Your guide to the 2025 Lexington high school football season

Earlier this summer, work began on the construction of a completely new Henry Clay High School next to where the current one stands.

In January, Phillip Hawkins, the Blue Devils’ new football coach who was wooed from rival Bryan Station a month earlier, began revamping Henry Clay’s football program as soon as he walked through the door.

Both Henry Clay construction projects, one of concrete and steel, the other of heart, muscle and minds, can be viewed from the stands of Dr. Robert Jake Bell Stadium this fall.

“I think you just get kids involved, and you show them you care and you show them some tough love,” Hawkins said last week ahead of his team’s scrimmage against Shelby Valley. “We go find kids in the building who should be doing something and then we hope one day it works.”

One of those kids, basketball junior Chaii Paris, had never given football a thought. He was one of 99 students to show up on the first day of practice in mid-July. Last season’s official roster numbered 62 at a school with an enrollment of nearly 2,000.

“I was questionable because of the team’s history and whatnot,” Paris said. “I came to a workout and it was all good after that. … Everybody wants to win. Everybody has the same mindset going into it.”

Hawkins knows his task will take time, even if expectations are high based on past results.

He had modest success at Louisville’s Doss early in his career. Then at Bryan Station, Hawkins helped turn a succession of losing seasons into back-to-back region championships with a shot at a state title within four years.

The Blue Devils might prove Hawkins’ toughest challenge yet. Henry Clay has had two winless and two one-win seasons over the last six seasons since Sam Simpson retired after 27 years at the helm. Hawkins didn’t want to set the bar too high. He likened publicly announcing a goal for the team as a trap he’d rather avoid.

“But I’ll say if we could be 5-5, I think you’ve made massive gains,” he said.

While Hawkins doesn’t have to deal with city overdog Frederick Douglass, ranked as the No. 5 team in Class 6A, or his former team, No. 10 Bryan Station, during the regular season, the Blue Devils’ 7th District rival, Tates Creek, could have its best year yet under Jonathan Hawks on the heels of back-to-back district titles.

Henry Clay’s other district rivals, Paul Laurence Dunbar and Lafayette, have seen similar struggles over the years and the battle amongst them will be pivotal in each of their seasons.

Lexington’s smaller schools, defending Class A state champion Sayre, Lexington Christian and Lexington Catholic, all ranked in their respective classes’ top 10s again this preseason.

Overall, high school football in Lexington might be as intriguing as it has ever been.

2025 Lexington high school football at a glance

Here’s a look at all nine Lexington teams ordered according to their approximate finish last year and some of the top games on their schedules. All-City honors (first team*, second team** honorable mention^) and stats are from the 2024 season. Quotes are coaches’ comments. Season outlook is our @HLpreps prediction.

SAYRE

Coach: Chad Pennington (eighth season).

H-L preseason rank: No. 4 in Class A.

Last season: 15-0. State champions for first time in school history.

Standing out: Caden Jones**, 5-9/160/Sr./RB/DB (473 yards, 8 TDs/49 tackles); Wyatt Moore**, 6-5/275/Sr./OT (four-year starter); John Luke Minner^, 6-2.5/225/Sr./DE (three-star Brown commit); Harrison Phillips, 5-11/185/Jr./LB (96 tackles, 5 sacks); Jackson Stuart, 6-0/175/Sr./WR/LB (51 tackles, 1 sack).

Notes: Senior Beau Perry and junior Gage Pennington are getting looks at quarterback in the preseason. Both play defense, as well. Coach Pennington said his QB1 decision could come down to how each handles being a two-way player with the demands at quarterback. Last season’s team had proven, explosive playmakers and questions about its offensive and defensive lines. This year, the opposite is true.

Coach Pennington says: “Although we have 27 juniors and seniors, a lot of them haven’t played a lot of Friday night football. … With our team being 27-1 the last two years and not really having to face a lot of adversity from a loss standpoint, it’s a different mindset. So, if we had to face adversity the big challenge for our team is, how do we handle that?”

Schedule highlights: Aug. 22 vs. Kentucky Country Day; Sept. 12 vs. Williamsburg; Sept. 19 at Bracken County; Oct. 3 at Louisville Holy Cross.

Outlook: Win streak might end, but could be back at Kroger Field.

FREDERICK DOUGLASS

Coach: Nathan McPeek (sixth season).

H-L preseason rank: No. 5 in Class 6A.

Last season: 9-5. District and region champions.

Standing out: Dakari Talbert**, 5-11/185/Jr./RB (847 yards, 11 TDs, rushing; offers include Marshall); Tacori Fields, 6-2/200/Jr./LB (51 tackles; offers include Louisville); Cionne Conn, 6-0/170/Jr./DB (38 tackles, 2 INTs; offers include Southern Miss); Demond Green, 5-10/165/Jr./DB (offers include Akron); Rahzeon Gillispie, 6-3/285/Jr./OL (offers include Southern Miss).

