Herald-Leader Top 10: Kentucky Class 2A high school football preseason poll for 2022

Editor’s Note: This is the second in a series of stories ranking Kentucky’s high school football teams class by class, according to voting by the class’s coaches.

The last two Class 2A state championship games have been contested between Beechwood and Lexington Christian.

So, it’s no surprise the Tigers and Eagles run 1-2 in this year’s Herald-Leader @HLpreps preseason survey.

But will it be third time’s the charm for LCA? Beechwood came out on top for the trophy in dramatic fashion in both 2020 and 2021 with margins of 24-23 and 23-21, the former in overtime.

The addition of heralded sophomore quarterback Cutter Boley, a 6-foot-6 phenom who already has offers from Alabama, Kentucky and several others, should help. But LCA also lost 16 standouts to graduation from a year ago, including five now set to suit up in Division I.

“We have a lot of questions but I think, eventually, we can be a really really solid football team,” LCA Coach Doug Charles said.

Beechwood takes the top spot in our poll despite LCA getting more No. 1 votes by a count of eight to seven. Perennial power Mayfield got one No. 1 vote.

Here are the preseason top 10 teams in Class 2A — the second smallest football-playing classification under the Kentucky High School Athletic Association — as voted on by coaches in the division.

1. Beechwood

Head coach: Noel Rash (17th season).

Last year: 15-0. State champions with a 23-21 win over Lexington Christian.

Quick look: Rash makes sure his players understand the expectations at Beechwood. “These young men are talented, but none of that will matter if we do not have the mental toughness needed to carry us through the offseason and the grind of each week during the season,” said Rash, who has been at the helm for seven of the Tigers’ 16 championships. Multi-sport standout Mitchell Berger accumulated more than 1,000 yards out of the backfield with 17 TDs in 2021 as a junior and is among five offensive starters returning. Seven starters return on defense, including senior linebacker Austin Waddell, who had a team-high eight tackles in last year’s title game. The Tigers won’t have 2020 Mr. Football Cameron Hergott calling plays for the first time in four years. They did however pick up four-star corner Antonio Robinson in recent weeks. He’s a Wake Forest commit.

Marquee matchups: Aug. 26 vs. Paintsville; Sept. 16 at Covington Catholic; Oct. 28 vs. Newport Central Catholic.

2. Lexington Christian

Head coach: Doug Charles (fourth season).

Last year: 14-1. District and region champs. State runner-up in 23-21 loss to Beechwood.

Quick look: LCA returns six starters on offense and defense and has an offensive line that averages 6-foot-2 and 270 pounds, according to Charles. That will help protect Cutter Boley, a 6-5 sophomore QB transfer from LaRue County who led the Eagles to a runner-up finish in last month’s seven-on-seven tournament at Eastern Kentucky University among 64 teams. “This kid is legit!” Charles boasts. Fifth-year senior Drew Nieves moves from quarterback to run/catch threat while J’Veontae Emerson figures to be the primary running back. Emerson had 500 yards and two TDs in a support role last year.

Marquee matchups: Aug. 19 at Madison Central; Sept. 2 vs. Belfry; Sept. 9 vs. Christian Academy-Louisville; Sept. 16 at Lexington Catholic; Sept. 23 at Pikeville.

3. Mayfield

Head coach: Joe Morris (24th season).

Last year: 12-2. District and region champions. Lost 38-7 to Beechwood in the state semifinals.

Quick look: Jutarious Starks, a physical 6-1, 195-pound junior running back, looks ready to take the bulk of the carries after a 500-yard, 12 TD performance in 2021. Fellow junior Zane Cartwright threw for 2,225 yards with 23 TDs and only three interceptions and will have his second-favorite target back from last year in senior Isaac Stevenson (637 yards, eight TDs) along with junior Brajone Dabney, who Morris calls a “threat to score every time he touches the ball.” The Cards return seven defensive starters, including Starks, who led the team with 7.5 sacks, and linebacker Ian Williams, who notched 46 tackles as a freshman.

Marquee matchups: Aug. 19 at Graves County; Sept. 2 vs. Paducah Tilghman; Oct. 21 at Murray.

4. Owensboro Catholic

Head coach: Jason Morris (fourth season).

Last year: 7-6. District champs. Lost 49-21 to Lexington Christian in the region finals.

Quick look: Morris feels “really excited about the experience we have returning.” That includes junior DB William “Tutt” Carrico and one-year younger brother Vince Carrico, who led the team in tackles with more than 100 each in 2021. They’ll be taking on more responsibilities in the offensive backfield this year. Brady Atwell, a 6-3, 225-pound sophomore who started at linebacker as a freshman, takes over at quarterback and should pose a dual threat in the Aces’ balanced offense. Atwell is the nephew of 1999 Mr. Football Travis Atwell of Hancock County. “He can make all the throws and runs really well. He’s got everything you can’t teach,” Morris said.

Marquee matchups: Sept. 9 vs. Owensboro; Sept. 16 vs. Christian Academy-Louisville; Oct. 28 vs. Elizabethtown.

