The KHSAA, as it normally does, released the RPI rankings for football this week, by classes. And as much as many of us have questioned the methodology of any and all computerized rankings, and as highly ranked as a number of Northern Kentucky teams are, there are always the questions.
And always, it seems, something of an anti-Northern Kentucky bias, although that’s hardly new and may be more geography than anything. But why this matters is that when playoff time comes, the higher-ranked team gets to host the lower-ranked team. And since those teams are often from hundreds of miles apart and have no common opponents in the regular season, that can really matter.
On occasion, however, the top teams expected to advance in the playoffs will have played. As, for example, in Class 4A, Highlands and longtime dominant power in recent years, Boyle County, did. So if both those teams advance in the postseason, Highlands would appear to be in good shape having beaten Boyle County, 41-21, a couple of weeks ago. And that playoff game would be in Ft. Thomas.
But you would be wrong in that assumption. According to the first RPI rankings in Kentucky, 4-1 Boyle County was inexplicably ranked No. 3 in Class 4A ahead of No. 4 Highlands, with the Bluebirds having made a mistake of scheduling — and losing — on the road to the No. 1 team in Class 6A, Lexington Frederick Douglass. Let it be noted that Boyle County did not play a similar team on its schedule and trailed the usual suspects – Paducah Tilghman and Ashland Blazer – in the Nos. 1 and 2 spots.
So there are clearly some serious flaws in the KHSAA’s RPI system. These teams played just three weeks ago. And the one that won by three touchdowns is ranked below the team that lost that game. And we’re all supposed to take those rankings as the Gospel truth. Or scientifically or mathematically sound. Which of course they are not.
All we can say is get ready for some bus trips, Northern Kentucky teams, the RPI is not your friend.
Continuing in Class 4A, often the most competitive class for teams up here since Covington Catholic is also there and ranked No.6 behind No. 5 Corbin because the Colonels unwisely – according to the RPI folks – scheduled the then No. 1 team in Ohio – Cincinnati Elder – and the No. 1 Class 2A team in Kentucky – Beechwood – and lost those games.
The main purpose in getting an RPI ranking as high as possible is to finish either No. 1 or No. 2 and play no road playoff games until the neutral championship game at UK’s Kroger Field. Which is why this stuff matters.
To finish Class 4A, Harrison County is No. 34 and Grant County No. 37 out of 38 teams.
Returning to Class 6A, the RPI infirmities remain. Louisville Trinity, playing a national schedule against the best teams in Ohio and Tennessee already, has lost a game out of state to Chattanooga Baylor, and is ranked No. 4 behind No. 1 Frederick Douglass. The top Northern Kentucky teams are No. 12 Simon Kenton ) 3-3), No. 15 Ryle (2-4) and No. 16 Campbell County (2-3) among the 31 Class 6A teams.
In Class 5A, 4-2 Cooper leads the way at No. 9 among the 38 teams with Dixie Heights (2-4) No. 27, Conner (1-5) No. 30, Boone County (2-3) No. 31 and Scott (1-5) at No. 37.
Finishing out Class 4A, Mason County (4-1) is No. 14 while Grant County (0-6) is No. 37.
All alone in Class 3A, unbeaten Lloyd Memorial (6-0) is No. 4 behind No. 1 Christian Academy of Louisville (6-0), Glasgow (6-0) and Larue County (6-0) among the 39 teams. If it stays that way, that would mean a road playoff game for the Juggs, who are accustomed to away games..
Class 2A is the easy call. After beating CovCath, 5-0 Beechwood is No. 1 in 2A among the 40 teams, ahead of longtime rivals Owensboro Catholic (5-1) and Lexington Christian (3-2) at Nos. 2 and 3.
Walton-Verona (4-1) is No. 13. Owen County (2-3) is No. 17.St. Henry (3-2) is No. 20.
That other Holy Cross, the one from Louisville, is No. 1 in Class A at 5-0. Top Northern Kentucky Class A team is 5-0 Dayton at No. 6. Covington’s Holy Cross (4-1) is next in line at No. 12. Bishop Brossart (3-3) is No. 13 with Ludlow (4-2) No. 16. Newport Central Catholic (1-4) is No. 19, Newport (2-4) No. 21 and Bellevue (1-4) is No. 24.
BOYS SOCER RPI RANKINGS
Also released this week are the boys’ and girls’ soccer RPI rankings. Here are the Ninth Region boys: 1) Highlands (8-0); 2) Ryle 14-3; 3) St. Henry 11-5; 4) CovCath 5-2-6; 5) Dixie Heights 11-5; 6) NewCath 11-4-1; 7) Beechwood 11-3; 8) Cooper 6-5-5; 9) Conner 5-7-1; 10) Villa Madonna 5-9-1; 11) Boone County 4-11-1; 12) 12) Holy Cross 5-9-2; 13) Holmes 4-7-0; 14) Lloyd Memorial 4-9; 15) Covington Latin 0-3.
GIRLS’ SOCCER RPI RANKINGS
Notre Dame Academy (10-4-1) leads the Ninth Region’s 17 teams in Girls’ RPI Soccer Rankings. St. Henry (11-5-1) is No.2. The rest of the region are: 3) Ryle (9-5-20; 4) Highlands (8-5-1); 5) Holy Cross (10-4-3); 6) Conner (8-9-2); 7) Cooper (7-6-1); 8) NewCath (8-7-3); 9) Dixie Heights (6-8); 10) Villa Madonna (6-7); 11) Boone County (6-9); 12) Beechwood (2-7); 13) Ludlow (5-8); 14) Lloyd Memorial (5-6): 15) Bellevue (2-8); 16) Holmes (2-7); 17) Dayton (0-11).
GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL RPI RANKINGS
Beechwood’s 20-2 Tigers lead the Ninth Region Girls’ Volleyball RPI rankings. No. 2 is Covington Holy Cross (19-5) followed by No. 3 St. Henry (18-6) and No. 4 Notre Dame (14-6). The rest of the region’s 18 teams: 5) Conner (14-8); 6) Cooper (6-6); 7) NewCath (16-9); 8) Ryle (10-10); 9) Highlands (10-9); 10) Boone County (9-11); 11) Dixie Heights (8-14); 12) Villa Madonna (7-11); 13) Dayton (12-16); 14) Ludlow (10-11); 15) Lloyd Memorial (4-9); 16) Bellevue (7-11); 17) Newport (3-17); 18) Holmes (1-15).
Contact Dan Weber at dweber3440@aol.com. Follow him on X @dweber3440.