Class 6A football finals preview: Trinity vs. Male
It’s championship weekend for the 2020 UK Orthopaedics/KHSAA Commonwealth Gridiron Bowl. Here’s a look at Saturday’s Class 6A state title game at Kroger Field.
Trinity (9-0) vs. Male (8-1)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Saturday
RPI ratings: No. 1 Trinity (.64080); No. 5 Male (.58029)
Cantrall ratings: Trinity (97.9); Male (93.2)
Championship history: Trinity (26-4) — The Shamrocks have the most all-time state titles and are the defending champs. Male (8-4) — This is the Bulldogs’ third straight finals appearance. They last won it in 2018.
How they got here: Trinity topped No. 10 St. Xavier 31-0 in the state semis and No. 12 Dixie Heights 56-0 in the regional. Male beat No. 6 Paul Laurence Dunbar 49-6 in the state semis and No. 7 McCracken County 40-13 in the regional.
Quick hits:
▪ Trinity beat Male 43-14 in the Bulldogs’ season opener back on Sept. 18 and 28-6 in last year’s championship game. Those wins broke a string of three straight losses to Male for the Rocks dating from 2018.
▪ Trinity charts five seniors and a junior on the 247Sports.com recruiting rankings, led by linebacker Jack Dingle, a Cincinnati commit. Fellow linebacker Charlie Ely has picked Appalachian State. Two offensive linemen make the list with 6-3 275 OT Alex Moore signed up for Air Force and 6-9, 320 Gavin Malott slated for Akron. Safety Blake Ruffin has signed with Eastern Illinois as has D-lineman Alton Jefferson. Junior running back Armon Tucker rates as a three-star recruit, according to the service.
▪ Trinity quarterback Nathan McElroy recently announced his commitment to Butler, a Football Championship Subdivision school.
▪ For Male, its highest-profile recruits make 247’s junior class list with defensive lineman Selah Brown, linebacker Elijah Manning and wide receiver Vinny Anthony all getting three-star ratings. Male quarterback Nic Schutte, also a junior, is a Western Kentucky baseball commit. Defensive back Nick Coates signed with Eastern Illinois on Wednesday.
▪ Trinity has the state’s second-stingiest defense, allowing only 48 points, which included three shutouts. Only five of its nine opponents reached the end zone. Male was the only team to score two TDs.
Trinity standouts: Nathan McElroy, Sr. QB (1,228 yards/16 TDs); Armon Tucker, Jr. RB (763 yards/13 TDs); Brad West, Sr. RB (601 yards/12 TDs rushing); Jack Mitchell, Sr. WR (241 yards/seven TDs receiving); Brandon Stearman, Sr. LB (50 tackles/three sacks. Jack Dingle, Sr. LB (23 tackles/five sacks); Blake Ruffin, Sr. S (18 tackles/three interceptions/one fumble recovery).
Male standouts: Jaylin Bross, Sr. RB (1,059 yards/19 TDs rushing, 62 yards/one TD receiving); Vincel Anthony, Jr. WR (479 yards/eight TDs receiving); Nic Schutte, Jr. QB (1,041 yards/16 TDs passing, 99 yards/one TD rushing); Daniel Swinney, So. RB (385 yards/seven TDs rushing); Selah Brown, Jr. DL (33 tackles/three sacks); Elijah Manning, Jr. LB (46 tackles/one sack/three fumble recoveries).
@HLpreps pick: Trinity 35, Male 21.
This weekend’s championships
Where: Kroger Field
Tickets: Available by advance sale only. Info via Twitter.com/KHSAA. No walk-up sales.
Online: Subscription required for live video stream at KHSAA.tv.
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.
