Herald-Leader Top 10: Kentucky Class 3A high school football preseason poll for 2022

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

While Paducah Tilghman didn’t capture ultimate glory last season in an action-packed 33-28 Class 3A state finals loss to Belfry and Mr. Football Isaac Dixon, its run from a 4-6 also-ran to a championship contender thrilled everyone but the opponents in its path.

A well-timed four-game postseason win streak and the strong, accurate arm of then-freshman quarterback Jack James helped the upstart Blue Tornado topple one heavily favored foe after another and is a big reason why they come in as the Herald-Leader @HLpreps preseason No. 1 for 2022, according to a vote of 3A coaches.

“We will still be a somewhat young team, but with some … experience. Our guys have been in the fire,” second-year Tilghman coach Sean Thompson said. “We hope to contend for district, regional, semifinals and finals championships.”

The Blue Tornado garnered 15 No. 1 votes among our survey of 3A coaches. Belfry, the defending champions got nine, Christian Academy-Louisville, three, and Glasgow and Taylor County each received one.

Here are the preseason top 10 teams in Class 3A as voted on by coaches in the division.

1. Paducah Tilghman

Head coach: Sean Thompson (second season).

Last year: 8-7. District and region champions. Runner-up to Belfry in a 33-28 finals loss.

Quick look: Jack James, a 6-0, 185-pound sophomore, leads a wide-open offense with eight starters back. James threw for 2,849 yards and 35 TDs in 2021 and has junior running back Malachi Rider (1,281 yards, 14 TDs) in the backfield with him once more. LeBran McMulllen figures to improve on his 461 yards and four TDs as Tilghman’s most experienced returning wideout. The defense brings back seven starters, including linebacker Uriah Virzi, who led the team with 100 tackles as a sophomore. Joining them will be Caldwell County transfer Laytone Davis, a senior defensive end who racked up 82 tackles, 22 for a loss, and four sacks in 2021.

Marquee matchups: Sept. 2 at Mayfield; Sept. 16 at South Warren; Oct. 28 vs. Hopkinsville.

2. Belfry

Head coach: Philip Haywood (39th season).

Last year: 11-3. State champions in 33-28 win over Paducah Tilghman.

Quick look: Pay no attention to the Pirates’ record come postseason time. Their last two state title campaigns have started 2-2 and 0-5. That’s by design. “We’ll be inexperienced at several positions, but a tough schedule should prepare the team for the playoffs,” Haywood wrote in our survey. Six starters return on offense, including senior offensive linemen Jake Varney and Braydent Spears and sophomore center Max Dotson. That’s good news for junior running back Dre Young, who figures to get a lot more carries to improve on his 655 yards and seven touchdowns as the second option in 2021. Seven starters return on defense, led by Spears and Young, who along with linebackers Noah Brown, Isaiah Stanley and Neal Copley, each had more than 70 tackles last season.

Marquee matchups: Sept. 2 at Lexington Christian; Sept. 9 vs. Central; Sept. 16 vs. Pikeville; Oct. 28 vs. Johnson Central.

3. Christian Academy-Louisville

Head coach: Hunter Cantwell (fourth season).

Last year: 11-2. District champions. Lost 41-34 to Paducah Tilghman in region finals.

Quick look: Two-way standout Gavin Copenhaver led the Centurions in rushing (738 yards, 16 TDs) and in tackles as a linebacker (105 with 15 for a loss and one sack). He can also catch it out of the backfield (212 yards, 2 TDs). Junior quarterback Cole Hodge will need to find a new favorite target but proved he can make his own gravy with 2,101 yards and 28 TDs passing and 572 yards and eight TDs rushing in 2021. He’ll have a senior-laden offensive line to set it up.

Marquee matchups: Aug. 19 at South Oldham; Sept. 9 at Lexington Christian; Sept. 16 vs. Owensboro Catholic.

4. Bell County

Head coach: Dudley Hilton (22nd season).

Last year: 10-3. District champions. Lost 41-20 to Belfry in region finals.

Quick look: Hilton expects his defense to lead the way early with seven returning starters who happened to be the team’s top seven tacklers and include seniors Dawson Woolum and Ethan Raby, junior Daniel Thomas and sophomore Hayden Damron. Not so coincidentally, Woolum, Thomas and Raby also return as the Bobcats’ top rushers with Woolum racking up 1,678 yards and 21 TDs as the feature back. But Bell County must develop a fresh offensive line to open up holes this season.

Marquee matchups: Aug. 19 vs. North Laurel; Sept. 30 at Rockcastle County; Oct. 14 vs. Pulaski County.

5. Bardstown

Head coach: David Clark (16th season).

Last year: 12-1. District champion. Lost 48-42 to Glasgow in region finals.

