Who wins the LexCath-Boyle rematch? Predictions for every Class 4A district final.
It’s district championship week in Class 4A’s 2021 UK Orthopaedics State Football Finals and that means some of the top-rated teams in the state face elimination as they square off against familiar foes with win-or-go-home stakes.
Every win from here on earns a bigger and bigger trophy.
Among notable games this Friday in Class 4A is the District 5 matchup between the two highest RPI-rated teams, No. 1 Boyle County and No. 2 Lexington Christian. It’s a matchup fit for a state championship but relegated to the second round by the KHSAA’s much-criticized current playoff format.
In a similar pickle are No. 5 Franklin County and No. 10. Central in District 4. Each of the last two years, the team who won the regular-season game in this new rivalry lost the district title rematch. This year, the Flyers aim to shake that trend.
There are plenty of other great games as teams aim to prove that their regular-season result between each other just a few weeks ago was either an unlucky fluke or a steppingstone to their crowning glory.
Here’s a brief summary of what I think will be one of this week’s best Class 4A contests, plus a quick look at the rest of the lineup with my picks. All rankings are according to the final week KHSAA RPI which will be used to seed the next round.
Featured matchup
(All game times local to site)
DISTRICT 5
No. 2 Lexington Catholic (9-2) at No. 1 Boyle County (10-1), 7:30 p.m.
Last time: Boyle County defeated visiting Lexington Catholic 16-10 on Oct. 8.
Why Lexington Catholic will win: Grit. Many of the Knights’ games this season have come down to the final moments — a 24-21 win over Ryle, a 38-36 defeat of Pulaski County, a 41-40 win over Scott County. LexCath has perhaps its best chance in years of knocking off Boyle County with talented QB Jack Gohmann (2,159 yards, 21 TDs passing, 482 yards, nine TDs rushing), RB Walker Hall (1,142 yards, 13 TDs rushing), top receivers Blake Busson, Jack Monday and Tanner Pedroche, and senior veterans in the trenches. If LexCath can hold serve and trade scores with Boyle till the end, the last team with the ball wins it.
Why Boyle County will win: Because it’s Boyle County. The defending state champion Rebels have won eight straight over LexCath. And Coach Justin Haddix appears to have them playing their best football now. Fifth-year senior QB Jagger Gillis has thrown for 1,965 yards and 25 TDs with 377 yards and nine scores on the ground. And wideout/defensive back Cole Lanter (1,019 yards, 18 TDs) made a statement in Boyle’s 34-7 rout of Class 5A powerhouse Frederick Douglass two weeks ago that he was the best player lined up that day against a slew of opponents with Division I offers.
@HLpreps pick: Boyle County.
The rest of the field
DISTRICT 1
No. 13 Hopkinsville (7-4) at No. 7 Logan County (8-4), 7 p.m.
Last time: Logan County won 13-12 at Hopkinsville on Sept. 24.
@HLpreps pick: Hopkinsville.
DISTRICT 2
No. 17 Franklin-Simpson (5-6) at No. 15 Allen County-Scottsville (7-4), 7 p.m.
Last time: ACS defeated visiting Franklin-Simpson 33-21 on Sept. 24.
@HLpreps pick: Franklin-Simpson.
DISTRICT 3
No. 18 John Hardin (7-5) at No. 8 Spencer County (8-3), 7:30 p.m.
Last time: Spencer County won 35-7 at John Hardin on Oct. 22.
@HLpreps pick: Spencer County.
DISTRICT 4
No. 10 Central (7-4) at No. 5 Franklin County (8-3), 7:30 p.m.
Last time: Franklin County won 35-6 at Central.
@HLpreps pick: Franklin County.
DISTRICT 6
No. 33 Harrison County (3-8) at No. 16 Scott (7-4), 7:30 p.m.
Last time: Scott won 35-14 at Harrison County on Oct. 1.
@HLpreps pick: Scott.
DISTRICT 7
No. 19 Lincoln County (6-6) at No. 3 Corbin (11-0), 7 p.m.
Last time: Corbin won 42-21 at Lincoln County on Oct. 15.
@HLpreps pick: Corbin.
DISTRICT 8
No. 9 Letcher County Central (7-3) at No. 4 Johnson Central (9-2), 7:30 p.m.
Last time: Johnson Central won 48-18 at Letcher County Central.
@HLpreps pick: Johnson Central.
Notes
Last year’s @HLpreps picks in the Class 4A district finals: 7-1.
Reminder: The KHSAA website’s posted brackets in each class do not reflect next week’s regional matchups accurately at this time. Once all results are in, the brackets will be reset to reflect RPI seedings for next week’s respective east and west regionals.
This story was originally published November 11, 2021 at 6:00 AM.
