It’s once again football time in the Bluegrass. With less than one week remaining until the kickoff of the 2024 Kentucky High School football season, KSR will preview all six classes. We’ve already covered Class 1A , Class 2A , and Class 3A . Up next is Class 4A, home to KSR’s preseason number one team in the state, the reigning back-to-back-to-back-to-back state champion Boyle County Rebels.
Class 4A | District 1
Allen-County Scottsville (2023: 5-6), Calloway County (2023: 2-8), Hopkinsville (2023: 1-9), Logan County (2023: 8-4), #7 Paducah Tilghman (2023: 13-1), Warren East (2023: 6-6)
The Paducah Tilghman Blue Tornado enter the 2024 season ranked No. 5 in KSR’s Preseason Top 25 Rankings, loaded with one of the most complete rosters in the state.
They’re led by senior three-star quarterback and Troy commit Jack James , who compiled 4,019 passing yards (third in the state) and 56 passing touchdowns (also third in the state) while throwing just six interceptions as a junior in 2023. Tilghman finished last season 13-1, falling just short of the 4A State Title game after losing to Covington Catholic 22-14 in the semifinals.
Paducah Tilghman also made a splash by hauling in three-star cornerback Vanzale Hinton of Ooltewah, Tenn, who committed to Vanderbilt in April of this year.
The Blue Tornado also return junior running back Demarkus Wilson (2023: 1,054 YDS, 14 TD) and four-star wide receiver/defensive back Martels Carter , who committed to Kentucky in April 2024. Carter’s 1,066 receiving yards in 2023 is the most among returning players in Class 4A. He also hauled in 10 receiving touchdowns, along with totaling 44 tackles and three interceptions.
Along with Corbin, the Blue Tornado seem to be one of the two biggest challengers to stopping Boyle County from five-peating this season.
As for the rest of Class 4A District 1, Logan County head coach Todd Adler looks to continue building the program in his ninth year as coach. In the eight seasons prior to Adler taking over, the Cougars were 14-68. In Adler’s eight years, they’re 64-29. They return junior quarterback Ridge Holman, who threw for 2,405 yards and 24 touchdowns last season.
Warren East also looks to bounce back from a disappointing 6-6 season, led by returning senior quarterback Dane Parsley. After totaling 1,880 passing yards, 1,562 rushing yards, 30 passing touchdowns and 27 rushing touchdowns as a sophomore in 2022, Parsley totaled just 1,070 passing yards and seven passing touchdowns in 2023 (10 games).
Class 4A | District 2
Bardstown (2023: 8-5), Breckinridge County (2023: 3-8), John Hardin (2023: 4-7), Nelson County (2023: 6-5), Thomas Nelson (2023: 4-6)
It was a rough 2023 for Class 4A District 2, as Bardstown and Nelson County were the only teams with a plus-.500 record.
The 2024 season will mark the second as a 4A school for the Bardstown Tigers, who finished last season with a disappointing 8-5 record (for their standards). Unfortunately for them, they lost senior running back Tyleeq Williams, who led Class 4A in rushing last season, to graduation. The Tigers do however return senior quarterback Amonti Marshall (2023: 862 passing yards, 13 touchdowns) and senior defensive lineman Ryder Meredith (2023: five sacks).
Meanwhile, Nelson County is bringing in new head coach Mike Rogers after going just 6-5 last season. Rogers, who started his career at Nelson County, returns home after making stops at Graves County, Warren Central, Paducah Tilghman, Murray State University, and Mayfield High School.
Although John Hardin finished just 4-7 last season, the Bulldogs are bringing back a nice crop of talent in 2024. Junior quarterback Austin Richardson (2023: 1,001 YDS, 11 TD, 3 INT) looks to improve alongside junior running back Cavalli Pittman (2023: 882 YDS, 8 TD) and sophomore sensation DL Elijah Luna, who totaled 10 sacks last season as a freshman.
As for Breckinridge County and Thomas Nelson, both schools will look to hit the five-win mark this season for the first time in a while. Breckinridge hasn’t hit the mark since 2019, while Thomas Nelson hasn’t hit that mark since 2014.
Class 4A | District 3
DeSales (2023: 9-3), Doss (2023: 2-8), Jeffersontown (2023: 9-2), Valley (2023: 1-9), Waggener (2023: 2-8), Western (2023: 3-7)
DeSales and Jefferstown experienced nice 2023 seasons, as both squads accumulated nine wins each. It was a feat that DeSales hadn’t experienced since 2019, and Jeffersontown hadn’t experienced since 2011.
Their turnarounds were remarkable in such a short time, as both schools were 0-10 in 2022.
Jeffersontown suffered a brutal blow over the offseason however, as linebacker Camron McDaniels, who totaled 15 sacks last season (fourth most in the state), headed to Huntington Expression Prep to hone his craft in basketball. The Chargers do return senior quarterback Raymond Cornish (2023: 1,626 YDS, 21 TD, 4 INT) and Senior DL Kentayvion Sherley (2023: 7 SACK, 6 FF).
