Boyle County earns Class 4A player and coach of the year with Driver, Haddix
The Kentucky Football Coaches Association has announced its 2025 players, linemen and coaches of the year for each of high school football’s six classes.
Boyle County’s Seneca Driver, a four-star junior tight end/linebacker, and his coach, Justin Haddix, earned Class 4A player and coach of the year honors, respectively. They were the only central Kentucky honorees among those named Friday and Saturday by the KFCA.
Each class’ award winners were announced ahead of the respective state championship games at Kroger Field. Boyle County claimed the Class 4A state championship with a 34-0 win over Franklin County on Friday. Driver earned championship MVP honors in that game
Class 3A champion Christian Academy-Louisville was the only school to sweep player, lineman and coach of the year with Ja’Hyde Brown, Kellan Hall and coach Hunter Cantwell.
Because the class player of the year honorees include underclassmen, the list is not necessarily a precursor for Mr. Football, the KFCA’s highest honor for the state’s most outstanding senior each year.
Finalists for Mr. Football are expected to be announced early next week with the association voting on the winner shortly after.
Since the KFCA began voting on its own Mr. Football apart from the now-defunct Associated Press award, it has picked Mr. Football winners who did not win their class player of the year award. That last occurred in 2023 when Christian Academy-Louisville’s Cole Hodge won the Class 3A player of the year and Bell County’s Daniel Thomas won Mr. Football from the same division.
Among those eligible to be a finalist from this year’s class winners are Kace Eastridge of Campbellsville, Kris Hughes of Somerset, Markezz Hightower of Madisonville-North Hopkins and Jacob Savage of Ryle.
The KFCA’s Mr. Football finalists could also include Owensboro’s Evan Hampton, a Vanderbilt signee, and Cooper’s Cam O’Hara, a Western Kentucky signee, among others.
In addition to Mr. Football, the annual Jimmie Reed Coach of the Year and a first-ever statewide Philip Haywood Lineman of the Year will be announced at a later date.
KFCA Class Players of the Year
Class A: Kace Eastridge, Campbellsville
Class 2A: Kris Hughes, Somerset
Class 3A: Ja’Hyde Brown, Christian Academy-Louisville
Class 4A: Seneca Driver, Boyle County
Class 5A: Markezz Hightower, Madisonville-North Hopkins
Class 6A: Jacob Savage, Ryle
KFCA Class Linemen of the Year
Class A: Kris Mandy, Kentucky Country Day
Class 2A: Bo Wolford, Belfry
Class 3A: Kellan Hall, Christian Academy-Louisville
Class 4A: Max Merz, Highlands
Class 5A: Brady Hull, Pulaski County
Class 6A: Malik Butler, South Warren
KFCA Class Coaches of the Year
Class A: Dale Estes, Campbellsville
Class 2A: Matt Varney, Belfry
Class 3A: Hunter Cantwell, Christian Academy-Louisville
Class 4A: Justin Haddix, Boyle County
Class 5A: William Howard, Greenwood
Class 6A: Brandon Smith, South Warren
This story was originally published December 6, 2025 at 7:55 PM.
