Lexington Christian tries for a repeat of ‘Title Town’ miracle at Boyle County
The last time Lexington Christian visited “Title Town,” the Eagles shocked the commonwealth by not only beating Boyle County in its own Rebel Bowl, but also doing so with a backup quarterback and rushing offense they dreamed up that week out of necessity.
That was 2021, a 35-28 LCA win that helped propel both teams toward Kroger Field that season. But only Boyle County would lift a state championship trophy at the end of the year, its second of three straight Class 4A titles. LCA finished runner-up to Beechwood in Class 2A.
In 2023, both teams are coming off impressive season-opening wins. Both have some of the top high school football players in the state. And both are used to winning — a lot.
But that doesn’t mean the Rebels will have forgotten the 2021 loss when LCA comes to Rebel Stadium for their rematch in this year’s Rebel Bowl on Saturday.
“You better bet them and every fan of Boyle County remembers what happened two years ago,” LCA Coach Doug Charles said. “We’re going to get their best shot — everything they’ve got — and I expect a very competitive, entertaining football game.”
Boyle County ranked No. 1 in the Herald-Leader preseason survey for Class 4A and is a three-time defending state champion. There are a number of players on this year’s team who were a part of that 2021 tilt.
“I know I haven’t forgotten it,” Boyle County Coach Justin Haddix said, acknowledging there will “no doubt” be some motivation at play. “But every year is different. All the kids kind of know each other now and those things aren’t as bad as maybe what it used to be back when.”
Coincidentally, Class 2A No. 3 LCA is coming off another “shock-the-state” win. Last week, the Eagles topped Class 5A No. 1 Bowling Green 56-52 and racked up a school-record 800 yards of offense. Senior running back Brady Hensley had more than half of that with seven touchdowns.
That’s enough to almost make someone forget that LCA also has the No. 1 quarterback recruit in the state, four-star Kentucky commit Cutter Boley, who threw for 343 yards and three TDs against the Purples.
“That always makes it tough when you’ve got those guys who you are worried about when they make one cut or one play and they change the dynamic of the game,” Haddix said. “We’ve got to do a good job of getting to the football, making sure we’re in the right gaps and everybody getting to the ball and wrapping up the tackle.”
Boyle County has a few playmakers itself — both on offense and defense. Montavin Quisenberry is a three-star junior who excels at offense, defense and special teams who already has offers from Kentucky, Michigan and others. Quisenberry ranked just behind Boley in the coaches’ vote for the state’s top player in our Herald-Leader Hundred this preseason.
Quarterback Sage Dawson has committed to Air Force and is a threat to run or throw and moonlights as a lockdown safety.
And Danville junior transfer Demauriah Brown should make his Rebels debut this week. He rushed for nearly 2,000 yards last year across town. Meanwhile senior Avery Bodner has topped 1,000 yards rushing each of the last two seasons.
In all, LCA will field nine players who have announced some sort of college offer to continue their playing career, including senior Parker Chaney, who set school receiving records last year. Boyle has six such players, including defensive standout Brock Driver, who holds offers from Kentucky and West Virginia.
“There’s not just one area we can focus on. We’ve got to be on point in every facet of the game,” Charles said. “We respect them, but we’re not intimidated.”
LCA will get a defensive boost with the activation of Kenyatta Hardge, a junior lineman who, like Hensley, transferred from Madison Central. Hardge becomes eligible this week. He played only one game for the Indians last year, suffering an injury that ended his season.
“He’s a difference-maker,” Charles said. “He’s 6-1, 290 pounds. He’s a great kid, but when he gets inside the lines, he’s a different cat. … It’s going to be good to see him out there Saturday night.”
Lexington Christian’s game at Boyle County is the second game of a Rebel Bowl doubleheader. It’s scheduled to kick off at 8 p.m. Saturday.
Bryan Station looks to rebound
The Defenders took a 36-3 beating at the hands of Trinity last week, but Bryan Station Coach Phillip Hawkins said he wasn’t too concerned about the Rocks getting revenge for their region championship loss at Bryan Station last season.
Committing five turnovers on the road isn’t a recipe for success against anyone.
“To be honest with you, I slept pretty good,” Hawkins said. “We will turn this into a very positive thing. … Hell, I ain’t won my first game in four years, and we’ve been OK.”
Bryan Station lost its first three games last season before running off 10 straight wins on the way to the Class 6A semifinals.
