Advertisement

Bethlehem-KCD rematch on tap. Here's what to know about other KHSAA football playoff games

Jason Frakes, Louisville Courier Journal
·6 min read

Here’s a look at Friday’s second-round football playoff games involving Louisville-area teams in Class A-Class 5A. All times are EST.

Rankings are from the final Kentucky High School Football Media Poll of the season.

Class 5A

Butler (4-7) at Atherton (10-1), 7 p.m.

Atherton coach Anthony White has helped lead his team to 10 wins this season, the most in program history.
Atherton coach Anthony White has helped lead his team to 10 wins this season, the most in program history.

Butler got its first playoff victory since 2018 with a 6-0 win at Moore on Friday. Kadeon Pleasant’s touchdown run was all the Bears needed as the defense posted Butler’s first shutout since the 2020 season opener against Doss. Butler will look to avenge a 20-6 loss at Atherton on Sept. 29. The Bears managed 16 yards of offense in that defeat.

Atherton ran its winning streak to 10 with a 34-0 victory over Seneca on Friday. It was the second shutout of the season for a defense that’s allowing 10 points per game, ranking seventh in the state. Atherton’s 10 victories are a single-season school record, and the Ravens are looking to reach the third round of the playoffs for the first time in program history.

Fairdale (6-5) at Grayson County (10-1), 7:30 p.m.

Fairdale cruised past North Bullitt, 34-12, on Friday and has won five of its last six games after a 1-4 start. The Bulldogs got big games on the ground from juniors Xavier Burks (12 carries, 126 yards, one touchdown) and Leedrick Washington (11 carries, 112 yards, three touchdowns). Burks, who has a team-high 13 touchdowns, was named the Class 5A, District Three Player of the Year last week.

Grayson County ran its winning streak to nine with a 51-0 rout of Iroquois on Friday. It was the Cougars’ first playoff victory since 2018. Freshman Kadin Hanshaw rushed for 80 yards and two touchdowns and also returned a kickoff for a score. He’s rushed for 1,314 yards and 22 touchdowns this season. Grayson County’s defense ranks third in the state, allowing 7.8 yards per game.

Class 4A

Spencer County (6-5) at DeSales (9-2), 7:30 p.m.

DeSales' Brandon Williams and his teammates won the school's first playoff game since 2019 on Friday.
DeSales' Brandon Williams and his teammates won the school's first playoff game since 2019 on Friday.

Spencer County continued its rebound from a 1-4 start, beating Western 54-16 on Friday as senior Kellen Marksbury rushed for 180 yards and three touchdowns on six carries. Marksbury needs 58 rushing yards to reach 1,000 for the season and leads the Bears with 17 touchdowns (11 rushing, five receiving, one punt return).

No. 9 DeSales pushed its winning streak to eight with a 41-27 victory over Henry County on Friday. It was a big night for junior Brandon Williams, who rushed for 65 yards and two touchdowns, caught five passes for 72 yards and a score and posted a team-high 10 tackles, including three tackles for loss. It was the Colts’ first playoff victory since reaching the Class 3A semifinals in 2019.

North Oldham (7-4) at Franklin County (11-0), 7:30 p.m.

North Oldham rolled to a 43-14 victory at Jeffersontown on Friday as senior Jace Bullock passed for 207 yards and three touchdowns. Junior Gray Schmittel had 10 catches for 111 yards and two touchdowns, including a reception that earned a spot on ESPN SportsCenter’s “Top 10 Plays.” Schmittel ranks second in the state with 85 receptions this season and also leads the Mustangs defense with three interceptions.

No. 5 Franklin County has reached the state semifinals three straight years and has a contender again this season behind a defense that’s allowing nine points per game, ranking fifth in the state. The Flyers posted their third shutout of the season Friday in a 56-0 rout of Doss. Senior end Jon Griffin leads the state with 16 ½ sacks. Franklin County also can put points on the board, averaging 38.8 per game behind senior Duri Trahan (1,872 passing yards, 21 touchdowns).

