Herald-Leader Top 10: Kentucky Class 4A high school football preseason poll for 2023

Editor’s Note: This is the fourth in a series of stories ranking Kentucky’s high school football teams class by class, according to voting by the class’s coaches.

In three seasons at Boyle County, Coach Justin Haddix has three Class 4A state championships.

And the Rebels might not be done yet.

Boyle County comes into the 2023 season as an overwhelming favorite to four-peat with 28 No. 1 votes in the Herald-Leader’s preseason survey of coaches.

But their division has seen a jumble this year thanks to the latest enrollment realignment and four top contenders from other classes joining the 4A fray.

They include No. 3 Covington Catholic, the 2017 and 2019 state champ in Class 5A, No. 5 Paducah Tilghman, the 2021 runner-up in Class 3A, No. 7 Ashland Blazer, the 2020 Class 3A champion, and No. 8 Bardstown, last season’s runner up in Class 3A.

Corbin, last season’s runner-up to Boyle, ranks No. 2 in our poll. The Redhounds begin the program’s 100th season in a completely remade Campbell Field after a $9.3 million renovation. Corbin got two No. 1 votes in our survey. No. 4 Johnson Central received one.

Here are the preseason top 10 teams in Class 4A as voted on by coaches in the division.

1. Boyle County

Head coach: Justin Haddix (fourth season).

Last year: 13-2. State champions with a 32-26 win over Corbin.

Quick look: The Rebels have some of the most dynamic playmakers in all of high school football. Junior Montavin Quisenberry racked up 1,009 yards, 10 TDs rushing, 833 yards, 13 TDs receiving with three punt return TDs and three kickoff return TDs. Quarterback Sage Dawson (1,704 yards, 24 TDs passing; 623 yards, five TDs passing) has committed to Air Force. Avery Bodner has topped 1,000 yards rushing each of the last two seasons. And, in case you missed it, Boyle picked up former Danville standout Demauriah Brown this offseason. He rushed for 1,971 yards and 28 TDs last year.

Marquee matchups: Aug. 26 vs. Lexington Christian; Sept. 1 at Danville; Sept. 8 vs. Scott County; Sept. 22 vs. Lexington Catholic; Oct. 20 vs. Wayne County; Oct. 27 at Frederick Douglass.

2. Corbin

Head coach: Tom Greer (fourth season).

Last year: 14-1. District and region champions. Lost in state finals to Boyle County.

Quick look: Corbin returns eight starters on each side of the ball, but Coach Greer doesn’t make any promises. “It’s a new year and a lot of kids will be tested this season for us, and the best will be on the field on Friday nights.” Louisville baseball commit Kade Elam returns at quarterback. Elam threw for 2,455 yards and 33 TDs and ran for 520 yards and 14 scores. He’ll have Franklin West, a 6-3, 300-pound, three-star senior lineman, among his protectors. Senior wideout Carter Stewart topped 1,000 yards receiving with nine TDs. Senior DB Zander Curry notched 69 tackles and a team-high seven interceptions.

Marquee matchups: Aug. 25 vs. North Hardin (at Garrard County); Sept. 1 at Lexington Catholic; Sept. 8 at Pulaski County; Sept. 15 vs. Frederick Douglass; Sept. 22 at Hazard; Sept. 29 vs. Johnson Central.

3. Covington Catholic

Head coach: Eddie Eviston (ninth season).

Last year: 9-3. Lost 33-6 to Frederick Douglass in Class 5A’s second round.

Quick look: “We have built a specific standard here and that standard has not changed as we enter this new season in a new district and class,” Eviston said. Willie Rodriguez, a 6-5, 235-pound senior tight end, recently committed to Kentucky and he’s one of 12 starters back. They include senior running back Owen Leen (1,134 yards, 16 TDs rushing; 304 yards, one TD receiving), senior QB Evan Pitzer (1,082 yards, 10 TDs passing) and senior wideout Braylon Miller (511 yards, seven TDs receiving). Linebacker Tate Kruer led the team in tackles (72) as a sophomore.

Marquee matchups: Aug. 18 vs. Ryle; Aug. 25 at Highlands; Sept. 1 at Simon Kenton; Sept. 8 vs. Dixie Heights; Sept. 15 at Beechwood; Oct. 20 at Mason County.

4. Johnson Central

Head coach: Jesse Peck (second season).

Last year: 10-3. District champions. Lost 35-21 to Corbin in region finals.

Quick look: The Golden Eagles “return a solid offensive line and a great stable of backs,” Peck said. Johnson Central’s punishing run game includes junior Zack McCoart, who rushed for 1,721 yards and 26 TDs last season. And Peck expects a big season for senior Carter Conley (330 yards, five TDs rushing) who is coming off an injury. The defense will be led by top tacklers Ryan Rice (70 tackles, two sacks) and Logan Castle (68 tackles, two sacks).

Marquee matchups: Aug. 26 at Pikeville; Sept. 1 at Belfry; Sept. 8 vs. Breathitt County; Sept. 29 at Corbin; Oct. 20 vs. Ashland Blazer.

5. Paducah Tilghman

Head coach: Sean Thompson (third season).

Last year: 6-7. Lost 30-24 to Christian Academy-Louisville in Class 3A region finals.

