2025 Herald-Leader Top 10: Kentucky Class 6A high school football preseason poll

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

A near unanimous choice for Kentucky high school football’s No. 1 team in Class 6A, Louisville’s Trinity Shamrocks are the preseason favorites to head to Kroger Field and claim a third consecutive state title and KHSAA record 30th overall.

Challengers include 2021 champion St. Xavier in coach Kevin Wallace’s declared final year at the helm of the No. 2 Tigers and No. 3 Ryle, last season’s runner-up.

No. 6 Manual, an upset loser to No. 9 Great Crossing in last year’s playoffs, got the one No. 1 nod that didn’t go to the Rocks out of the 24 votes submitted by Class 6A coaches in our @HLpreps annual preseason survey.

The Warhawks created a buzz around the state as social media spread word of their wild second-round win. Great Crossing coach Ricky Bowling is keeping things simple this season.

“We accomplished our aspirations last season, and it was a huge stepping stone for our culture and the continuance of building a championship program,” Bowling said. “The climate is good. The culture is good. Now, we just have to go compete and go 1-0 weekly.”

Out of Lexington, Frederick Douglass ranks No. 5 in its third season in Class 6A. The Broncos’ first two big-school campaigns ended at Trinity’s Marshall Stadium with a state finals berth on the line.

No. 10 Bryan Station handed Trinity its last playoff loss in 2022 but fell to the Rocks in the title game a year later. New head coach J.T. Haskins, a longtime defensive coordinator and standout Defenders alum, will try to keep the Pride of the Northside rolling.

Class 6A welcomes No. 7 South Warren out of Bowling Green this year, thanks to the latest KHSAA realignment based on enrollment. The Spartans are three-time state champs in the smaller-school divisions.

2025 Class 6A top 10

Here are the preseason top 10 teams in Class 6A, the division for Kentucky’s largest schools by enrollment, as voted on by coaches in the division.

1. TRINITY

Head coach: Jay Cobb (fifth season).

Last year: 13-2. State champions with 42-23 win over Ryle.

Quick look: The Rocks remain loaded with 15 starters returning, seven on offense, including junior QB Zane Johnson, who threw for 2,001 yards and 18 TDs. Fellow junior Jamaurion Berry rushed for 780 yards and 12 TDs while splitting carries. Defensive back Allen Evans rates as a four-star junior with 12 offers including Alabama. Three-star senior defensive lineman Jahbarri Frost recently picked up an offer from Iowa State. Junior DBs Elijah Burns-Crump and Sekou Kamara have Kentucky offers.

Schedule highlights: Aug. 29 vs. Frederick Douglass; Sept. 5 at Moeller (Cincinnati); Sept. 12 vs. Carmel (Indianapolis); Sept. 19 at Male; Sept. 26 vs. St. Xavier (at L&N Stadium); Oct. 3 at Cincinnati St. Xavier.

2. ST. XAVIER

Head coach: Kevin Wallace (seventh season).

Last year: 7-5. Lost 38-17 at Ryle in the second round.

Quick look: The Tigers have a three-star senior Louisville commits on each side of the ball in 5-11 multi-purpose back Marlon Harbin (704 yards 12 TDs rushing; 639 yards, 6 TDs receiving) and 6-3 linebacker Karsten Busch (59 tackles, 7 sacks). Senior QB Mason Trimble threw for 2,300 yards and 21 TDs in 2024.

Schedule highlights: Aug. 22 vs. Owensboro; Aug. 29 at Bowling Green; Sept. 5 vs. Male; Sept. 26 vs. Trinity (at L&N Stadium); Oct. 3 at Boyle County; Oct. 10 at Manual.

3. RYLE

Head coach: Mike Engler (12th season).

Last year: 12-3. State runner-up; district and region champions.

Quick look: Nine starters return on offense led by senior dual-threat quarterback Jacob Savage, a three-star Indiana commit who threw for 2,374 yards and 30 TDs and ran for 1,085 yards and 22 more scores. Incredibly, Savage also led the defense in tackles at linebacker with 141 to go with three sacks, which Engler said makes his two-way threat a top candidate for Mr. Football. Fellow senior Nathan Verax rushed for 599 yards and seven TDs in support.

Schedule highlights: Aug. 22 at Covington Catholic; Sept. 5 vs. Cooper; Sept. 12 vs. Christian Academy-Louisville; Sept. 19 at Highlands; Oct. 17 at Great Crossing.

4. MALE

Head coach: Chris Wolfe (16th season).

Last year: 9-3. District champions. Lost 23-17 to Ballard in the second round.

Quick look: Standout senior running back Chayce Burton might miss the season while still recovering from knee injury suffered last October. Senior Austin Peay commit Steron Davidson will be among those expected to step up in the backfield around senior QB Jordan Williams (1,022 yards, 16 TDs passing). Senior WR/DB Colin Jefferson (216 yards, 4 TDs receiving; 4 interceptions) should make an impact.

