Here’s a look at some of the best high school football games of Week 4 beginning Sept. 10, according to high school sports writer Jared Peck. All rankings are according to the Herald-Leader’s Dave Cantrall Ratings.
Games of the week
No. 10 Lexington Christian (3-0) at No. 18 Christian Academy-Louisville (3-0), 7:30 p.m.: Eagles Coach Doug Charles realizes his team’s performance against Boyle County two weeks ago could cause some headaches for opponents trying to scout an LCA team with two very different and potentially devastating styles of offense.
So, he’s not about to solve that problem for them.
“We’re just blessed to have two different quarterbacks that have kind of unique styles and we’ve got a creative offensive coordinator that knows how to use them,” Charles said Wednesday, noting that both opening-game starter Drew Nieves and Boyle starter Mason Moore will take snaps going forward depending on the matchups and game situations.
Nieves, a junior, sat out the Boyle game with an undisclosed injury, but he is available this week against Christian Academy-Louisville, Charles said. Nieves shepherded the Eagles to last year’s Class 2A state finals, throwing for 2,651 yards and 28 TDs while also leading the team in rushing with 466 yards.
Moore, a senior Miami (Ohio) commit who plays receiver, defensive back and now quarterback, ran a much different LCA offense against Boyle County in their 35-28 win — one that generated 446 rushing yards and five TDs. Moore had 140 rushing yards and three scores. Virginia commit Xavier Brown went for 221 yards and a touchdown against the Rebels. LCA had 3 passing yards that night.
Moore will start Friday, Charles said.
“Mason will take the first snap. We like some things he does. When Mason gets the ball in his hands, he does Mason things,” Charles said. “We’re probably a more diverse team and a better team overall with Mason receiving and Drew quarterbacking, but in this particular game we’ll start with Mason.”
Christian Academy Coach Hunter Cantwell confirmed that preparing for two different LCA offenses is difficult.
“I don’t blame them. When you’re that good with two different guys behind center and two very different styles of attack, that can cause opposing defenses fits,” said Cantwell, whose Centurions are ranked No. 1 in Class 3A by both Cantrall and The Associated Press. “We like our guys. We like our team. We know this is a tremendous challenge.”
CAL is able to cause problems for defenses too, especially with senior receiver Easton Messer, who is one of the top targets in the state with 186 yards and four TDs receiving in just two games. One of CAL’s wins is a COVID-19 forfeit. Messer also has a fumble recovery touchdown and an interception on defense.
“It’s his time to shine. He had a phenomenal year last year, but he’s a senior this year and voted team captain,” Cantwell said. “Very explosive, very strong kid and is a physical receiver. He’s a big safety blanket for our sophomore quarterback. To me, he’s one of the best in the state.”
No. 23 Scott County (1-1) at No. 20 Bryan Station (1-1), 7:30 p.m.: Last season, the Defenders’ 7-6 loss to the Cardinals in the opener for both teams signaled a tougher, more determined Bryan Station under new coach Phillip Hawkins. Station went on to win its next 10 games.
This year, Scott County looks to signal it’s just as determined to contend as ever and a win Friday would prove it’s on its way.
“For us, the game is not about Bryan Station,” Scott County Coach Jim McKee said. “The game is about us continuing to improve, and continuing to get better and trying to make ourselves a really good football team when we get into mid- to late-October.”
Scott County struggled in its opener against Franklin County, losing 43-14 at home on a night when it seemed that everything that could go wrong, did, McKee said. Scott County beat Lafayette the next week 41-0.
“I didn’t know they handed out trophies in Week 0,” McKee said. “Our job is to get better … The Franklin County game is really what we needed … We got exactly what we deserved. Now, it depends on if we eat just one piece of humble pie or if we’ve got the courage to eat the whole pie.
“If we just eat one piece of it and think everything’s hunky dory now let’s just show up, roll out the red helmets and we’ll win on Friday, we’ll be in trouble. But if we can continue to eat that whole pie for the next five or six weeks we’re gonna be really good.”
