Herald-Leader Top 10: Kentucky Class 6A high school football preseason poll for 2024

Editor’s note: This is the sixth in a series of stories ranking Kentucky’s high school football teams class by class, according to voting by the class’s coaches.

Bullitt East provided a brief reprieve from Louisville’s domination of Kentucky high school football’s Class 6A when the Chargers shocked the state with a championship in 2022.

But the Trinity empire struck back last year with a 41-20 win against Bryan Station in the finals to claim the Rocks’ record 28th state championship. Only two teams outside of Louisville have won Class 6A since the KHSAA expanded from four divisions to six in 2007 (Scott County in 2013 and Bullitt East).

Trinity has claimed 11 titles in that span and got its first under head coach Jay Cobb in 2023.

“Our goal for the season is always the same: win the 6A state title,” Cobb said in reply to the Herald-Leader’s preseason survey. That opening sentence never changes.

Trinity garnered 23 out of a possible 28 No. 1 votes in our preseason poll of coaches. Male got the next most with three top nods. St. Xavier and Frederick Douglass split the other two.

Here are the preseason top-10 teams in Class 6A, the division for the largest schools in the Kentucky High School Athletic Association, as voted on by coaches in the division.

1. TRINITY

Head coach: Jay Cobb (fourth season).

Last year: 12-3. State champions with 41-20 win over Bryan Station.

Quick look: The Rocks have sophomore quarterback Zane Johnson (2,289 yards and 30 TDs passing) and his top target, senior wideout Jeremiah Lynn (1,050 yards and 14 TDs receiving) among five offensive starters returning. The other three are all offensive linemen — seniors Elijah Hernandez and Boyd Knoerr and junior Nate Shields. Sophomore running back Jamaurion Berry should be an impact player, Cobb said. Two seniors will lead a young defense — defensive end Bailey Vance and linebacker JC Wilson.

Schedule highlights: Aug. 23 at Bryan Station; Aug. 30 at Frederick Douglass; Sept. 20 vs. Male; Sept. 27 at St. Xavier; Oct. 11 vs. Ballard.

2. ST. XAVIER

Head coach: Kevin Wallace (sixth season).

Last year: 8-4. Lost 38-14 to Trinity in the second round.

Quick look: Three-star recruit Marlon Harbin, a 5-11 junior with college offers including Kentucky, could get time at both running back and receiver after leading the Tigers in receiving yards last season. Mason Trimble, a 6-1 junior, takes over at quarterback and could be “very, very good as a dual threat,” Wallace said. On defense, junior linebacker Karsten Busch has offers including Kentucky, Purdue and Cincinnati, while senior defensive end Erik Ekens is committed to Eastern Illinois.

Schedule highlights: Aug. 30 vs. Central; Sept. 6 at Male; Sept. 27 vs. Trinity; Oct. 4 vs. Ryle; Oct. 11 vs. Manual; Nov. 1 vs. Bowling Green.

3. FREDERICK DOUGLASS

Head coach: Nathan McPeek (fifth season).

Last year: 8-5. District and region champions. Lost 14-7 in overtime to Trinity in the state semifinals.

Quick look: The Broncos add workhorse Taylor County transfer Peyton Smith at running back. The 5-10 senior Eastern Kentucky commit has rushed for an astounding 4,621 yards and 61 TDs for his career. He joins a loaded backfield that includes senior Pharo Watts, junior Kenoxie “TayTay” Allen and sophomore Jeremiah Lynn. Senior wideout Derion Talbert, a Ball State commit, proved to be the Broncos’ most reliable threat with 12 TDs, two via punt return. Senior linebackers Kaden Clay (Southern Illinois) and Logan Busson (Bucknell) will lead the defense, which should get a boost from four-star Kentucky commit Cedric Works, a 6-4 edge rusher who transferred recently from Clayton, Ohio.

Schedule highlights: Aug. 24 vs. Bowling Green (at Western Kentucky University); Aug. 30 vs. Trinity; Sept. 6 at Manual; Sept. 20 vs. Corbin; Oct. 4 vs. Male; Oct. 19 vs. Bryan Station; Nov. 1 at Boyle County.

4. MALE

Head coach: Chris Wolfe (15th season).

Last year: 11-2. District champion. Lost 21-20 to Frederick Douglass in the region finals.

Quick look: Antonio Harris, a 6-1 senior wideout committed to Louisville, can line up anywhere and will have a veteran offensive line led by North Carolina State commit Isaac “Spike” Sowells. Chayce Burton rushed for 717 yards and seven TDs in limited duty as a sophomore last year. Senior linebacker/safety Solomon Conley topped the tackles chart last season and is one of five defensive starters back.

Schedule highlights: Aug. 30 at Ballard; Sept. 6 vs. St. Xavier; Sept. 20 at Trinity; Oct. 4 at Frederick Douglass; Oct. 25 at Bullitt East; Nov. 1 vs. Manual.

5. BRYAN STATION

Head coach: Phillip Hawkins (fifth season).

Last year: 11-4. Region champions and state runner-up.

