By Dan Weber NKyTribune sports reporter
When it comes to high school football playoffs in Kentucky, it’s good to be home.
Stephen Foster’s state anthem always proclaimed the joys of “My Old Kentucky Home,” and he was right. Playing at home this week is better for any number of reasons, including the obvious of having your fans there and being able to follow your familiar game-day routine.
But the best part of getting a third-round home game as three-time defending state champions Beechwood in Class 2A, Covington Catholic in Class 4A and Highlands in Class 5A is that means you’re the favorite, with the better record and RPI rating.
You’re supposed to win and advance to next week’s state semifinals, just a week away from the state championship games at UK’s Kroger Field Dec. 1-2.
So good news for unbeaten and No. 1-ranked CovCath (12-0) at home to a 9-3 Johnson Central team that has also beaten a good Ashland team, just as CovCath did a week ago. The Colonels will have to shore up their tackling a bit this weekend but should have the home field edge at Dennis Griffin Stadium against the folks from Paintsville in their quest wo win four games on the way to Lexington.
An 11-1 Highlands team, also No. 1 like CovCath, will be going for four games in Fort Thomas as the Bluebirds, who have outscored their first two playoff opponents 83-7, face a North Laurel (8-4) team that hasn’t faced the toughest of schedules and is ranked 14th in Class 5A. Don’t start the buses, Birds, you’re staying home another week.
The third home team, 11-1 Beechwood, looks to have the toughest challenge overall in this year’s quest for a state title although this weekend’s matchup with a 7-5 Martin County team in Fort Mitchell may not be. For the Cardinals from Inez, Friday’s 250-mile trip up the Mountain Parkway might not be the toughest of their challenges. But as the No. 4 team in the RPI rankings, Beechwood’s Tigers look like they’ll be on the road next week with Nos. 1-2-3 in Class 2A – Owensboro Catholic, Mayfield and Lexington Christian all still alive going into Friday’s games.
But the flip side here is that for Northern Kentucky’s remaining four playoff teams this weekend – Newport Central Catholic and Ludlow in Class 1A, Cooper in Class 5A and Ryle in Class 6A – they will be on the road. To Campbellsville and Louisville, respectively, for NewCath and Ludlow. To Somerset for Cooper and to Lexington for Ryle.
They’re all underdogs of sort with the 8-4 records of NewCath and Ludlow placing them as Nos. 10 and 11 respectively in Class 1A as Ludlow faces No. 1 Kentucky Country Day (10-2) and NewCath runs into No. 2 Campbellsville (10-1). With Beechwood no longer in Class 1A, the small school division is becoming a tough pull for Northern Kentucky, which long dominated there with six schools here having won a Class A state championship.
One local team — Cooper — has already won on the road (49-21 at Scott County) and it would be no surprise if the high-flying Jaguars (10-2) survive the trip to Somerset for their seventh straight win despite an out-of-whack RPI ranking that has them the No. 9 Class 5A team despite losses only to 6A playoff team Ryle and No. 1 5A team Highlands (by 58-51). We’ll make this game a tossup with Cooper on the road against a Southwestern (9-3) team that has played an equally challenging schedule against playoff teams in a number of classes. Having survived a road game last week has to help Cooper this week.
And finally, Ryle (8-4) missed a home game against Bryan Station (9-3) by the smallest of RPI margins as the Nos. 6 and 7 teams in Class 6A meet up Friday in Lexington. Give Bryan Station credit, the Defenders, after dropping their first two games on a competitive schedule equal to Ryle’s, have won nine of their last 10. But the way the Raiders have come together, they have a real road shot to win their seventh straight.
Should be a fun Friday. Stay tuned.
Friday’s High School Football Playoff Schedule
CLASS 6A
Ryle (8-4) at Lexington Bryan Station (9-3), 7:30 p.m.
CLASS 5A
North Laurel (8-4) at Highlands (11-1), 7:30 p.m.
Cooper (10-2) at Southwestern (9-3), 7:30 p.m.
CLASS 4A
Johnson Central (9-3) at Covington Catholic (12-0), 7:30 p.m.
CLASS 2A
Martin County (7-5) at Beechwood (11-1), 7 p.m.
CLASS 1A
Ludlow (8-4) at Kentucky Country Day (10-2), 7:30 p.m.
Newport Central Catholic (8-4) at Campbellsville (10-1), 7:30 p.m.
Contact Dan Weber at dweber3440@aol.com. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @dweber3440.