Hype update: Scott County tries to rebound at Highlands in H-L top 25 clash
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Scott County travels to Highlands in a top-25 cross-district game that affects RPI.
- Highlands features Tayden Lorenzen, who leads rushing and scoring for the Bluebirds.
- Bryan Station, Madison Central and Pikeville games will shape district seeds and polls.
With the high school football regular season winding down to the final two weeks, there are a few games that will have a significant impact on playoff seeding on Friday and could be a litmus test for postseason success.
One of the biggest ones will be Herald-Leader Hype No. 17 Scott County (7-2) at No. 12 Highlands (7-2) in a cross-district battle that will cost the loser some valuable points in the KHSAA RPI Standings, which are used to seed the third and fourth rounds of the playoffs.
The Cardinals, who slipped to No. 2 in Class 5A’s Kentucky High School Football Media Poll this week after their 57-50 loss at H-L No. 11 Woodford County, have picked a tough place to rebound in going up against Class 4A’s No. 4 Bluebirds in Fort Thomas.
Highlands features junior tight end Tayden Lorenzen, who has figured in walk-off wins over both Frederick Douglass and Covington Catholic this season. The son of the late Kentucky quarterback Jared Lorenzen has rushed for 334 yards and 13 touchdowns this season in addition to 220 yards and three TDs receiving.
In Class 6A, Bryan Station (4-4) has a chance to get back over .500 and lock down the second seed in the 8th District with a win at H-L No. 25 Madison Central (5-3). The Defenders hung on to the No. 9 ranking in Class 6A’s media poll despite their loss to No. 5 Frederick Dougalss. Madison Central is No. 8.
In Class A, media poll No. 8 Hazard (4-4) has a chance to prove itself as a division contender as it hosts No. 3 Pikeville (5-3) in district play.
Herald-Leader Hype 25
Kentucky high school football top 25 rankings by sports writer Jared Peck after Week 9 with season record followed by last week’s Hype 25 ranking (Prv) and each team’s class with its latest Kentucky High School Football Media Poll ranking (KMP) and KHSAA RPI.
Rank. Team (Record)… Prv…Class-KMP/RPI
1. Trinity (Louisville) (7-2)…1…6A-1/5
2. South Warren (8-0)…2…6A-2/1
3. Christian Academy-Louisville (9-0)…3…3A-1/1
4. Boyle County (7-1)…4…4A-1/1
5. St. Xavier (5-3)…5…6A-3/3
6. Paducah Tilghman (7-1)…6…4A-3/4
7. Franklin County (9-0)…7…4A-2/3
8. Johnson Central (9-0)…8…4A-5/2
9. Manual (6-2)…9…6A-4/2
10. Frederick Douglass (5-3)…10…6A-5/4
11. Woodford County (7-1)…11…5A-1/2
12. Highlands (7-2)…12…4A-4/6
13. Male (5-3)…13…6A-7/13
14. Ryle (5-3)…14…6A-6/6
15. Covington Catholic (6-3)…15…4A-6/11
16. Beechwood (7-1)…16…2A-1/6
17. Scott County (7-2)…18…5A-2/4
18. Cooper (5-3)…19…5A-3/12
19. Owensboro Catholic (7-1)…20…2A-2/1
20. Mayfield (7-1)…21…2A-3/3
21. Pulaski County (6-2)…22…5A-5/1
22. Atherton (7-1)…23…5A-6/10
23. Owensboro (6-2)…24…5A-4/3
24. Madison Central (5-3)…NR…6A-8/7
25. Madisonville-North Hopkins (7-1)…17…5A-6/5
Dropping out: Bryan Station.
Watch List: Belfry, Bell County, Bryan Station, Lexington Catholic, Lexington Christian, Murray, Bowling Green.
H-L Hype games of the week
Friday’s top game, according to our H-L rankings.
- No. 17 Scott County (7-2) at No. 12 Highlands (7-2), 7:30 p.m.
Media Poll games of the week
Friday’s top games between teams ranked in their respective class top 10s in the latest Kentucky High School Football Media Poll.
- Bryan Station at Madison Central, 7:30 p.m.
- Pikeville at Hazard, 7:30 p.m.
Friday’s other Lexington games
- Casey County at Lexington Catholic, 7:30 p.m.
- Eminence at Sayre, 7:30 p.m.
- George Rogers Clark at Frederick Douglass, 7:30 p.m.
- Henry Clay at Tates Creek, 6:30 p.m.
- Lexington Christian at Washington County, 7:30 p.m.
- Paul Laurence Dunbar at Lafayette, 6:30 p.m.
Friday’s other Central Kentucky games
- Bourbon County at Pendleton County, 7:30 p.m.
- Fairview at Paris, 7:30 p.m.
- Frankfort at Berea, 7:30 p.m.
- Garrard County at Mercer County, 7:30 p.m.
- Great Crossing at Campbell County, 7:30 p.m.
- Madison Southern at West Jessamine, 7:30 p.m.
- Shelby County at Western Hills, 7:30 p.m.
- Wayne County at Boyle County, 7:30 p.m.
- Woodford County at Anderson County, 7:30 p.m.