Belfry (0-3) at No. 17 Central (1-2), 7:30 p.m.: These two teams battled it out for a Class 3A state title six times from 2007 to 2016. So, it’s fitting that the Tigers and Coach Philip Haywood will be on hand when Central honors its former head coach during those duels.
Tyrran “Ty” W. Scroggins died from COVID-19 complications in February. The Tyrran “Ty” Scroggins Athletic Complex will be dedicated in his honor on Friday before the game.
Scroggins led Central to five state titles before stepping down to take an assistant’s role with DeSales in 2017. He was 4-2 against Belfry in those state title matchups.
No. 13 Ballard (2-1) at No. 14 Franklin County (2-1), 7:30 p.m.: The Flyers have a difficult foe at home to try to bounce back from last week’s loss to Corbin. The Bruins’ one loss was to No. 1 Male. They’ve routed Hopkinsville (28-3) and South Oldham (41-12).
Rivalry of the week
“The Battle for the Barrel” — West Carter (1-1) at East Carter (2-0-1), 7:30 p.m.: This year marks the 51st meeting of East and West. That’s enough games to completely fill up two barrels with scores in a series East Carter leads 30-20. Who has custody of the first barrel is a mystery and West Carter’s claim on the second barrel is the subject of dispute, but the third barrel goes back up for grabs on Friday.
“Three-to-four thousand people cram into our small stadiums for annual bragging rights,” said West Carter Comets Coach Daniel Barker, who has been on either side of the rivalry as an East assistant earlier in his career. “It is said that everyone from rural eastern Kentucky identifies themselves by the county they live in — except for Carter Countians. You’re either from Olive Hill (West) or Grayson (East).”
Last year, after the Comets’ 43-0 win over the Raiders, a special 50th anniversary commemorative barrel went to West Carter forever and a replica of it was raffled for charity. The latest traveling barrel bears the last nine games. The Comets have had the better of the rivalry on the new one with six victories to East Carter’s three. West has won the last six of seven meetings.
Other Lexington matchups
▪ Henry Clay (0-3) at Eastern (2-1), 7:30 p.m.: The Blue Devils have been competitive in each of their losses and will be looking for a breakthrough against an Eagles team yet to face a Class 6A team this season.
▪ No. 24 Woodford County (3-0) at Tates Creek (1-2), 7:30 p.m. The Commodores’ brutal early-season schedule doesn’t get any easier against a Woodford team that took Paul Laurence Dunbar to the woodshed last week, 62-12.
▪ Lafayette (0-3) at Madison Southern (0-3), 7:30 p.m.: The Generals look to break their losing streak against a good Eagles team coming off two straight weeks of COVID-19 cancellations.
▪ No. 4 Frederick Douglass (3-0) at Paul Laurence Dunbar (1-2), 6:30 p.m.: The Broncos look to keep their unbeaten streak against city rivals. It stands at 22-0 since the school’s founding.
▪ No. 7 Lexington Catholic (3-0) at Pleasure Ridge Park (1-1), 7:30 p.m.: The Knights aim to keep rolling, but face a trap road game ahead of next week’s Holy War showdown with LCA.
Should be a good one
▪ Lincoln County (1-2) at Bell County (1-1), 7:30 p.m.
▪ Perry County Central (2-0) at Breathitt County (0-3), 7:30 p.m.
▪ Dixie Heights (2-1) at No. 8 Covington Catholic (1-2), 7 p.m.
▪ East Jessamine (0-3) at Great Crossing (3-0), 7:30 p.m.
▪ No. 11 Boyle County (2-1) at Henderson County (2-0), 7:30 p.m.
▪ Hazard (2-1) at Letcher County Central (2-1), 7:30 p.m.
▪ Danville (2-1) at Mercer County (2-1), 7:30 p.m.