2025 Herald-Leader Top 10: Kentucky Class 4A high school football preseason poll

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

For the first time in four preseasons, someone other than Boyle County is ranked as the No. 1 team in Kentucky high school football’s Class 4A.

The Paducah Tilghman Blue Tornado blew through what might be Kentucky’s most competitive class last year for its first state title since 2009. Tilghman coach Sean Thompson knows his team has a target on its back.

“As a coaching staff, coming into the season we were a little scared because we have so many kids who haven’t had to be ‘the guy,’ after that class we had last year,” Thompson said. “What we’ve noticed, for the most part, they were learning the whole time. … They’re doing what they are supposed to do and really doing more than expected.”

Despite graduating 26 seniors, seven Tilghman players rank among our annual Herald-Leader Hundred list of the state’s top players this season, the most of any school. All of those have offers from Kentucky and other colleges, including the state’s top senior recruit, offensive lineman Jarvis Strickland, who flipped his commitment from Kentucky to Louisville earlier this summer.

Strickland said this year’s team can be as good or better than the one that defeated Franklin County 27-20 last December at Kroger Field.

“I think our receiving corps might be better than what we had last year,” Strickland said. Last year’s group included Martels Carter and Vanzale Hinton, now at Kentucky and Vanderbilt, respectively. “I feel good about it. And our inside guys have more stuff put together. I think we’ll be back.”

Tilghman garnered 12 No. 1 votes from coaches participating in the @HLpreps preseason survey. No. 2 Boyle County, who had its string of four straight Class 4A titles broken last year, drew nine; No. 3 Covington Catholic, three; No. 5 Highlands, two in its return to the division after 10 years in Class 5A; and No. 4 Franklin County, one.

2025 Class 4A Top 10

Here are the preseason top 10 teams in Class 4A as voted on by coaches in the division.

1. PADUCAH TILGHMAN

Head coach: Sean Thompson (fifth season).

Last year: 15-0. State champions.

Quick look: Senior Stone Crowe, the nephew of 1992 Mr. Football and Tilghman alum Billy Jack Haskins, takes over at QB. His weapons include Chance McPike Jr., a 6-1 junior wideout transfer from Warrenton, Missouri, and 6-3 sophomore Avery Thompson, who had 454 yards and eight TDs behind five seniors last year. DJ Wilson rushed for 828 yards and 11 TDs in a pass-happy offense as a junior and has the aforementioned Strickland among his run-blockers. Three-star safety Hank James, a recent Troy commit, leads the defense.

Schedule highlights: Aug. 22 at McCracken County; Sept. 5 vs. Mayfield; Sept. 26 vs. Allen County-Scottsville; Oct. 3 vs. Logan County.

2. BOYLE COUNTY

Head coach: Justin Haddix (fifth season).

Last year: 12-1. District champions. Lost 31-28 to Covington Catholic in the region finals.

Quick look: The Rebels return 10 starters, five a side, including Seneca Driver, a 6-7 junior tight end/defensive end who rates as a four-star recruit with at least 35 college offers. Senior QB Baylor Murphy threw for 2,009 yards and 30 TDs last year, but Boyle must replace more than 2,000 yards rushing and more than 1,000 yards receiving lost to graduation. “I think we have enough talent to be in the thick of it in 4A at the end of the season,” Haddix said.

Schedule highlights: Aug. 23 vs. Bullitt East (at Bowling Green); Aug. 30 vs. Lexington Christian; Sept. 5 at Lexington Catholic; Sept. 12 vs. Highlands; Oct. 3 vs. St. Xavier; Oct. 31 at Frederick Douglass.

3. COVINGTON CATHOLIC

Head coach: Eddie Eviston (11th season).

Last year: 11-3. District and region champions. Lost 14-10 to Franklin County in the state semifinals.

Quick look: The Colonels return 13 starters from the team who stunned four-time defending 4A champ Boyle County in Title Town last year. Those include their senior backfield — dual-threat QB Cash Harney (1,303 yards, 13 TDs passing, 1,476 yards, 19 TDs rushing) and running back Dylan Gaiser (1,398 yards, 15 TDs rushing). “We need to build off that momentum of a deep playoff run and play at a high level at all times,” Eviston said.

Schedule highlights: Aug. 22 vs. Ryle; Sept. 19 at Beechwood; Sept. 26 at Central; Oct. 3 at Highlands; Oct. 10 vs. Indianapolis Cathedral.

4. FRANKLIN COUNTY

Head coach: Eddie James (ninth season).

Last year: 13-1. State runner-up. District and region champions.

Quick look: Senior Jay’Quan Crawford, a three-star senior, is one of three multipurpose backs who combined for more than 1,000 yards rushing and 15 touchdowns in 2024. That included fellow seniors Jack Oldham and Delano Collins. Knox Barrett threw for 1,272 yards and 17 TDs as a freshman. Senior linebacker Jacob Olds ranks as the Eagles’ top returning tackler (109).

Schedule highlights: Aug. 22 at Great Crossing; Aug. 29 at Bullitt East; Sept. 12 vs. Lexington Christian; Oct. 3 Spencer County; Oct. 31 vs. Bowling Green.

5. HIGHLANDS

Head coach: Bob Sphire (fifth season).

