Class A football finals preview: Kentucky Country Day vs. Paintsville
It’s championship weekend for the 2020 UK Orthopaedics/KHSAA Commonwealth Gridiron Bowl. Here’s a look at Friday’s Class A state title game at Kroger Field.
Kentucky Country Day (10-1) vs. Paintsville (9-2)
Kickoff: 11 a.m. Friday
RPI ratings: No. 2 KCD (.65407); No. 4 Paintsville (.63404).
Cantrall ratings: KCD (66.1); Paintsville (68.0).
Championship history: KCD (0-0) — This is the Bearcats’ first state finals; Paintsville (0-3) — The Tigers were runners-up last year.
How they got here: KCD defeated No. 10 Williamsburg 27-7 in the state semis and No. 6 Crittenden County 35-7 in the regional finals; Paintsville beat No. 7 Newport Central Catholic 21-7 in the state semis and No. 19 Hazard 39-7 in the regional finals.
Quick hits:
▪ This game is a rematch of last year’s state semifinals, which Paintsville won 44-20, a game the Bearcats kept close for two quarters, but got outscored 26-6 in the second half. Neither team converted any pass yards with the Tigers outgaining KCD 489 yards to 264 on the ground.
▪ KCD returned 19 of its 22 starters from the squad who will remember that defeat. Two of those lost starters accounted for nearly 4,000 yards of offense and 61 TDs, but the Bearcats have seen the emergence of juniors Nathan Caldwell and Eric Dickerson to help lead the attack. And junior QB Luke Russo has nearly matched last year’s production in fewer games.
▪ Paintsville also has major contributors back from its runner-up finish last season, including Luke Hyden, a big factor on offense and the team’s second-leading tackler. His cousin, senior QB Jake Hyden, has been sidelined part of the year, but returned to action last week in the backfield with able backup Karsten Poe continuing to run the offense.
▪ Sophomore running back Harris Phelps is the younger brother of the departed John Walker Phelps (Centre) and has taken up his sibling’s mantle as leading rusher.
KCD standouts: Luke Russo, Jr. QB (1,053 yards/12 TDs passing); Nathan Caldwell, Jr. RB (978 yards/21 TDs rushing); Eric Dickerson, Jr. RB (833 yards/14 TDs rushing); Jalen Todd, Sr., TE/LB (508 yards/six TDs receiving, 71 tackles/6.5 sacks); Exavier Douglas, Sr., LB (59 tackles/1.5 sacks).
Paintsville standouts: Jake Hyden, Sr. QB (1,047 yards/nine TDs passing, 412 yards/nine TDs rushing); Harris Phelps, Sr. RB (1,185 yards/18 TDs rushing); Karsten Poe Sr. WR/QB (208 yards/four TDs receiving, 363 yards, one TD passing, 235 yards/six TDs rushing). Luke Hyden, Sr RB/LB (355 yards rushing/seven TDs, 86 tackles/five sacks); Mason Lovely, Sr., LB (108 tackles/two sacks).
@HLpreps pick: Paintsville 21, KCD 20.
This weekend’s championships
Where: Kroger Field
Tickets: Available by advance sale at KHSAA.org. No walk-up sales.
Online: Subscription required for live video stream at KHSAA.tv. Free audio stream at KHSAA.net
FRIDAY’S GAMES
Class A: Kentucky Country Day vs. Paintsville, 11 a.m.
Class 2A: Lexington Christian vs. Beechwood, 3 p.m.
Class 4A: Boyle County vs. Franklin County, 7 p.m.
SATURDAY’S GAMES
Class 3A: Elizabethtown vs. Ashland Blazer, 11 a.m.
Class 5A: Owensboro vs. Bowling Green, 3 p.m.
Class 6A: Trinity (Louisville) vs. Male, 7 p.m.
This story was originally published December 15, 2020 at 7:25 AM.
