‘Puncher’s chance.’ Bryan Station looking to make history against mighty Trinity.
By almost any measure, Coach Phillip Hawkins’ first three years at Bryan Station have been wildly successful, especially considering the Defenders hadn’t had a winning season since 2015.
But even though Hawkins is just one win away from 30 wins in three years, the Defenders have yet to capture a region title under his leadership. If they were to do so Friday, it’s not overstating that it would be one of the biggest wins in program history.
Trinity, the biggest of Louisville’s “Big Three,” comes to the Northside with all the mystique a 27-time KHSAA champion would. And while the shine of their Shamrocks might be a bit off from the program in its prime, Trinity is still Trinity.
“Trinity’s got to dress 11 guys. We’ve got to dress 11 guys, and we’ll put them on the field and we’re going to see what happens,” Hawkins said.
No. 5 Bryan Station (9-3) serves as playoff host because it outranks the No. 9 Rocks (8-4). Trinity has uncharacteristically lost to Louisville rivals Ballard, Male and St. Xavier this year in a chaotic Class 6A season that has seen stunning upset after upset, week after week.
If a four-loss Male can knock off defending champion and No. 1 St. Xavier, as it did last week, could Bryan Station be the first Lexington team to defeat Trinity since 1999? Maybe.
That 1999 Lexington team was Bryan Station.
“If you look at their losses … what caused them the most trouble?” Hawkins asked, rhetorically. “I think teams that look like us — Ballard, Male — they gave them a little bit more trouble with speed on the perimeter on both sides of the ball.”
Bryan Station has built its nine-game win streak on its rushing offense. The Defenders have had a 100-yard rusher for seven straight weeks. For two out of the last four weeks, they’ve had two as Jeremiah Mundy-Lloyd (880 rushing yards, 17 TDs) and Benit Bayubahe (742 rushing yards, 10 TDs) have hit stride.
“One of the things that I think helped us is that we became a running team, a real, true running team, that we probably weren’t in my first two years here,” Hawkins said. “Now, we can line up and just run the ball, and we like doing that. Everybody’s bought into that and I think it’s conducive to playoff weather.”
And Bryan Station quarterback Trenton Cutwright (1,731 passing yards, 16 TDs) can still sling it when the opportunity arises with two-way standout JT Haskins (697 yards, eight TDs) grabbing seven balls for 121 yards and a TD last week.
Trinity has been more vulnerable these last two seasons under Coach Jay Cobb than they were in the two decades before when they gobbled up state titles like candy, winning 15 in 20 years. This year’s Rocks have allowed more than 15 points and 170 yards rushing per game.
Quarterback Andrew Allen has thrown for 1,082 yards and 10 TDs passing to go with 674 yards and 10 TDs rushing. The Rocks have three other backs who’ve combined for more than 1,200 yards and 11 TDs led by Clinton Sansbury (494).
Their biggest weapon, however, might be kicker Kellan McLaughlin, who has made more field goals than any other kicker in the state with 18 on 24 attempts.
“They do what Trinity does. They are very methodical,” Hawkins said. “We’ve just got to handle the ball when we get it and create drives that count for points and then hold them to field goals or punts. They’re a good team. I think we’re a good team.”
There were some doubters around Bryan Station when the Defenders began the season 0-3 with losses to Class 5A No. 1 Frederick Douglass, Class 4A No. 2 Boyle County and Class 5A No. 2 Scott County.
Hawkins has always said those tough games served a purpose. That purpose was getting this opportunity for a region title and advancing past Friday night.
“I know that we played a quality schedule early and those three teams will probably be at Kroger Field,” Hawkins said. “There’s no reason why we can’t be one of those teams at Kroger Field … By the time you get to Week 3, I think everybody’s got a puncher’s chance.”
Tickets, security measures, streaming
Fayette County Public Schools has announced that tickets for Friday’s games at Frederick Douglass and Bryan Station will be available only via online purchase on the GoFan app.
Additionally, there will be security screening at the gates with no bags or purses allowed.
Ticket links: Bryan Station (https://bit.ly/3EeKXvk); Frederick Douglass (https://bit.ly/3E8Fvu9).
Online broadcast: Both games will be streamed by Glicod.com.
