By Audrey Carrico
NKyTribune sports reporter
Momentum is building for the Simon Kenton football team. Coming off a 4-7 campaign two years ago, the Pioneers took a major step forward last fall, finishing 6-6 and capturing their first postseason victory since 2022.
“Last year, nobody expected us to finish .500 or above,” head coach Joe Wynn said.
Now entering his third year with the program, Wynn hopes last year provided the necessary experience for seven returning starters on offense and six on defense to continue the progress.
“We return a solid core of experience and need to stay healthy,” Wynn said. “When you look at last season, we played against some really good teams and players.”
At the forefront of that returning group is quarterback Grant Webb, who steps into his junior season under center.
As a sophomore, Webb led the offense with 1,810 passing yards and another 309 on the ground, establishing himself as a true dual-threat playmaker.
“As a sophomore, he was thrown into the fire. If he got knocked down, he got back up and kept fighting,” Wynn said. “He’ll be a true dual-threat with his ability to stretch the field 60-plus yards. Our offense is built for him to be the distributor and have the guys around him make plays.”
At 6-foot-5, Webb added 25 pounds of muscle in the offseason to prepare for the physical demands of Class 6A football. Fortunately, he won’t be carrying the offense on his own. The Pioneers return an experienced offensive line anchored by seniors Cohen Endicott and Anthony Sparkman, giving him a reliable wall of experience.
Defensively, the Pioneers bring back a battle-tested unit led by seniors Jack Giordano and Jaxon Davis in the secondary. The defense is equally stacked up front, with returning linebackers Jason Rabe and Kyle King, who totaled 99 and 40 tackles last season.
“We’re good at showing different looks,” King said. “I think we’re going to be able to catch teams off guard a little bit. We’re going to make it really tough for offenses to get comfortable.”
Coach Wynn is tapping several key starters for two-way duty this fall. Among them is King, who will log reps at tight end alongside his defensive duties. That versatility comes at a vital time as the Pioneers graduated leading receiver Grayson Harris, who totaled over 3,100 receiving yards over the last three seasons.
While Harris’ presence will be hard to replace, the Pioneers boast a wide receiver corps featuring five returning juniors who all bring varsity experience to the table. The backfield also offers plenty of versatility with junior Mo Smith as the most experienced ball carrier.
“Our offense will take a step this year as we played numerous sophomores last year,” Wynn said. “With reps and time, our growth on and off the field has been substantial.”
The Pioneers’ early-season schedule includes games against perennial powers Covington Catholic and Beechwood to prepare for district seeding games against Campbell County, Great Crossing and Ryle.
“Winning districts will guarantee ourselves a home playoff game, giving ourselves an opportunity to compete for regional and state championships,” Wynn said.
SIMON KENTON PIONEERS
2025 SEASON: 6-6 record, lost to Louisville Trinity, 50-0, in second round of Class 6A playoffs.
STARTERS RETURNING: 7 offense, 6 defense.
DISTRICT: Class 6A, District 6 with Campbell County, Great Crossing, Ryle.
HEAD COACH: Joe Wynn (10-13 in two seasons at Simon Kenton, 64-40 in nine seasons overall).
2026 SCHEDULE
Aug. 21 – at Dixie Heights, 7 p.m.
Aug. 28 – WESTERN BROWN (Ohio), 7 p.m.
Sept. 4 – at Covington Catholic, 7 p.m.
Sept. 11 – BEECHWOOD, 7 p.m.
Sept. 18 – CONNER, 7 p.m.
Sept. 25 – LEXINGTON BRYAN STATION, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 9 – at Great Crossing, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 16 – at Campbell County, 7 p.m.
Oct. 23 – RYLE, 7 p.m.
Oct. 30 – at Cooper, 7:30 p.m.