With KHSAA football regular season nearing end, here are projections for playoff matchups
Two weeks remain in the Kentucky high school football regular season, but district play will wrap up this weekend.
With that in mind, pairings for the first round of the playoffs will be set this weekend.
A few reminders about this year’s format:
* The Kentucky High School Athletic Association got rid of intra-district play last year, meaning teams will play opponents from an opposite district in the first round. The matchups are the same in Class A-Class 5A: District One vs. District Two, District Three vs. District Four, District Five vs. District Six and District Seven vs. District Eight.
In Class 6A, the matchups are District One vs. District Two, District Three vs. District Five, District Four vs. District Six and District Seven vs. District Eight.
* After the second round, the eight remaining teams in each class will be seeded based on their RPI ranking from the end of the regular season. Matchups in the third round of the playoffs include a geographical factor, with winners in Districts 1-4 in one group and winners in District 5-8 in another group. There are no geographical factors involved for state semifinal matchups.
Here's a look at projected playoff matchups for districts that include Louisville-area teams. Projections are based on Jason Frakes’ rankings and predictions.
Class A, District Two
Friday’s games: Kentucky Country Day (8-0 overall, 2-0 in district) at Campbellsville (8-0, 2-0); Holy Cross (3-5, 0-2) at Bethlehem (4-4, 0-2).
Projected first-round games (seeds in parentheses): Holy Cross (4) at Caverna (1); Fulton County (3) at Kentucky Country Day (2); Ballard Memorial (4) at Campbellsville (1); Bethlehem (3) at Russellville (2).
Projected second-round games: Holy Cross at Kentucky Country Day; Bethlehem at Campbellsville.
Class 2A, District Four
Friday’s game: Lexington Christian (7-1, 2-0) at Washington County (7-2, 2-0).
Projected first-round games (seeds in parentheses): Fort Knox (4) at Green County (1); Metcalfe County (3) at Washington County (2); Clinton County (4) at Lexington Christian (1); Shawnee (3) at Monroe County (2).
Projected second-round games: Washington County at Green County; Monroe County at Lexington Christian.
Class 3A, District Three
Friday’s games: Elizabethtown (2-6, 1-1) at Christian Academy (7-1, 2-0); LaRue County (0-8, 0-2) at Central (3-5, 1-1).
Projected first-round games (seeds in parentheses): Marion County (4) at Christian Academy (1); Elizabethtown (3) at Garrard County (2); LaRue County (4) at Mercer County (1); Casey County (3) at Central (2).
Projected second-round games: Garrard County at Christian Academy; Central at Mercer County.
Class 4A, District Three
Thursday’s game: Western (2-5, 2-2) at Waggener (1-7, 0-4).
Friday’s games: Doss (2-5, 2-2) at DeSales (6-2, 4-0); Jeffersontown (7-1, 3-1) at Valley (1-7, 1-3).
Projected first-round games (seeds in parentheses): Spencer County (4) at DeSales (1); Western (3) at North Oldham (2); Doss (4) at Franklin County (1); Shelby County (3) at Jeffersontown (2).
Projected second-round games: North Oldham at DeSales; Jeffersontown at Franklin County.
Class 4A, District Four
Thursday’s game: Spencer County (3-5, 2-2) at North Oldham (5-3, 3-1).
Friday’s games: Western Hills (4-4, 0-4) at Franklin County (8-0, 4-0); Shelby County (4-4, 2-2) at Henry County (5-3, 1-3).
Projected first-round games (seeds in parentheses): Spencer County (4) at DeSales (1); Western (3) at North Oldham (2); Doss (4) at Franklin County (1); Shelby County (3) at Jeffersontown (2).
Projected second-round games: North Oldham at DeSales; Jeffersontown at Franklin County.
Class 5A, District Three
Thursday’s game: Iroquois (0-8, 0-2) at Butler (2-6, 0-2).
Friday’s game: Fairdale (4-4, 2-0) at Atherton (7-1, 2-0).
Projected first-round games (seeds in parentheses): North Bullitt (4) at Atherton (1); Butler (3) at Moore (2); Iroquois (4) at Grayson County (1); Seneca (3) at Fairdale (2).
Projected second-round games: Moore at Atherton; Fairdale at Grayson County.
Class 5A, District Four
Friday’s games: Seneca (3-4, 1-2) at Bullitt Central (1-7, 0-3); Moore (5-3, 2-1) at North Bullitt (3-5, 1-2).
Projected first-round games (seeds in parentheses): North Bullitt (4) at Atherton (1); Butler (3) at Moore (2); Iroquois (4) at Grayson County (1); Seneca (3) at Fairdale (2).
Projected second-round games: Moore at Atherton; Fairdale at Grayson County.
Class 5A, District Five
Friday’s games: Woodford County (5-2, 2-1) at Anderson County (0-8, 0-3); Collins (5-3, 1-2) at South Oldham (6-3, 1-2).
Projected first-round games (seeds in parentheses): Conner (4) at Scott County (1); South Oldham (3) at Cooper (2); Collins (4) at Highlands (1); Dixie Heights (3) at Woodford County (2)
Projected second-round games: Cooper at Scott County; Woodford County at Highlands.
Class 6A, District Three
Friday’s games: Manual (7-1, 2-0) at Meade County (5-3, 0-2); St. Xavier (5-3, 1-1) at Pleasure Ridge Park (4-4, 1-1).
Projected first-round games (seeds in parentheses): Meade County (4) at Trinity (1); Oldham County (3) at St. Xavier (2); Eastern (4) at Manual (1); Pleasure Ridge Park (3) at Ballard (2).
Projected second-round games: St. Xavier at Trinity; Ballard at Manual.
Class 6A, District Four
Friday’s games: Bullitt East (7-1, 2-0) at Male (7-1, 2-0); Fern Creek (5-3, 0-2) at Southern (4-4, 0-2).
Projected first-round games (seeds in parentheses): Southern (4) at Simon Kenton (1); Campbell County (3) at Bullitt East (2); Great Crossing (4) at Male (1); Fern Creek (3) at Ryle (2).
Projected second-round games: Bullitt East at Simon Kenton; Ryle at Male.
Class 6A, District Five
Friday’s games: Oldham County (3-5, 1-1) at Trinity (6-3, 2-0); Ballard (5-3, 1-1) at Eastern (3-5, 0-2).
Projected first-round games (seeds in parentheses): Meade County (4) at Trinity (1); Oldham County (3) at St. Xavier (2); Eastern (4) at Manual (1); Pleasure Ridge Park (3) at Ballard (2).
Projected second-round games: St. Xavier at Trinity; Ballard at Manual.
Reach Jason Frakes at jfrakes@courier-journal.com and follow him on X @kyhighs.
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This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky high school football playoffs: Projections, Louisville races
