a taste of the No. 8 Cooper Jaguars (2-0) and the No. 13 Ryle Raiders (2-0). Cooper will serve as the host with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EST. Both schools have dominated through the opening two weeks of the season — Cooper winning by a combined total of 83-6 and Ryle by a combined total of 76-22.

Coming into the season, Cooper was hailed as a Top 10 team. They actually started the season at No. 8 in KSR’s preseason poll, the same spot they hold down right now. Meanwhile, Ryle was on the outside of the Top 25 looking in. But a convincing 30-14 win over a then-ranked Covington Catholic squad in the opener has the state paying close attention to the Raiders and 10-year head coach Mike Engler.

The Massey Ratings are having a tough time picking a winner here too. The computerized system gives Cooper a slight edge by predicting a final score of 28-27 with a 51 percent chance of victory. Here’s everything else you need to know about both teams ahead of Friday night’s Game of the Week showdown.

No. 8 Cooper Jaguars

Led by head coach Randy Borchers, who began his run at Cooper in 2008, the Jaguars are coming off an impressive 2023 campaign that saw them finish 12-3 with a loss in the 5A state championship game to Bowling Green. They’re looking for revenge in 2024 and couldn’t have asked for a better start.

Cooper is fueled by a pair of notable future Division I football players — one on both sides of the field. On offense, 2026 QB Cam O’Hara is the main attraction. The 6-foot-2 signal-caller has already racked up seven touchdown passes and 380 yards (25-34 passing) in the air through two games without throwing a single interception. The junior holds offers from the likes of Kentucky, WKU, EKU, Akron, Miami (OH), Austin Peay, and Tennessee State.

O’Hara has thrown 226 of those yards to seniors Isaiah Johnson and Jaiden Combs, who have five touchdowns between them. The bell cow ball carrier is junior Keagan Maher, who has racked up 245 rushing yards and three touchdowns on just 19 carries — for those counting at home, that’s nearly 13 yards per rush.

On defense, all eyes will focus on 2025 EDGE Austin Alexander, the nephew of former NFL MVP running back Shaun Alexander. Considered a four-star recruit and a Top 350 prospect in the country, he committed to North Carolina (over Kentucky and others) back in April. While he spends most of his time on defense (five tackles, four solo, two sacks), he also fills in at tight end. Alexander has four receptions for 40 yards.

Alexander is aided by junior Ryker Campbell, who leads Cooper in tackles with 11. Seniors Alex Vogelpohl and Austin Perriman pitch in too, having combined for 15 tackles and two tackles for loss. Senior Mason Stanton pulled in the Jaguars’ lone defensive interception of the season so far.

Had Cooper played some competitive games in the first two weeks, these numbers are likely much higher than some of them already are. But blowouts early in the game typically mean more run for the second-stringers. Bardstown and Henry Clay were simply no match for this talented bunch. Ryle will provide the first real test of the season.

Speaking of…

No. 13 Ryle Raiders

Ryle’s quick rise up the rankings stems from the Week 1 upset win over Covington Catholic, 30-14. At the time, the Colonels were ranked No. 13 in KSR’s preseason poll. Unfortunately, it’s been a disastrous start for Covington Catholic despite playing a pair of good teams in Ryle and No. 12 Highlands. Regardless, it was and still is a statement win for Ryle. The Raiders followed it up with an easy 46-8 victory over Conner.

The 2023 season came to an end with Ryle boasting an 8-5 overall record and a quarterfinal finish in the 6A state championship. The Raiders have a history of winning over the last 10 seasons and 2024 has a chance to be among the school’s best yet.

Junior ATH Jacob Savage has been Ryle’s go-to player through two games this season. Playing both sides of the field, he’s a multi-tool threat for Coach Engler. Savage has already totaled 213 yards and two touchdowns on the ground along with 61 yards and one more score through the air. On defense, he leads Ryle in tackles with 14, nine of them solo.

Running the show is junior QB Nathan Verax, who has completed 24 of his 35 passes for 263 yards, four touchdowns, and just one interception. His favorite target has been senior Landon Lorms, who has caught nine passes for 148 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Verax can also make plays with his feet — he has 50 rushing yards and one touchdown on 12 carries so far.

Along with Savage on defense, three-star Louisville commit Dillon Smith, a senior, is one to watch. He has four tackles on the season, two of them solo. Those two will be helped out by juniors Kai Workman (10 tackles, seven solo) and Bo Gay (seven tackles, two sacks). Ryle’s defense as a whole isn’t just a few people though. Senior Jaden Galicia returned an interception for a touchdown while juniors Anthony White and Brayden Elder have each returned loose fumbles for touchdowns.

We’re in for a good one under the lights on Friday night in NKY.