As football kickoff inches closer around the country, MaxPreps forecasts the top five teams in the state of Kentucky for the 2009 season.
1. Highlands (2008 Record: 14-1)
Colerain of Cincinnati, Ohio, dropped the Bluebirds in the second week of the 2008 season, but Highlands responded with 13 straight wins and the program’s 18th state championship. Expectations remain high heading into the fall (including a No. 24 preseason ranking nationally by MaxPreps) with dreams of a possible 12th undefeated team in school history. Leading the way will be wide receiver/defensive back Austin Collinsworth (6-2, 185), the son of former NFL Pro-Bowler Cris Collinsworth, who caught 46 passes for 840 yards and five touchdowns as a junior. Austin also picked off five passes on defense. New quarterback Will Bardo (6-4, 185) will have additional weapons to throw to in tight end Kyle Welz (6-6, 245) and wide receivers David Hogue (6-3, 180) and Nick Buten (6-0, 160). Tyler Grubbs (6-6, 285) leads the Bluebirds on the offensive line. Linebackers Brandon Roller (6-1, 220) and Travis Alford (6-0, 205), as well as Collinsworth, should help a slightly re-tooled defense do the job. Highlands’ key game comes Sept. 25 against St. Xavier of Cincinnati, not to be confused with No. 2 St. Xavier of Louisville.
Austin Collinsworth, Highlands
Photo by Jim Owens
2. St. Xavier (12-1)
The Tigers looked unstoppable in 2008 while rolling up a 12-0 record and outscoring opponents by an average margin of nearly 49 points per game. The most satisfying win came Oct. 3 with a 30-6 stomping of archrival Trinity. But in the playoff rematch, Trinity stunned the Tigers and dashed state championship dreams. Motivation from that loss should help fuel another talented St. Xavier squad in 2009. Expect running back Jermiah Neal (5-10, 185) to emerge into a star after backing up Rolandan “Deuce” Finch, a Boston College signee. Neal ran for nearly 600 yards as a junior, including 94 and a touchdown in the regular-season win against Trinity. Fellow senior Michael Montana (5-10, 170) will provide a complementary backfield mate for Finch. Senior quarterback Brian Buehner (6-0, 175) is expected to take over under center and was efficient in a back role as a junior, completing 24-of-34 passes for 277 yards and four touchdowns. Zane Karrer (6-3, 250) leads the list of returnees on the offensive front. Junior defensive back Daylen Hall (5-9, 165) is the most exciting returnee defensively. Hall recorded 37 tackles as a sophomore and returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown against Lexington Catholic. Senior safety Nick Sears (5-11, 185) recorded 55 tackles as a junior and is getting Division I looks. Key game comes Oct. 3 against Trinity, but a Sept. 11 date with Cincinnati’s St. Xavier will be huge (and confusing), as well.
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3. Trinity (14-1)
In Louisville’s biggest rivalry, you can’t have one (St. Xavier) without the other (Trinity). After knocking off St. Xavier in the postseason, Trinity went on to capture Kentucky’s 6A title, pounding Kenton 48-0 in the final. It was the program’s fourth-straight state title and seventh since 2001. The Shamrocks lost most of last season’s top producers offensively, but quarterback Brad Kragthorpe (6-0, 160) – the son of University of Louisville head coach Steve Kragthorpe – and running back Xavier Thomas (5-9, 185) should make for a solid backfield. Junior Darick Nix (5-10, 165) will provide big-play ability after showing signs of promise as a rare sophomore contributor a year ago. A fair bit of reloading will also be going on defensively, where defensive back Matt McConnell (5-10, 165) is the only returnee who recorded over 20 tackles a year ago. The Shamrocks will face a brutal six-game stretch to open the season, including games against Lawrence North of Indianapolis, Ind., duPont Manual, Elder and St. Xavier of Cincinnati and of course the big one against ‘Ville rival St. X.
4. Christian County (13-2)
The Colonels reeled off 12 wins in a row before falling to Highlands in the 5A state championship game last fall and return enough firepower to make another run. It starts in the backfield with senior running back Vashun Banks (5-11, 175), who ran for 1,585 yards and 19 touchdowns a year ago. Senior fullback Rontez Manning (5-7, 165) and junior Anthony Buckner (5-6, 150) also got carries last year and should help the Christian County running game going. Junior Bubba Tandy (6-0, 190) was the team’s leading receiver as a sophomore. Christian County’s top recruit, 6-4, 205-pound Malcolm McDuffen is a coveted linebacker with teams like Illinois, Louisville, Purdue and Tennessee showing interest. He could take over at quarterback. Devarte Bell (5-9, 235) and Dre Killebrew (6-0, 250) return up front on offense. Buckner (LB), McDuffen (DE) and Tandy all started on defense last year and will be joined by fellow returnee linebacker Willie Trawick (5-10, 150). The Colonels will get a big test in their second game from the Franklin Rebels of Tennessee, a squad that went 13-2 a year ago.
5. Louisville Central (11-3-1)
The Yellowjackets are loaded with talent and have won back-to-back 3A titles in convincing fashion, but this year they are out to prove they can play with the state’s elite. A Sept. 25 meeting with St. Xavier will show how much progress the program has made toward that goal. Central was pounded by a combined score of 64-13 in meetings against Highlands and St. Xavier a year ago. But with two of the state’s top recruits back in Timothy Patterson (6-5, 230) and Stephan Robinson (5-9, 160), this could be the year for a statement-making win in the regular season. Patterson, a linebacker regarded as Kentucky’s top 2010 prospect, is being pursued hotly by in-state schools Kentucky and Louisville. Robinson is a speed burner at wide receiver and defensive back and will turn in his fair share of big plays. Senior quarterback Chris King (5-10, 160) piled up nearly 2,000 yards of offense and 24 total touchdowns as a junior. Versatile Diaz Bolden (5-10, 140) and linebacker Michael Lewis (5-11, 175) are expected to step up from their junior seasons. Sophomore Anthony Wales (5-8, 165) finished his freshman season with 86 yards and a touchdown in the state championship game.
Note: Kentucky high school football fans will miss out on an opportunity to see one of the state’s rising stars this fall. Seneca junior quarterback DaMarcus Smith will miss the season with a torn ACL, according to Jason Frakes of the Louisville Courier-Journal. Smith passed for over 3,200 yards and 32 touchdowns last fall.