Quick look: Senior running back TJ Greenwell rushed for 1,078 yards and 16 TDs to lead the Tigers a year ago and has running mate Tyleeq Williams, a junior who tallied 856 yards and 13 TDs, back as well. Once a quarterback is named, he’ll be happy leading receiver Shannon Tonge (946 yards, 14 TDs) is at the end of the patterns. Defensively, Bardstown returns eight starters, led by junior linebacker Kyan Lydian, who led the team with 105 tackles in 2021.

Marquee matchups: Sept. 9 vs. Elizabethtown; Sept. 16 vs. Spencer County.

6. Glasgow

Head coach: Jeff Garmon (seventh season).

Last year: 12-2. District and region champions. Lost 39-20 to Paducah Tilghman in the state semifinals.

Quick look: Garmon has a good mix of experience and fresh faces with 13 starters returning from 2021, led by senior running back Keiran Stockton, who rushed for 1,335 yards and 25 TDs. Sophomore quarterback Jessie Easton played in every game in a shared role, throwing for 686 yards and seven TDs to go with 198 yards and one TD rushing. “Our offensive team is our strength,” Garmon said. Defensively, junior linebacker Mason Arms is the Scotties’ top returning tackler with 57 last season.

Marquee matchups: Aug. 26 vs. Russellville; Oct. 14 at Taylor County; Oct. 28 vs. Franklin-Simpson.

7. Taylor County

Head coach: Sam Marple (fourth season).

Last year: 9-3. Lost 48-13 in district finals to Glasgow.

Quick look: Offensively, the Cardinals are loaded with nine starters returning, including the dynamic brother duo of Peyton and Kaden Smith. Peyton, a junior, rushed for 1,841 yards and 23 TDs with 242 yards and three TDs receiving. Kaden, a senior, ran for 1,001 yards and 16 TDs and caught for 269 yards and four scores. “We start this season with a lot of optimism,” Marple said. The defense is less experienced, but it has another Smith, Keeshon, as the team’s leading returning tackler with 72 takedowns.

Marquee matchups: Aug. 20 vs. Louisville Holy Cross at Campbellsville; Sept. 2 at Spencer County; Oct. 14 vs. Glasgow.

8. Ashland Blazer

Head coach: Chad Tackett (first season).

Last year: 7-5. Lost 26-16 to East Carter in the district finals.

Quick look: With a roster of 60% freshmen and sophomores and only three returning starters on offense, the Tomcats will need to mature fast against a difficult schedule. Senior wideout Terrell Jordan will be looked to do more after 381 yards receiving and five TDs last season. Labryant Stader, a 6-2, 230-pound sophomore, takes over at quarterback. Seven starters return on defense, led by senior linebacker Isaiah Ingram, who had 85 tackles and three sacks, and junior linebacker Sawyer Eadens, who notched 69 tackles.

Marquee matchups: Aug. 19 at Raceland; Oct. 1 vs. Elizabethtown; Oct. 7 vs. East Carter.

9. Elizabethtown

Head coach: Ross Brown (third season).

Last year: 5-6. Lost 42-28 to LaRue County in the first round.

Quick look: The Panthers look to return to a championship level after taking some lumps as a young team in 2021. The offense returns eight starters, including junior running back Trey Durbin, who rushed for 928 yards and seven TDs and was second on the team in receiving with 253 yards and four TDs. Senior QB Ryder Gregory can run and throw, combining for more than 1,700 yards and 21 TDs last year. Junior linebacker Nolan Maggard is the team’s leading returning tackler with 50 and is among seven starters back on defense.

Marquee matchups: Sept. 9 at Bardstown; Oct. 1 at Ashland Blazer; Oct. 28 at Owensboro Catholic.

10. Union County

Head coach: Derek Johns (seventh season).

Last year: 10-2. Lost 31-28 to Paducah Tilghman in district finals.

Quick look: Cannon Sheffer proved a sensation on both sides of the ball as a freshman, throwing for 1,762 yards and 20 TDs with 153 yards and five TDs rushing while also racking up a team-high 114 tackles at middle linebacker. Two-way senior Kris Hughes also impressed with 910 yards and 12 TDs receiving in addition to nine interceptions and three kickoff return TDs.

Marquee matchups: Sept. 2 vs. Owensboro Catholic; Sept. 9 at Murray; Oct. 14 vs. Paducah Tilghman.

Others receiving votes

In order of votes received: Lawrence County, East Carter, DeSales, Mercer County, Russell, Mason County, Fleming County, Rockcastle County, LaRue County, Hart County, Magoffin County and Henry County.

Survey method: These rankings reflect the participation of coaches from 29 of the 38 Class 3A teams (76.3%). 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 11:30 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