Notes: Seven regular season opponents have top-10 rankings. The Broncos’ 12 seniors are their fewest in nine seasons. Douglass had 29 seniors last fall. Junior Brady Ross looks to be the new varsity QB1 ahead of freshman Jayden Guzman. Demond Green came over from Bryan Station and has been picked by his peers as a team captain. The opener at Class 4A No. 5 Highlands will be the first meeting between the programs.

Coach McPeek says: “Our first three ball games are really, really tough opponents. … My biggest concern is inexperience on both sides of the ball. We do have good players. That’s not the question. It’s just how long is it going to take for them to grow up?”

Schedule highlights: Aug. 22 at Highlands; Aug. 29 at Trinity; Sept. 5 vs. Manual; Sept. 12 vs. Tates Creek; Sept. 19 at Corbin; Oct. 3 at Male; Oct. 10 vs. Madison Central; Oct. 17 at Bryan Station; Oct. 31 vs. Boyle County.

Outlook: District title. Region title contender. Will need to make a leap to go further.

LEXINGTON CHRISTIAN

Coach: Oakley Watkins (first season).

H-L preseason rank: No. 3 in Class 2A.

Last season: 11-3. District and region champs.

Standing out: Mac Darland**, 6-2.5/225/Sr./RB/LB (331 yards, 6 TDs rushing, 79 tackles, 1 sack); Tyler King^, 5-9/160/Sr./WR/DB (405 yards, 3 TDs receiving); Sam Pearson, 6-1/175/Jr./WR (495 yards, 6 TDs receiving); Thomas Sizemore, 6-1/200/So./RB/LB (67 tackles, 1 sack, 3 INTs; offers include Kentucky).

Notes: Senior Carter Penix and sophomore Nash Whelan have been competing for starting quarterback. Seniors Dean and Will Hester, two-thirds of the Hester triplets, serve as punter and long snapper, respectively. Their sister, Mia, plays lacrosse. Former head coach Doug Charles, who led LCA from 2019 to 2024, remains with the program as director of operations.

Coach Watkins says: “We bring back a lot of experience at our skill positions on offense having played a lot of freshman and sophomores this past fall. This is quite possibly the deepest wide receiver room we have had in my time at LCA.”

Schedule highlights: Aug. 30 at Boyle County; Sept. 5 at Christian Academy-Louisville; Sept. 19 vs. Lexington Catholic.

Outlook: State title contender.

LEXINGTON CATHOLIC

Coach: David Clark (first season).

H-L preseason rank: No. 4 in Class 3A.

Last season: 7-7. District and region champions.

Standing out: Brady Wasik**, 5-11/190/Sr./ATH/LB (300 yards, 3 TDs passing, 319 yards, 2 TDs rushing, 335 yards, 3 TDs receiving, 96 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 2 INTs). Jack White, 6-2/220/Sr./DL (50 tackles, 3 sacks); Jack Wedding, 6-1/190/Jr./LB (38 tackles, 1 sack). Micah and Evan Osting, 6-4/225/So./OL.

Notes: Six opponents are ranked in their respective classes’ top 10s. Last season, LexCath bulldozed its former district on the way to the state semis after starting 0-6. The entire cast of district rivals changes this year with No. 10 Bardstown and Mercer County joining the Knights in the new 4th District. The game against Paul Laurence Dunbar on Aug. 29 will be the first meeting between the schools in football.

Coach Clark says: “I’ve been very pleased with the way the kids have taken a professional attitude and come to work every day and work hard. … Everything that you do is you’re trying to get your team ready to be at their best in the playoffs. … If you want to compete at a championship level, you have to play championship-level teams.”

Schedule highlights: Aug. 22 at Ballard; Sept. 5 vs. Boyle County; Sept. 12 vs. Great Crossing; Sept. 19 at Lexington Christian; Oct. 10 vs. Mercer County; Oct. 17 at Bardstown; Oct. 31 at Ashland Blazer.

Outlook: District and region title contender.

BRYAN STATION

Coach: J.T. Haskins (first season).

H-L preseason rank: No. 10 in Class 6A.

Last season: 7-5.

Standing out: Jordan Haskins*, 6-0/185/Jr./WR/DB (221 yards, 2 TDs receiving; 80 tackles, 4 INTs; offers include Louisville); Kamini Barbour^, 5-11/175/Sr./WR/DB (205 yards receiving; offers include Miami (Ohio)); Joel Ndayisaba, 5-10/195/Jr./LB (48 tackles); Noah Winsley, 6-6/261/Sr./OL (three-star recruit; offers include Miami, (Ohio)).

Notes: With workhorse running back Kalen “Jaws” Washington graduated, backfield duties go to seniors Kerwin Montgomery and Avery Johnson. Haskins tapped Lafayette sophomore transfer C.J. Carpenter as quarterback.

Coach Haskins says: “We want the guys to learn how to play together and play as one. That’s been our main focus — to ensure we’re doing the right things and everyone’s on the same page.”

