Football: Kentucky highschool Friday game previews
CLASS 6-A GRAVES COUNTY AT MALE
When:7:30.
Records: Graves County 6-5, Male 8-3.
Next week: Winner will face Henderson County-Fern Creek winner.
Notes: Graves County started 2-5 but now has won four straight, including a 44-13 first-round victory over Southern. The Eagles feature a run-first offense led by sophomore Zack Katzman (1,067 yards, 10 touchdowns) and senior Zach Crawford (959 yards, nine TDs). Senior quarterback Larry Brown has passed for 737 yards and four TDs with six interceptions. The Bulldogs, No. 13 in The Courier-Journal's Litkenhous Ratings, rolled up 421 rushing yards in a 52-0 rout of Apollo last week. Troy Denning (111 yards, one TD), Ronjae Morris (95 yards) and John Giddens (80 yards, two TDs) led the way. Male coach Chris Wolfe said Morris is questionable with an injury.
Quotable: "Graves has really gotten better as the year has gone on, and they've run the ball excellent the last few weeks," Wolfe said. "They're pretty scary, to be honest. They're really executing that wing-T."
Jason's pick: Male 41-13.
MANUAL AT TRINITY
When: 7:30.
Records: Manual 6-5, Trinity 10-1.
Next week: Winner will face Ballard-St. Xavier winner.
Notes: How much longer can DarMontre Warr continue to carry the No. 16 Crimsons? The junior running back has rushed for 1,849 yards and 20 TDs this season and has topped 140 yards in each of his past seven games. He carried just 10 times for 222 yards and four TDs in last week's 40-14 victory over Eastern. No. 1 Trinity dominated Manual 42-7 on Sept. 3 and limited Warr to 88 yards and no TDs on 22 carries. Senior Derek Bishop (1,307 yards, 19 TDs) and sophomore Dalyn Dawkins (579 yards, nine TDs) give the Shamrocks a solid 1-2 punch in the backfield. Sophomore receiver James Quick has 62 catches for 836 yards and 12 TDs. Coach Bob Beatty said his team is the healthiest it's been since the St. X game Oct. 1.
Quotable: "(Warr) has gotten those numbers because he has a few (linemen) up in front of him that are pretty good," Beatty said. "We're obviously impressed with him and respect him, but we're also impressed with the five guys up front and the tight end."
Jason's pick: Trinity 38-14.
CLASS 4-A FAIRDALE AT COLLINS
When: 7:30.
Records: Fairdale 8-3, Collins 10-1.
Next week: Winner will face Western-North Bullitt winner.
Notes: The Bulldogs recovered a fumble in the final two minutes and got a 2-yard TD run from freshman Richard DeLoney to shock Marion County 20-17 last week. DeLoney leads the Bulldogs with 817 rushing yards and nine TDs. The Titans have won eight in a row since a 30-27 loss to Marion County on Sept. 3. Senior quarterback Branden Cresap (2,862 yards, 38 TDs) has enjoyed a fine season, with Tavis Elzy (58 catches, 1,083 yards, 17 TDs) and Ben Axline (52 catches, 810 yards, 12 TDs) as his top targets. Axline also has three interceptions.
Quotable: "Everybody sees what he does throwing the ball and running our offense, but people don't understand what he does as a leader," Collins coach Jerry Lucas said of Cresap. "He makes all of the protection calls for our line and runs a college-style offense with all the reads and progressions we do. He's a special kid."
Jason's pick: Collins 35-23.
NORTH BULLITT AT WESTERN
When: 7:30.
Records: North Bullitt 8-3, Western 8-3.
Next week: Winner will face Collins-Fairdale winner.
Notes: The Eagles have won five in a row and eight of nine since an 0-2 start. Running back Zack Reynolds has 1,782 yards and 22 TDs after posting 129 yards and three TDs in last week's 42-18 victory over Valley. Senior Jacorey Ritchie leads the Western rushing attack with 1,471 yards and is averaging more than 9 yards per carry. He rushed for 140 yards and scored two TDs in last week's 23-10 victory over LaRue County. Western beat North Bullitt 24-8 in a first-round game last year.
Quotable: "(North Bullitt) is a lot like Butler," said Western coach LaVell Boyd, whose team lost 34-14 to the Bears this season. "Butler did a nice job on us and controlled the clock, but the reason we lost that game is because we turned the ball over. When we don't turn the ball over and make every possession count, very few teams can beat us."
Jason's pick: Western 24-20.
CLASS 3-A MOORE AT CENTRAL
When: 7:30.
Records: Moore 4-7, Central 5-6.
Next week: Winner will face North Oldham-Elizabethtown winner.
Notes: The Mustangs knocked off Henry County 20-14 last week for their first playoff victory in nine years. In his first start at quarterback this season, Mekale McKay rushed for two TDs and passed for another. Coach Ravon Patterson wouldn't say whether McKay would start at quarterback against Central. "We'll have some more tricks up our sleeves to try to get past the Yellowjackets," Patterson said. Central blasted Moore 70-41 on Oct. 15 as Anthony Wales rushed for 392 yards and five TDs. Wales has 2,319 yards and 26 TDs this season.
Quotable: "He's (Wales) probably the best tailback in the state, and the scary part is that he's only a junior," Patterson said. "We've got to contain him."
Jason's pick: Central 45-28.
OTHER PREDICTIONS
Class 6-A
Henderson County 34, Fern Creek 28
Class 5-A
John Hardin 35, Oldham Co. 21
Anderson Co. 28, Bullitt Cent. 20
Class 3-A
Elizabethtown 37, N. Oldham 32
Class 2-A
DeSales 24, Cov. Holy Cross 21
Newport Central Catholic 38, Christian Academy 27
Class A
Lou. Holy Cross 34, Bethlehem 13
Last week's record: 16-4.
Season record: 168-38.
-- Jason Frakes