Last year: 11-3. Region champions. Lost 61-23 to Cooper in the Class 5A state semifinals.

Quick look: Highlands returns an impressive offensive line led by 6-4, 300-pound senior Louisville commit Max Merz and 6-5, 310-pound senior Mason Howard. They’ll protect senior QB Mario Litmer, who threw for 2,791 yards and 33 TDs in 2024. Tight end Tayden Lorenzen, son of Highlands and UK legend Jared Lorenzen, impressed with 553 total yards and 12 TDs as a freshman.

Schedule highlights: Aug. 22 vs. Frederick Douglass; Aug. 29 at Cooper; Sept. 12 at Boyle County; Sept. 19 vs. Ryle; Oct. 3 vs. Covington Catholic; Oct. 24 vs. Scott County.

6. CORBIN

Head coach: Luke Salmons (second season).

Last year: 12-2. District and region champions. Lost 31-14 to Paducah Tilghman in the state semifinals.

Quick look: The Redhounds’ D-line is led by Malachi Brown, a 6-4, 275-pound three-star junior with offers including UK and Tennessee. The offense returns seniors Cole Stevens (929 yards, 10 TDs rushing) and Cam Estep (1,027 yards, 9 TDs receiving). Senior tight end Eli Pietrowski has offers from UK and Marshall. Mason Salmons takes over at QB after ranking third on the team in tackles as a sophomore.

Schedule highlights: Sept. 5 at Bryan Station; Sept. 12 at Pulaski County; Sept. 19 vs. Frederick Douglass; Oct. 3 vs. Johnson Central; Oct. 31 at Great Crossing.

7. JOHNSON CENTRAL

Head coach: Jesse Peck (fourth season).

Last year: 8-4.

Quick look: Most of the offensive line that powered the Golden Eagles’ unreal 5,051 yards and 68 TDs rushing last season return. Dylan Music got nearly 1,000 yards of that with 12 TDs as the second option last year. Senior linemen Isaac Adkins, 6-3/280; Dylan Peck, 6-4/260; and Tray Davis, 6-2/270, should help junior QB Austin Slone keep the machine running. Senior linebacker Dalton Matney (80 tackles) helps lead the defense.

Schedule highlights: Aug. 29 vs. Madison Central; Sept. 5 at Belfry; Sept. 12 vs. Pikeville; Sept. 19 vs. Pulaski County; Oct. 3 at Corbin; Oct. 24 vs. Ashland Blazer.

8. ASHLAND BLAZER

Head coach: Chad Tackett (third season).

Last year: 11-2. District champion. Lost 42-7 to Corbin in region finals.

Quick look: Senior multi-purpose back Cam Davis notched 1,100-plus yards and 17 TDs rushing and receiving and will get help in the backfield from junior Mav Ashby, who had 452 yards and 6 TDs rushing. Eight starters return on defense, including senior linebacker Keshawn Newman and senior defensive end Rieday Rucker, who led the team with four sacks each to go with their 56 and 39 tackles, respectively.

Schedule highlights: Aug. 22 vs. Raceland; Aug. 29 at Tates Creek; Sept. 4 at Lawrence County; Oct. 24 at Johnson Central; Oct. 31 vs. Lexington Catholic.

9. NORTH OLDHAM

Head coach: Brock Roberts (third season).

Last year: 9-3. Lost 39-29 to DeSales in the second round.

Quick look: The Mustangs hadn’t had a winning season since 2014. They’re 2-for-2 on winning campaigns since Roberts took over in 2023. Senior Colin Daniels, a 6-5, 205-pound QB, threw for 2,305 yards and 30 TDs last season. Fellow senior Lucas Tompkins (887 yards, 14 TDs receiving) was one of his favorite targets. Though just four starters return on defense, one of them is senior defensive end AJ Paul, who led the team with 17 tackles for a loss and seven sacks.

Schedule highlights: Sept. 5 at Oldham County; Sept. 12, vs. South Oldham; Oct. 31 vs. Atherton.

10. JOHN HARDIN

Head coach: Doug Preston (sixth season).

Last year: 9-3. Lost 49-14 to Franklin County in the second round.

Quick look: Preston believes he has a Mr. Football candidate in senior running back Cavalli Pittman, who rushed for 3,174 yards and 40 TDs last season. He’ll get help in the backfield this season from two-way standouts B.J. Stewart, a senior defensive back, and D.J. Hightower, a sophomore linebacker. D-lineman Elijah Luna ranked second on the team in tackles (56) as a sophomore.

Schedule highlights: Aug. 22 at Hancock County; Sept. 5 at Bardstown; Oct. 3, at Bethlehem; Oct. 17 at Taylor County; Oct. 24 vs. Elizabethtown; Oct. 31 vs. Mercer County.

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES

In order of votes received: Taylor County, Logan County, Spencer County, Wayne County, Franklin-Simpson, Allen County-Scottsville, Boyd County, Harrison County, Mason County, Warren East, Russell County, Lincoln County, Doss.

Survey method: These rankings reflect the participation of coaches from 26 of the 38 Class 4A teams eligible for postseason play (68.4%). Every coach in the division was given the opportunity to participate in the @HLpreps annual survey via email. Multiple attempts were made to contact each coach.

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