Friday football digest, week 7
We’re only about halfway through this season, and already much of the talk in high school football is about next season.
That’s always the case whenever realignment is on the table, and we’re less than three weeks away from a KHSAA Board of Control vote on the alignment for the 2011-12 seasons.
Jason Frakes of The Courier-Journal reports that the KHSAA plans to release its alignment proposal today. It won’t be finalized until the Board of Control meeting Oct. 18, but don’t expect to see many changes in the alignment you read this weekend and the one that the Board of Control approves.
The biggest buzz locally is about Boyle County’s petition to “play up” — meaning to move up from the classification where it is placed based on enrollment. Boyle has asked to move up from Class 4A to 5A, a request that will apparently be denied.
That means only one of the six Advocate-area schools will change classes in the new alignment, as Mercer County moves down from 5A to 4A — and quite possibly into the same district as Boyle. Based on the enrollment figures used for classifying teams, and the inexplicable new rule that caps classes 1A and 6A at 32 teams, Mercer would be one of the largest schools in 4A.
Boyle made its case to the KHSAA to move up based on “geographic concerns.” According to the KHSAA, “The primary reason for approving or not approving, a request to play up will be geography (travel concerns) and the fact that playing in a higher class will reduce travel. An equally important condition for denial of a request to play up will be any reference to competitive ability.”
It is widely believed but can never be proved that Boyle would like to steer clear of Highlands and some other 5A powers (Covington Catholic, Johnson Central, Owensboro) that are dropping to 4A. Whatever its motivation, it’s hard to imagine that Boyle would be better off geographically than in the district where it appears to be headed, which would include neighbors Mercer and Marion County as well as Russell and Taylor counties, two schools that aren’t more than 50 miles away.
Elsewhere, Danville’s district in Class 2A will apparently stay exactly the same as it is now, Casey County and Garrard County will join McCreary Central and Wayne County in a 3A district that might or might not include Somerset — depending on whether the Briar Jumpers are allowed to play up, which is possible — and Lincoln County will apparently remain in what is left of its 5A district with a couple of new teams.
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Back to this season, where Boyle County squeezes a non-district game against Lafayette in between its big win over Danville last week and its critical district opener against Lexington Catholic next week.
Boyle coach Larry French said Lafayette’s offense is the best the Rebels have faced this season, which would make it better than the Johnson Central offense that stung them repeatedly in their season opener. On the other hand, the Generals didn’t score against Boyle last season, so it’s hard to imagine they can prevent the Rebels from going to 6-0.
If you’re going to this game, take note that it will be played at Lafayette, even though the Generals haven’t had a home game yet this season. They have been playing their “home” games at other Lexington schools for a season and a half while their stadium was being rebuilt, but the stadium and its artificial turf are ready to open tonight.
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Here are this week’s picks, in the wake of yet another 4-1 showing:
- Boyle County over Lafayette.
- Casey County over Wayne County.
- Garrard County over Jackson County.
- Marion County over Mercer County.
- Pulaski County over Lincoln County.
Last week: 4-1; season: 26-6 (.813).
