KSR's High School Football State Finals Preview: Saturday Games
After a long year of great matchups all throughout the Bluegrass, it all comes down to one weekend at Kroger Field.
Saturday will mark the conclusion of the 2023 Kentucky high school football season. With KSR’s Freddie Maggard calling all six games from the booth, KSR will have boots on the field for every single one, and we are ecstatic for a great weekend of football. General admission tickets will cost you $20 a piece, or you can watch the games live at KSBar and Grille in Lexington.
Following Friday’s incredible slate of games which saw Pikeville, Mayfield, and Boyle County crowned State Champions, here’s a look at Saturday’s matchups.
Class 3A: No. 25 Bell County vs. No. 5 Christian Academy-Louisville | 12:00 PM
The Class 3A State Championship Game between No. 25 Bell County (13-1) and No. 5 Christian Academy-Louisville (13-1) will kick things off at Kroger Field on Saturday at noon.
Christian Academy-Louisville, led by the Hodge brothers, will enter Saturday’s competition as a heavy favorite, but that won’t intimidate the country’s leading rusher, Daniel Thomas of Bell County.
Thomas’ 3,719 rushing yards rank first in the nation, while his 53 rushing touchdowns rank third in the country (according to MaxPreps). The senior running back averaged an incredible 266 rushing yards and nearly four rushing touchdowns per game this season. If you package Thomas’ rushing yards, passing yards (32), and receiving yards (71) together, the Bell County legend accounted for 69% of the Bobcats’ offense in 2023.
The Christian Academy-Louisville rush defense however has been notoriously great this season, as they only allow an average of 76 opposing rushing yards per game. The Centurions’ defense in general was special, allowing an average of just 12 points per game to opponents. Just once this season an opposing offense scored more than 23 points against the Centurions’ defense (Manual scored 36 in CAL’s 54-36 victory).
Three-star East Carolina QB commit Cole Hodge will be playing his final game in CAL blue and red on Saturday afternoon. Hodge threw for 3,870 yards and 55 touchdowns in 2023, totaling 8,952 yards and 133 touchdowns over his four-year career. Hodge threw for 175 yards and three touchdowns in last season’s 38-0 3A State Championship victory over Bardstown. With a victory Saturday, Hodge would be the first quarterback to lead Christian Academy-Louisville to back-to-back State Championship victories.
Connor Hodge, Cole’s younger brother, grabbed two more interceptions in CAL’s 43-8 semifinal victory over Lexington Catholic last Friday night, bringing his season total to a whopping 11 picks (which leads the state). Along with his 11 interceptions, Hodge is third on the team with 46 tackles (three TFL). Hodge returned two of his interceptions for touchdowns. Connor is also his brother’s favorite receiver, as the Hodge-Hodge connection has accounted for 1,410 yards and 22 touchdowns this season.
The Bell County defense hasn’t been remarkable this season (allowing 24 points per game), as they’ve had to rely on outscoring their opponents for victories. Dudley Hilton’s squad will need a remarkable performance (on offense AND defense) to keep this game close.
Bell County will be making its fourth-ever State Championship appearance on Saturday. The Bobcats are 2-1 in title games, with their last coming in 2008 (4A). Christian Academy-Louisville will be making their fourth appearance in a State Championship game as well, boasting an unblemished 3-0 record. A victory Saturday would mark back-to-back 4A State Titles for Thomas Cantwell and the Centurions.
Class 6A: No. 14 Bryan Station vs. No. 2 Louisville Trinity | 4:00 PM
Usual suspect No. 2 Louisville Trinity (11-3) and No. 14 Bryan Station (11-3) will be running back their season-opening matchup in Saturday’s 6A State Championship Game. Louisville Trinity hosted the Defenders in the first Kroger KSR Game of the Week of the 2023 season, coming out on top 36-3. Trinity RB Clinton Sansbury torched the Station defense for 98 yards and three touchdowns.
The Shamrocks completely turned things around following a 2-3 start (losses to Frederick Douglass, Center Grove [IN], and Male), winning its next nine games in a row by an average score of 38-6. Trinity’s defense has been masterful over that stretch, holding 6A favorite Frederick Douglass to just seven points in their 6A semifinal overtime victory over the Broncos last Friday night.