Quick look: The Blue Tornado makes the jump to Class 4A with junior QB Jack James and two of his top targets. James threw for 2,185 yards and 23 TDs in 2022, a season after leading Tilghman to the 3A finals as a freshman. Tomago Daniels, a 6-4, 290-pound senior, anchors the offensive line. Senior JoeAvion Starks (368 yards, six TDs receiving) and junior Shemari Thomas (310 yards, one TD receiving) should improve on those marks. Junior Jimmy Mooney begins his third year starting at nose tackle and was the team’s second leading tackler last season (75).

Marquee matchups: Aug. 19 at McCracken County; Sept. 1 vs. Mayfield; Sept. 8 at Henderson County; Sept. 15 vs. Hopkinsville; Oct. 13 at Warren East.

6. Franklin County

Head coach: Eddie James (seventh season).

Last year: 8-6. Region champions. Lost 49-35 to Corbin in the semifinals.

Quick look: Frederick Douglass senior transfer DuRi Trahan steps in at QB for the Flyers who bring back 12 starters from last season. “We will have a young but talented team,” James said. Running back Christian Moore rushed for 779 yards and 13 TDs as a sophomore. Another sophomore, linebacker Jeremy Walters led the team in tackles with 117. Junior Delano Collins leads the secondary. He had two of the Flyers’ 13 interceptions last year.

Marquee matchups: Aug. 18 at Great Crossing; Aug. 26 vs. Bryan Station (at Boyle County); Sept. 1 at North Laurel; Sept. 15 vs. Spencer County; Sept. 22 at Shelby County.

7. Ashland Blazer

Head coach: Chad Tackett (second season).

Last year: 9-5. District and region champions. Lost 50-7 to Christian Academy-Louisville in the Class 3A semifinals.

Quick look: Nine starters return on offense. Junior QB LaBryant Strader threw for 2,153 yards and 18 TDs to go with 670 yards and six TDs rushing. Fellow junior Braxton Jennings rushed for 1,202 yards and 19 TDs. Senior wideout Brandon Houston grabbed 39 passes for 920 yards and nine TDs. Among the six defensive returnees are leading tackler Sawyer Edens (111), Cam Davis (75) and Tay Thomas (57), who also contributed two sacks and three interceptions.

Marquee matchups: Aug. 18 vs. Raceland; Sept. 8 at Bardstown; Sept. 15 at Russell; Oct. 20 at Johnson Central; Oct. 27 vs. Simon Kenton.

8. Bardstown

Head coach: David Clark (17th season).

Last year: 14-1. District and region champions. Lost 38-0 to Christian Academy-Louisville in the Class 3A finals.

Quick look: Clark has a “strong nucleus of players back,” starting with “do-it-all back” Tyleeq Williams, who rushed for 1,882 yards and 25 TDs in 2022 and was their second-leading pass catcher with 475 yards and six TDs. He also scored on a kickoff and two punt returns. Linebackers Caden Ferrell (91 tackles), Kaden Stone (68), and Kyan Lydian (59 and four sacks) ranked 1-2-3 in tackles for the Tigers. Defensive lineman Aiden Riley, a 6-1, 310-pound senior, earned all-state honorable mention honors.

Marquee matchups: Sept. 1 vs. Thomas Nelson; Sept. 8 vs. Ashland Blazer; Sept. 15 at Elizabethtown; Oct. 13 at Nelson County; Oct. 27 at Danville.

9. Warren East

Head coach: Tanner Hall (first season).

Last year: 12-1. District champions. Lost 49-21 to Franklin County in the region finals.

Quick look: Raiders wideout Trayton Price has already broken school marks for season and career receptions and receiving TDs. He’ll have junior dual-threat QB Dane Parsley back to pad those stats. Parsley threw for 1,880 yards and 30 TDs, while also leading the team in rushing with 1,562 yards and 27 scores. Jari Barber, a 6-6, 300-pound senior, will lead a revamped offensive line. Defensive end Josh Collins and linebacker Maddox Tarrence have topped the tackles chart each of the last three seasons.

Marquee matchups: Aug. 18 vs. Daviess County; Aug. 25 vs. Greenwood; Sept. 1 at Barren County; Sept. 22 vs. Hopkinsville; Oct. 13 vs. Paducah Tilghman; Oct. 20 at Logan County; Oct. 27 at Franklin-Simpson.

10. Wayne County

Head coach: Tyler Guffey (third season).

Last year: 8-4. Lost 43-6 to Johnson Central in the second round.

Quick look: With only eight starters back, four on each side, Guffey said the Cardinals “will be a very young team but we will have a lot of potential.” Dual-threat QB Antajuan Dumphord threw for 1,512 yards and 18 TDs and rushed for 1,152 yards and 13 scores while Nathan Sullivan gained 858 yards with six TDs out of the offensive backfield. Both are juniors They’ll have 6-3, 295-pound senior offensive lineman Noah Pittman helping create running lanes again this year.

Marquee matchups: Sept. 15 at Metcalfe County; Sept. 22 vs. Taylor County; Oct. 20 at Boyle County; Oct. 27 at North Laurel.

Others receiving votes

In order of votes received: Hopkinsville, Mason County, Spencer County, Logan County, Boyd County, DeSales, Letcher County Central, John Hardin, Shelby County, Taylor County, Allen County-Scottsville, Calloway County, Nelson County and North Oldham.

Survey method: These rankings reflect the participation of coaches from 31 of the 42 Class 4A teams (73.8%). Every coach in the division was given the opportunity to participate in the @HLpreps annual survey via email. Multiple attempts were made to contact each coach.

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