5. Middlesboro

Head coach: Larry French (fourth season).

Last year: 13-1. District and region champions. Lost 58-0 to Lexington Christian in the state semifinals.

Quick look: The Yellow Jackets return only four starters on each side of the ball for one of the state’s all-time great coaches. French keeps his team’s aspirations simple: “Win as many ball games as possible.” Middlesboro brings back junior dual-threat QB Cayden Grigsby, a three-year starter who threw for 1,745 yards and 21 TDs to go with 858 yards and 11 scores rushing. Kam Wilson, a 6-5, 200-pound junior, will be a primary target in addition to patrolling the defensive secondary at safety.

Marquee matchups: Aug. 19 vs. Hazard; Aug. 26 vs. Williamsburg; Sept. 30 vs. Breathitt County.

6. Danville

Head coach: Mark Peach (second season).

Last year: 8-5. Lost 61-13 to Lexington Christian in the district finals.

Quick look: The Admirals must replace most of their offensive production from a year ago, but they have highly regarded running back Demauriah Brown to build on his 513-yard, 11 TD freshman season. Brown already has an offer from Eastern Kentucky. An experienced offensive line includes seniors Sam Shearer and Chris Grier along with standout sophomore Paul McClure. Look for Braidin Baughman to also get carries. Enrique Gutierrez-Jacobs, a junior, appears to be ready to take over at quarterback. Linebacker Xzavion Brown’s 58 tackles as a junior led the team.

Marquee matchups: Sept. 9 at Mercer County; Oct. 21 vs. Lexington Christian.

7. Breathitt County

Head coach: Kyle Moore (10th season).

Last year: 4-7. Lost 43-33 to Middlesboro in district finals.

Quick look: Sophomore basketball standout Austin Sperry and junior wideout Isaac Turner combined for more than 1,100 yards receiving and 10 TDs in 2021. The Bobcats return eight starters on offense and nine on defense but need to find a successor to departed dual-threat QB Jaylen Turner. “We’re still a young team but energetic and have good overall team speed,” Moore said. Junior Evan Miller (6-4, 270 pounds) anchors the offensive line. Senior Bryce Hoskins, a 6-6, 250-pound defensive end, is getting looks from Division I schools.

Marquee matchups: Sept. 2 vs. Hazard; Sept. 30 vs. Middlesboro.

8. Murray

Head coach: Darren Bowling (second season).

Last year: 8-3. Lost 55-6 to Mayfield in the district finals.

Quick look: Murray started 10 sophomores in 2021 and is looking for that to pay dividends. Senior fullback Gage Sokolowski and junior two-way star Xavier Biggers each topped 700 yards in the Tigers’ run-heavy offense and combined for 15 rushing TDs. Biggers caught five of Murray’s 11 total completed passes. Each scored. Murray will have junior Colin Wilson tossing those this season in its surprise, all-or-nothing passing game. Junior RB Kainoa Olive also returns off a 571-yard, 10 TD performance.

Marquee matchups: Oct. 14 at Caldwell County; Oct. 21 vs. Mayfield.

9. West Carter

Head coach: Daniel Barker (fourth season).

Last year: 9-4. District champion. Lost 33-6 to Middlesboro in region finals.

Quick look: The Comets have five offensive linemen returning in front of Cole Crampton, who Barker calls an “old school, tough RB with breakaway speed.” Crampton, a 5-10, 195-pound senior, rushed for 1,893 yards — tops in 2A — to go with 24 TDs in 2021. A solid defense returns as well, led by linebacker Connor Greene, who totaled 91 tackles and 2.5 sacks as a junior.

Marquee matchups: Sept. 9 vs. East Carter; Sept. 16 at Raceland.

10. Walton-Verona

Head coach: Jeff Barth (15th season).

Last year: 9-4. District champion. Lost 50-6 to Beechwood in region finals.

Quick look: The Bearcats look for their ninth consecutive district title but return only one starter each way in the trenches among 10 returning starters overall. Senior defensive end Logan Ryan is the team’s top returning tackler (60) and sack man (eight). Jackson Smith takes the reins at quarterback and Barth expects the junior to have a breakout season as a dual threat. Geoffrey Kratzenberg, Max Montgomery, and Braden Daniels make for an experienced secondary.

Marquee matchups: Aug. 19 vs. Scott; Sept. 8 vs. Newport Central Catholic.

Others receiving votes

In order of votes received: Somerset, Green County, Metcalfe County, Caldwell County, Shelby Valley, Covington Holy Cross, Lloyd Memorial and Hancock County.

Survey method: These rankings reflect the participation of coaches from 16 of the 40 Class 2A teams (40%). Every coach in the division was given the opportunity to participate in the @HLpreps annual survey emailed to their address listed on KHSAA.org. Multiple attempts were made to contact each coach.

This story was originally published August 8, 2022 at 6:30 AM.

Jared Peck

Lexington Herald-Leader

859-488-2883

Jared Peck, the Herald-Leader’s Digital Sports Writer, covers high school athletics and has been with the company as a writer and editor for more than 20 years. Support my work with a digital subscription