Hawkins hopes this season’s turnaround begins this week against Franklin County in the first half of the Rebel Bowl at Boyle County, set to kick off at 6 p.m. Saturday.
“If you believe that we’re not a good football team or that we won’t be a real good one, then you’re confused,” Hawkins said. “We’re going to do some good.”
Douglass gets Trinity next
Frederick Douglass Coach Nathan McPeek knew what the Broncos were in for when he scheduled Akron, Ohio’s Archbishop Hoban for its season opener. There’s a reason why the Knights are ranked No. 40 in the nation.
“Those guys were big and physical. They were 6-5 to 6-8 and 300-plus (pounds) on the o-line,” McPeek said of his team’s 45-6 loss. “We didn’t play very well, but Hoban was a lot better than us. I knew that scheduling that game was more for experience. … Hopefully our guys learned.”
Douglass has a short, hot week to prepare for Trinity, Kentucky’s most decorated high school football program with 27 state titles. Like other teams enduring this week’s heat wave, the Broncos are practicing either early in the morning or late in the evening.
Douglass travels to Trinity for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff on Friday.
“Hopefully, we can go and perform better than we did this past Saturday and I think our guys will,” McPeek said.
Douglass will continue to be without starting quarterback Cole Carpenter, who suffered an elbow injury during the preseason and sat out last week. McPeek described the injury as a nerve issue that just needs time to heal. Carpenter threw three TD passes in last year’s Class 5A state championship win.
“We’ve got a lot of season left, so we’ve just got to go with what the doctors say,” McPeek said.
In the meantime, McPeek said sophomore Jaxon Strautman has performed well.
“I thought he did some good things (against Hoban),” McPeek said. “He definitely wasn’t the biggest issue we had.”
Other top-tier matchups
All games are Friday unless specifically noted.
▪ Covington Catholic at Highlands, 8 p.m. For the first time in a long, long time (maybe the 1970s), the annual rivalry game between CovCath and Highlands has no direct implications for a district title or playoff seeding since the Colonels have moved down into Class 4A and the Bluebirds remained in 5A. Highlands snapped a nine-game losing streak to CovCath last season.
▪ Warren East vs. Greenwood (at Barren County), 6 p.m. Sadly, this Bowling Green rivalry stopped being fought over a stuffed opossum in recent years. Both schools were ranked in the Herald-Leader’s preseason top 10s in their respective classes.
▪ Bowling Green at Owensboro, 8 p.m. These western Kentucky Class 5A powers will look to bounce back off season-opening losses. Bowling Green has dominated this rivalry with 18 wins in their last 23 meetings, including the 2020 state championship.
▪ Johnson Central at Pikeville, 8 p.m. Saturday. It’s almost impossible to believe, but these two eastern Kentucky state championship programs have not met in the KHSAA’s internet era dating to 1998.
Rivalries of the week
▪ Battle of the Birds: Scott County at Great Crossing, 7:30 p.m. This new rivalry has been all Scott County, so far. Next year, the game will probably be held at the new Scott County High School, where the Cardinals will have their own stadium for the first time in the Jim McKee era (27 years).
▪ Crosstown Classic: Murray vs. Calloway County (at Murray State University), 7 p.m. The smaller city school has dominated this western Kentucky rivalry and won 13 out of the last 14.
Other Lexington games
▪ Lexington Catholic at Madison Central, 7:30 p.m. The Knights face another stern test against a bigger school.
▪ Paul Laurence Dunbar vs. Mercer County (at Woodford County), 7:30 p.m. Craig Yeast’s Titans had an impressive victory over Taylor County last week.
▪ Tates Creek at Madison Southern, 7:30 p.m. The Commodores scheduled two road games early to make sure their new turf would be ready for their home debut. That’s next week. And it’s ready.
▪ Bracken County at Sayre, 7:30 p.m. The Spartans look as tough as advertised. Hopefully, the Polar Bears will bring some cooler temps with them from northern Kentucky.
▪ Other games: Henry Clay at Cooper, 7:30 p.m.; Henry County at Lafayette, 7:30 p.m.
Should be a good one
▪ Ballard at Male, 7 p.m.; Manual at Central Hardin, 7:30 p.m.; St. Xavier at Central, 7 p.m.; Shelby Valley at Lawrence County, 7:30 p.m.; Pulaski County at Danville, 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
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