Class 3A

Elizabethtown (4-7) at Christian Academy (10-1), 7:30 p.m.

Christian Academy quarterback Cole Hodge has passed for more than 3,000 yards this season.
Christian Academy quarterback Cole Hodge has passed for more than 3,000 yards this season.

Elizabethtown shut down Garrard County, 23-0, on Friday to advance to the second round. Senior quarterback Greyson Hainer passed for 211 yards and also rushed for a score. It was a positive step for an E’town defense that entered the game allowing 35.7 points per game. The Panthers dropped a 55-7 decision at Christian Academy on Oct. 20.

No. 1 Christian Academy cruised past Marion County, 61-13, on Friday to extend its winning streak to seven. Senior quarterback Cole Hodge, an East Carolina commit, now has 3,031 passing yards and 42 touchdowns this season. Junior Connor Hodge, Cole’s younger brother and also an East Carolina commit, leads the state with 88 catches for 1,147 yards and 14 touchdowns. He’s also tied for third in the state with eight interceptions and has returned two for scores.

Central (6-5) at Mercer County (10-1), 7:30 p.m.

No. 5 Central rolled past Casey County, 48-6, on Friday as junior Cortez Stone rushed for 174 yards and five touchdowns. He now has 1,576 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns on the season. Central’s defense has been stout all season, allowing 11.9 points per game to rank 10th in the state. Junior safety Avaion Johnson leads the unit with 69 tackles and four interceptions.

In his first season as head coach, former University of Kentucky football star Craig Yeast has turned No. 8 Mercer County into a contender. The Titans beat LaRue County, 35-19, on Friday as senior quarterback Thaddeus Mays rushed for 174 yards and two touchdowns and also passed for a score. Mays has rushed for 850 yards this season and accounted for 28 touchdowns (16 rushing, 12 passing).

Class A

Bethlehem (4-7) at Kentucky Country Day (9-2), 7:30 p.m.

KCD’s Troy Humphreys returned an interception for a touchdown in his school's first-round playoff victory Friday.
KCD’s Troy Humphreys returned an interception for a touchdown in his school's first-round playoff victory Friday.

Bethlehem was the only No. 4 seed in any class to win a first-round playoff game, rolling past host Caverna 43-6 on Friday as senior Martavious Smith rushed for 113 yards and three touchdowns. Smith has rushed for 1,117 yards and 13 touchdowns this season. The Eagles will look to turn the tables after dropping a 35-28 decision at KCD on Oct. 13.

After dropping its final two regular-season games to Campbellsville and Henry County, No. 5 KCD rebounded Friday with a 50-0 rout of Fulton County. Sophomore Miller Bates and senior Troy Humphreys returned interceptions for touchdowns as the Bearcats posted their first shutout of the season. KCD is 7-1 in its last eight meetings with Bethlehem, the lone loss coming in the third round of the 2021 playoffs.

Holy Cross (6-5) at Campbellsville (9-1), 8 p.m.

No. 10 Holy Cross cruised to a 49-12 victory at Russellville on Friday as sophomore Jamari Pennebaker rushed for 241 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries. Pennebaker has rushed for 1,220 yards this season and has a team-high 12 touchdowns. The Cougars managed 124 yards of offense in a 35-0 loss to Campbellsville on Oct. 13.

No. 3 Campbellsville had a first-round bye after Ballard Memorial (0-9) elected to back out of the playoffs. The Eagles started their season 9-0 before falling to Class 3A power Hart County, 21-14, on Oct. 27. Senior Daniel Forbis has rushed for 864 yards and 13 touchdowns and was named Class A, District Two Player of the Year.

KHSAA football: What to know about Friday's Class 6A playoff games, including St. X-Trinity

Reach Jason Frakes at jfrakes@courier-journal.com and follow him on X @kyhighs.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: KHSAA football playoffs: KCD-Bethlehem, other Louisville high schools