Schedule highlights: Aug. 22 vs. South Warren (at Lexington Christian); Aug. 30 vs. Pulaski County (at Boyle County); Sept. 5 vs. Corbin; Sept. 12 at Ballard; Sept. 19 at Tates Creek; Oct. 17 vs. Frederick Douglass; Oct. 24 at Madison Central; Oct. 31 at South Oldham.

Outlook: District and region title contender.

TATES CREEK

Coach: Jonathan Hawks (fourth season).

Last season: 6-4. District champions.

Standing out: BJ Evans*, 5-10/210/Sr./RB (1,799 yards, 20 TDs rushing; offers include Miami (Ohio)); J.T. Cooper**, 6-4/193/Sr./WR (447 yards, 8 TDs receiving; Gardner-Webb commit); Luke Cooper**, 6-3/185/Sr./WR (527 yards, 5 TDs receiving); Darnell Burnside**, 6-2/175/Sr./QB (1,369 yards, 17 TDs passing); Miles Hayward**, 6-4/300/Sr./OL.

Notes: Eight starters return on both offense and defense. Five of Creek’s first six opponents are ranked in the preseason top 10s of their respective classes. Triston Taylor^ 5-9/175/Sr./WR (440 yards, 2 TDs receiving) comes over from Lafayette.

Coach Hawks says: “I expect us to be a stronger and faster team overall at all positions. The experience of our team should help us with making different in-game adjustments on both offense and defense sides of the ball. … We aspire to do greater things this season with an expectation to be better in the playoffs.”

Schedule highlights: Aug. 23 at Mercer County; Aug. 29 vs. Ashland Blazer; Sept. 5 South Oldham; Sept. 12 at Frederick Douglass; Sept. 19 vs. Bryan Station; Sept. 26 at Ryle.

Outlook: District and region title contender.

LAFAYETTE

Coach: Jon Lawson (fourth season).

Last season: 6-5.

Standing out: Jackson Grantz*, 6-0/185/Jr./WR/DB (243 yards, 2 TDs receiving/86 tackles, 5 INTs); JJ Richardson^, 5-9/155/Jr./RB (352 yards, 1 TD rushing); Michael Miles^, Jr./OL; Kendon Wilson^, 6-3/Jr./OL.

Notes: Fifteen starters return, eight on offense. Last year marked Lafayette’s first winning season since its back-to-back Class 6A state finals appearances in 2015 and 2016.

Coach Lawson says: “This year’s senior class was my first freshmen group when I became head coach. Each year we have gotten better on and off the field, and I expect we will do the same this year. … I am so proud of the effort and buy-in these young men have displayed.”

Schedule highlights: Aug. 22 vs. Collins; Sept. 5 vs. Franklin-Simpson; Oct. 10 at Henry Clay; Oct. 17 at Tates Creek; Oct. 24 vs. Paul Laurence Dunbar; Oct. 31 vs. Oldham County.

Outlook: Another winning season in reach.

HENRY CLAY

Coach: Phillip Hawkins (first season).

Last season: 1-10.

Standing out: Tre Webb**, 5-9/170/Sr./WR (230 yards, 1 TD receiving); Zac Hoellein^, 5-9/195/Jr./LB (79 tackles, 1.5 sacks); Chaii Paris, 6-0/175/Jr./WR.

Notes: The Blue Devils return eight starters, but just three on defense.

Coach Hawkins says: “We have introduced many new players back into the program and are excited about their work. … Our concern would be that all of these players have not competed in a big game and do not have that experience.”

Schedule highlights: Aug. 22 vs. North Oldham (at Lafayette); Sept. 12 vs. George Rogers Clark; Oct. 10 vs. Lafayette; Oct. 17 vs. Paul Laurence Dunbar; Oct. 24 at Tates Creek.

Outlook: Winnable games on the schedule.

PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR

Coach: Wes Johnson (eighth season).

Last season: 1-9.

Standing out: Jacob Konate* 6-1/180/Sr./DB (28 tackles, 3 INTs); Kaleb Monroe^ 5’11 175/Sr./LB (41 tackles); Conner Norsworthy^, 6-0/170/Sr./WR/DB (252 yards, 1 TD receiving); Dominic Faulkner^, 5-8/155/Jr./QB (250 yards, 3 TDs rushing, 208 yards receiving).

Notes: Sixteen starters return, nine on defense. The game at Lexington Catholic on Aug. 29 will be the first football meeting between the schools.

Coach Johnson says: “We had a very young team last year starting seven sophomores and two freshmen. All those kids have grown up … We have good leadership from our 13 seniors and we have a huge junior class of 31. Numbers and depth should be a strength along with varsity experience.”

Schedule highlights: Aug. 29 at Lexington Catholic; Sept. 19 at Great Crossing; Oct. 19 vs. Tates Creek; Oct. 17 at Henry Clay; Oct. 24 at Lafayette; Oct. 31 vs. Eastern.

Outlook: More wins likely this year.

This story was originally published August 20, 2025 at 5:00 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