Schedule highlights: Aug. 29 vs. Ballard; Sept. 5 at St. Xavier; Sept. 19 vs. Trinity; Oct. 3 vs. Frederick Douglass; Oct. 24 vs. Bullitt East; Oct. 31 at Manual.

5. FREDERICK DOUGLASS

Head coach: Nathan McPeek (sixth season).

Last year: 9-5. District and region champions. Lost 17-0 at Trinity in the state semifinals.

Quick look: The Broncos return just nine starters, but speed shouldn’t be an issue. Junior Dakari Talbert, who has offers including Marshall, rushed for 847 yards with 11 TDs in Douglass’ committee backfield. Junior linebacker Tacori Fields ranks as the top returning tackler (51) and has a Louisville offer. The Broncos look tough in the secondary once more with junior DBs Cionne Conn and Demond Green.

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.

6. MANUAL

Head coach: Keith Eckloff (second season).

Last year: 10-2. District champions. Lost 28-21 to Great Crossing in the second round.

Quick look: Junior dual-threat QB Kaden Mack (1,466 yards, 19 TDs passing; 255 yards, 4 TDs rushing) and senior RB Gerian Traynor (633 yards, 8 TDs rushing) return along with Eastern Kentucky commit David “Pancake” Pellman, a 6-3, 315-pound senior offensive lineman. Linebacker Devin Allen (80 tackles, 3 sacks) and defensive back Corey Warner (34 tackles), both seniors, lead the defense. Warner, a UMass commit, could help the offense, too.

Schedule highlights: Aug. 22 vs. Central (at Moore); Aug. 29 vs. South Warren; Sept. 5 at Frederick Douglass; Sept. 12 at Atherton; Sept. 19 at Cooper; Sept. 26 vs. Bullitt East; Oct. 10 vs. St. Xavier; Oct. 31 vs. Male.

7. SOUTH WARREN

Head coach: Brandon Smith (13th season).

Last year: 12-2. District and region champions in Class 5A. Lost 31-28 to Bowling Green in state semifinals.

Quick look: Smith expects the Spartans to take some time adjusting to Class 6A, but he has his top rusher and receiver back in seniors Kayden York (852 yards, 12 TDs rushing) and Jake Carter (792 yards, 13 TDs receiving). Senior linebacker Drayson Moore (65 tackles, 4 sacks) and junior lineman JaQuise Smith (27 tackles, 3 sacks) lead a defense Smith sees as the strength of the team.

Schedule highlights: Aug. 22 vs. Bryan Station (at Lexington Christian); Aug. 29 at Manual; Sept. 12 vs. Bowling Green; Sept. 26 at Pulaski County.

8. BALLARD

Head coach: Matt Kuehn (second season).

Last year: 6-7. Lost 35-21 to Trinity in the region finals.

Quick look: Senior dual-threat QB Larry Irvin (1,967 yards, 17 TDs, 440 yards, 4 TDs) begins his third year starting under center and has his favorite target back in senior wideout Daelyn Thompson (741 yards, 6 TDs receiving). The defense will be led by linebackers Damond Jackson (90 tackles, 9 sacks) and Santee Brock (72 tackles, 5 sacks) and defensive tackle Javeon Jones (50 tackles, 3 sacks), a senior and two juniors, respectively.

Schedule highlights: Aug. 22 vs. Lexington Catholic; Aug. 29 at Male; Sept. 12 vs. Bryan Station; Sept. 26 vs. Boyle County; Oct. 10 vs. Trinity; Oct. 30 vs. Woodford County.

9. GREAT CROSSING

Head coach: Ricky Bowling (sixth season).

Last year: 10-4. Region champions. Lost 35-7 at Ryle in the state semifinals.

Quick look: Bowling said senior running back Luke Ballard (2,019 yards, 26 TDs rushing) is a top candidate for Mr. Football if he can put another season like 2024 together. Senior linebacker Wyatt Highley racked up 181 tackles in 2024 to rank him among the state’s leaders. The Warhawks must replace senior QB Jeremiah Clark, who transferred to Woodford County during the preseason.

10. BRYAN STATION

Head coach: J.T. Haskins (first season).

Last year: 7-5. Lost 21-19 to Madison Central in the second round.

Quick look: With just five starters back on offense and three on defense, Coach Haskins has some questions to answer, but his son, Jordan Haskins, a 6-0 defensive back with offers including Kentucky and Louisville, can check a few boxes. Noah Winsley, a 6-6, 261-pound senior offensive tackle, rates as a three-star recruit. “We have a resilient group of players, and believe they’re ready to rise to the occasion,” Coach Haskins said.

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.

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES

In order of votes received: Bullitt East, Madison Central, North Hardin, Henderson County, Tates Creek, Simon Kenton, Oldham County, McCracken County, Pleasure Ridge Park, Central Hardin, Fern Creek.

Survey method: These rankings reflect the participation of coaches from 24 of the 32 Class 6A teams eligible for postseason play (75%). 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.

This story was originally published August 19, 2025 at 7:00 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