Week 8 preview: LexCath-Boyle Co. rivalry time; Bryan Station takes on revived Clark Co.
Here’s a look at some of the best high school football games of Week 8. All games are on Friday unless noted and all times are local to the home team. Rankings are by Dave Cantrall.
Games of the Week
▪ No. 2 Boyle County (6-0) at No. 7 Lexington Catholic (5-1), 7:30 p.m. Nine straight wins over a district opponent tends to skew the perception of how competitive the history between the Knights and Rebels has been.
To be sure, two-time defending Class 4A champion Boyle County has had the better of its clashes over the last two decades, but Lexington Catholic has gotten its licks in and has battled the Rebels close in two of the last four games, a 16-10 loss last October and a 49-41 playoff defeat in 2020 in which LexCath rallied from a 28-0 first half deficit.
“When we’ve played them twice in the same year, one game has been a battle,” Boyle County Coach Justin Haddix said. “They are playing with a lot of energy right now. Their quarterback’s not very big, but he does a lot of good things. He understands the offense and gets the ball to those guys to make plays.”
Indeed, Lexington Catholic quarterback Jackson Wasik, a junior, has been prolific, averaging 233 yards passing for a total of 1,396 yards and 18 TDs. Those marks rank him among the best signal-callers in the state. And his primary target, senior wideout/kicker Max DeGraff tops the KHSAA charts, as well, averaging 126 yards and two TDs per game.
“I don’t think he gets the respect he deserves based on his size but that is what it is,” LexCath Coach Bert Bathiany said of Wasik, who is listed at 5-foot-7 and 130 pounds on the roster. “He’s got a chip on his shoulder that’s enormous. He’s going to go out and compete. I have 100 percent confidence in him.”
LexCath can run the ball, too, with Walker Hall going for 414 yards and seven TDs in five games.
But, of course, Boyle County has no shortage of playmakers. The Rebels rank second in Class 4A in scoring with 43 points per game and hold opponents to 12.2 points per game. Dual threat QB Sage Dawson (845 yards, 13 TDs passing, 342 yards, three TDs rushing), running backs Avery Bodner (505 yards, seven TDs rushing) and Montavin Quisenberry (271 yards, seven TDs receiving) spearhead the attack.
“They don’t have any perceived weaknesses,” Bathiany said. “It’s going to be a good game. We’re a good team. I think it’s going to be a great environment. We’re excited for it.”
Since 2000, Boyle County has led the series 18-11. In that time the Rebels have knocked LexCath out of the playoffs eight times. The Knights have returned the favor four times, but not since 2014. The new KHSAA playoff structure means that if these two meet again in the postseason, it won’t come before the third round, unlike the past three years where they’ve met in the first or second week.
“We’ve got to play our best. We’re definitely not going to be holding anything back,” Haddix said. “With the RPI stuff, every game matters. You’ve got to win every game to keep your home field (in the playoffs),” Haddix said.
▪ Bryan Station (3-3) at Clark County (5-1), 7:30 p.m. The Defenders took on a brutal schedule early to prepare themselves for big district games and the playoffs.
Now, Bryan Station takes a three game win streak into Winchester to face a rejuvenated Cardinals team under second-year coach Joe Chirico. It’s the first district matchup for both schools in a division that also includes Madison Central and Oldham County.
Both the Cards and Defenders feature dual-threat QBs. Clark County’s Tyleik Maxwell has thrown for 639 yards and seven TDs and rushed for 217 yards and five scores. Bryan Station’s Trenton Cutwright counters with 674 yards and seven TDs passing to 285 yards and four TDs on the ground.
The winner here might be a true contender to take down defending district champion Madison Central, who looks vulnerable after a blowout loss at Pikeville last week.
▪ No. 5 Manual (6-0) at No. 1 St. Xavier (5-1), 7 p.m. The Crimsons’ 21-0 win over Ballard last week indicates a rare win over St. X is more than possible. The Tigers topped Ballard 18-16 in last year’s district championship game.
▪ No. 14 Ballard (5-1) at No. 12 Trinity (4-3), 7:30 p.m. The Bruins haven’t defeated Trinity since 1995. But this is the year they beat Male for the first time since 2009.
Rivalry of the Week
▪ Battle for the Paddle: Dayton (2-4) at Bellevue (0-6), 7 p.m. The records don’t matter in the longest running rivalry in the state. Bellevue leads this series 98-46-3, but it is on a two-game losing streak to the Greendevils.
Other Lexington games
▪ No. 10 Pikeville (4-2) at Sayre (4-2), 7:30 p.m. The Spartans are a good Class A football team, especially considering how young their playmakers are, but the Panthers have so far been simply on another level as exhibited by their blowout over Madison Central, a Class 6A top-10 team, last week.
This should be the last time these two meet as district opponents with redistricting on the way in 2023. Watch out for a big game from Pikeville’s Blake Birchfield, who could top 1,000 yards rushing for the season in this one. He has 14 TDs.
▪ Henry Clay (2-4) at Lafayette (0-6), 6:30 p.m. Coach Demetrius Gay’s rebuild of the Blue Devils has been a slow burn over two-plus seasons, but signs of progress are there. It has been since 2018 that Henry Clay has had three wins or more.
▪ Bye week: Frederick Douglass (7-0), Lexington Christian (3-4), Paul Laurence Dunbar (3-4), Tates Creek (1-6).
Should be a good one
▪ Nicholas County (6-1) at Paris (5-1), 7:30 p.m. The driver’s seat in Class A, District 5 is up for grabs for the Greyhounds.
▪ Also of note: Bracken County at Bishop Brossart, 7:30 p.m.; Bethlehem at Louisville Holy Cross, 7 p.m.; Mason County at Fleming County, 7:30 p.m.; East Carter at Ashland Blazer, 7:30 p.m.; Knox Central at Corbin, 7:30 p.m.; North Laurel at Pulaski County, 7:30 p.m.
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