Quarterback Zane Johnson, the first freshman to EVER start at the position for Trinity, impressed mightily in his first season behind center. Johnson threw for 2,114 yards, 29 touchdowns, and just eight interceptions. Johnson did not start against Station in week one but became the week-to-week starter the following game against Frederick Douglass. Senior running back Clinton Sansbury leads the Shamrocks with 1,089 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns. Junior Jeremiah Lynn is Johnson’s go-to target, as the two have connected for 982 yards and 14 scores.
Senior linebacker Brady McEnaney dominated for Trinity in 2023, as he compiled 66 tackles (13 TFL) and nine sacks. He also snagged two interceptions as well. McEnany sacked Station quarterback Trenton Cutwright three times in their week one victory over the Defenders. Senior safety Robert Morrow led Trinity with 82 tackles (two TFL).
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Bryan Station will be looking to reverse their fate in their second go-around against the Shamrocks. After opening the season ranked No. 19 in KSR’s Preseason Top 25 Rankings, the Defenders dropped their first two games of the season (losses to Trinity and Franklin County). Since then, however, coach Phillip Hawkins’ team has won 11 of their last 12 games, including quality wins over No. 16 Bowling Green and No. 19 Ballard (twice).
After a rough start to the season, Station quarterback Trenton Cutwright finished with 1,915 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, and just seven interceptions. Along with his passing, Cutwright is a weapon in the run game as well. He’s second on the team with 749 rushing yards and six rushing scores. Station’s leading receiver was three-star senior JT Haskins, who currently holds offers from Louisville, Eastern Kentucky, and Miami (OH). Haskins has hauled in 878 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns in 2023.
The Trinity offense, which totaled 351 yards in their victory over Station, will be a handful for a Defender defense allowing 212 yards of offense per game. The Bryan Station offense mustered just 39 yards of offense in the season-opening loss.
Saturday will mark Trinity’s 32nd appearance in a State Championship Game. The Shamrocks have won 27 titles, with their last coming in 2020. Bryan Station will be making their fourth-ever appearance in a State Title game. The Defenders have won just once back in 1971. Their last appearance came back in 1999.
Class 5A: No. 16 Bowling Green vs. No. 17 Cooper | 8:00 PM
Saturday’s nightcap between No. 16 Bowling Green (11-3) and No. 17 Cooper (12-2) may just be the most interesting of the entire weekend.
Randy Borcher’s Cooper Jaguars, who were coming off a 6-5 season in 2022, have made an improbable run to just their second-ever State Championship appearance. The Jaguars climbed a steep mountain to get here, as they took down Scott County, Southwestern, and No. 18 Highlands as underdogs in each game. Sophomore quarterback Cam O’Hara has emerged as one of the best young players in the state of Kentucky, as he threw for 3,141 yards, 45 touchdowns, and just six interceptions in his second season of high school football. O’Hara currently holds offers from Kentucky, Miami (OH), Western Kentucky, and Austin Peay.
Cooper’s best overall player is junior ATH Austin Alexander. Alexander, who plays tight end and linebacker, is currently rated as a four-star prospect by On3. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound Alexander holds offers from Kentucky, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Louisville, Wisconsin, and Purdue among others. He’s been a star for the Jaguars, hauling in 1,045 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns while totaling 75 tackles (seven TFL) and 18 sacks. The Purples will have a hard time stopping #4.
Bowling Green boasts some star power as well in junior quarterback Deuce Bailey, who has been one of the most underrated players in the state of Kentucky over the past two seasons. Bailey passed for 3,316 yards and 40 touchdowns while rushing for 134 yards and eight scores in 2023. He threw for 213 yards and a score in last season’s State Championship loss to Frederick Douglass.
The Purples were a point-scoring machine in 2023, as they averaged 45 points a game. They scored a combined 129 points in their first three games of the season but still started 1-2. Since then, they have won 11 of their last 12 games.
As mentioned earlier, Cooper will be making just their second-ever appearance in a State Championship game. Bowling Green defeated Cooper 34-20 back in 2012. Bowling Green has made 12 appearances, winning seven times. Their last came back in 2020.
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