Quick look: The Defenders follow up 2023’s run to the finals with offensive and defensive lines Hawkins believes said are his biggest yet. That’s good news for senior running back Kalen “Jaws” Washington, who rushed for 1,311 yards and 16 TDs last year. James-Michael “JD” Davis, a 6-1 senior, takes over at quarterback and will have standout sophomore Demond Green among his top targets. Another sophomore, defensive back Jordan Haskins, already has college offers including Kentucky and Louisville.

Schedule highlights: Aug. 23 vs. Trinity; Aug. 31 at Boyle County; Sept. 6 vs. Bowling Green (at Lexington Christian); Sept. 13 vs. Ballard; Oct. 19 at Henry Clay; Nov. 1 at Central Hardin.

6. MANUAL

Head coach: Keith Eckloff (first season).

Last year: 9-3. District champion. Lost 48-42 in overtime to Ballard in the second round.

Quick look: Eckloff comes over from Seneca to lead the Crimsons and has a strong run game led by Gerian Traynor (1,041 yards, 16 TDs) back along with three-star offensive lineman David “Pancake” Pellman, a 6-4 305 junior with multiple Division I offers, and George Luckett IV, a 6-3, 295-pound tackle. Senior wideout Willis Nofsinger is also back. On defense, the top three tacklers are all seniors — linebackers Jalen Hayes and Braydon Jones and lineman Cameron Jessee, who had 11 sacks in 2023.

Schedule highlights: Aug. 23 at Central; Aug. 30 vs. Central Hardin; Sept. 6 vs. Frederick Douglass; Sept. 20 at South Warren; Sept. 27 vs. Christian Academy-Louisville; Oct. 11 at St. Xavier; Nov. 1 at Male.

7. BALLARD

Head coach: Matt Kuehn (first season).

Last year: 10-4. Region champion. Lost 24-21 to Bryan Station in the state semifinals.

Quick look: Kuehn, a Ballard assistant for two seasons, takes over a veteran team that must replace a QB and primary running back but has nine returning starters on offense and eight on defense to alleviate concerns. Senior wideout Maurice Stephens is a Kent State commit who led the Bruins with 630 yards and 10 TDs receiving. Senior linebacker Amarein Atkinson was among the team’s tackles leaders and is considered a “coach on the field.”

Schedule highlights: Aug. 23 vs. South Warren (at Campbellsville); Aug. 30 vs. Male; Sept. 13 at Bryan Station; Oct. 11 at Trinity; Nov. 1 vs. Woodford County.

8. RYLE

Head coach: Mike Engler (11th season).

Last year: 8-5. District champion. Lost 49-12 to Bryan Station in the region finals.

Quick look: Ryle turns to the next Verax in line at quarterback as Nathan Verax succeeds his older brother Logan at the position. Engler expects the younger “to make a name for himself very quickly.” All of the Raiders’ top targets return, led by senior wideout Landon Lorms, who had 1,023 yards and 13 TD catches last season. Junior linebacker Jacob Savage led all of Class 6A with 163 tackles last season and is one of nine starters back on defense.

Schedule highlights: Aug. 23 vs. Covington Catholic; Sept. 6 at Cooper; Sept. 13 vs. Highlands; Sept. 20 at Christian Academy-Louisville; Oct. 4 at St. Xavier.

9. BULLITT EAST

Head coach: Keegan Kendrick (third season).

Last year: 9-3. Lost 43-20 to Ryle in the second round.

Quick look: Cole Cornell, a 6-2 junior, takes over at quarterback and will have two of the Chargers’ top receivers back in senior wideouts Cayden Cowan and Caden Bostock. Junior defensive end Baron Hardesty led the team in tackles and sacks last season and Bullitt East has experience at the other two levels, as well, in senior linebackers Ryan Rayhill and Brady Cornell and senior safety Jacob Clancy. “We’ve got the pieces to make a good run, the kids will have to decide if they want to get there,” Kendrick said.

Schedule highlights: Aug. 30 vs. Pleasure Ridge Park; Sept. 6 vs. North Bullitt; Sept. 13 at Bullitt Central; Sept. 20 at Central; Oct. 25 vs. Male.

10. HENDERSON COUNTY

Head coach: Josh Boston (ninth season).

Last year: 5-7. Lost 38-23 to McCracken County in the second round.

Quick look: With just four returning starters on offense and three on defense, Boston is hoping the Colonels’ offseason weight training pays dividends. “We’ve got an extremely young, but very strong group of kids.” Dual-threat quarterback Trajdon Davis, a 6-2 senior, and leading rusher Tony Burrus, a 5-7 senior, lead an offense that topped 4,000 total yards last season. The Colonels also return leading tackler Jack Ryan Reusch at linebacker.

Schedule highlights: Aug. 30 vs. South Warren; Sept. 6 vs. Central Hardin; Sept. 13 at Paducah Tilghman; Sept. 20 vs. Owensboro Catholic; Sept. 27 at Mayfield; Nov. 1 vs. Owensboro.

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES

In order of votes received: Central Hardin, McCracken County, Fern Creek, Tates Creek, Pleasure Ridge Park, Simon Kenton, Great Crossing, North Hardin, Madison Central, Meade County.

Survey method: These rankings reflect the participation of coaches from 28 of the 32 Class 5A teams (87.5%). Every coach in the division was given the opportunity to participate in the @HLpreps annual survey via email. Multiple attempts were made to contact each coach.