DeSales brings back senior wide receiver Brandon Williams, who led Class 4A returning players in touchdown receptions last season (13).
For the rest of Class 4A District 3, Doss, Valley, Waggener, and Western look to surpass at least the four-win mark this season. Valley and Waggener combined for just three wins last season.
Class 4A | District 4
#18 Franklin County (2023: 13-1), Henry County (2023: 7-4), North Oldham (2023: 7-5), Shelby County (2023: 4-6), Spencer County (2023: 7-6), Western Hills (2023: 3-7)
After finishing the 2023 season with a 13-1 record (lone loss to eventual State Champion Boyle County 41-14 in the State Semifinals), Franklin County opens the 2024 season ranked No. 18 in KSR’s Preseason Top 25 Rankings.
Their schedule gets a bit tougher this season, as the Flyers open the season against No. 24 Scott County and No. 18 Lexington Christian. If they can get through their first two games with a 2-0 record, they could be back on track to another undefeated regular season.
Coach Eddie James’ squad returns the defensive duo of senior linebacker Jeremy Walters (2023: 135 TACK, 10.5 TFL, 5.5 SACK) and senior defensive end Luke Toothaker (2023: 6.5 SACK), along with junior cornerback Delano Collins (2023: 6 INT). The Flyer defense allowed just 12 points per game last season.
North Oldham and Henry County both won seven games last season and will look to improve on that this year, especially the North Oldham Mustangs and their beautiful teal field.
Although Shelby County finished last season 4-6, the Rockets bring back senior running back Gianni Hunter, who rushed for the most yards last season among returning players in the Class (1,742 RUSH YDS, 17 TD). They haven’t won at least six games since 2019.
Class 4A | District 5
#14 Covington Catholic (2023: 14-1), Grant County (2023: 3-8), Harrison County (2023: 6-5), Holmes (2023: 0-10), Mason County (2023: 6-5)
Covington Catholic is one of five 4A teams present in KSR’s Top 25 Preseason Rankings. The Colonels open the season ranked No. 14, fresh off a 2023 campaign in which they went 14-1 with a 41-0 loss to Boyle County in the State Championship game.
They did however lose starting tight end Willie Rodriguez (2023: 488 YDS, 12 TD), starting quarterback Evan Pitzer (2023: 2,592 YDS, 32 TD, 5 INT), starting running back Owen Leen (860 YDS, 12 TD), and starting wide receiver Braylon Miller (881 YDS, 8 TD) to graduation this offseason. Expect the Colonel offense, which averaged 39 points per game last season, to take a step back in 2024.
Harrison County suffered a big loss as well, as superstar quarterback Kaydon Custard graduated over the offseason. Custard, who totaled 105 total touchdowns in four seasons as the starter, made national headlines last season when he totaled 324 passing yards, 316 rushing yards, and 6 total touchdowns (two passing, two rushing) in Harrison County’s 40-33 win over Calloway County.
Also in Class 4A is Holmes, the lone school in the Class to finish 0-10 last season. The Bulldogs scored just 24 points all season long, good for an average of 2.4 points per game. The Holmes Bulldogs have lost 12 consecutive games and haven’t won a game since October 21, 2022.
Class 4A | District 6
#25 Ashland Blazer (10-2), Boyd County (2023: 6-6), Greenup County (2023: 6-5), Johnson Central (2023: 9-4), Rowan County (2023: 1-9)
Class 4A District 6 features two talented squads in No. 25 Ashland Blazer and Johnson Central, who combined for a 19-5 record last season.
Blazer’s lone regular-season loss last season was to Johnson Central, but the Tomcats still brought home the District title with a better record.
The Tomcats bring back two supremely talented players in senior wide receiver Braxton Jennings (807 rush yards, 15 touchdowns) and senior running back Atayveon Thomas (776 yards, six touchdowns).
The list of talented players in 4A continues with Greenup County senior quarterback Tyson Sammons, who is one of the best rushing quarterbacks in the state. Last season, Sammons rushed for 1,561 yards (third most among returning players in Class 4A) and 25 touchdowns. The Musketeers, who were 6-5 last season, look to get back to their success in 2022, where they finished with eight wins.
Class 4A | District 7
#1 Boyle County (2023: 15-0), Lincoln County (2023: 4-7), Russell County (2023: 1-9), Taylor County (2023: 9-3), Wayne County (2023: 6-5)
For the last four seasons, Boyle County has completely owned Class 4A. The Rebels will look to make it five in a row this year, led by senior three-star West Virginia commit wide receiver/defensive back Montavin Quisenberry and senior running back/safety Demauriah Brown .
Coach Justin Haddix has built a dynasty in Danville that won’t go quietly into the night. The Rebels lost a ton of talent from last year’s team, but that just means more opportunities for players to step up. Following the graduation of quarterback Sage Dawson, junior quarterback Baylor Murphy looks to be next in line to lead the ship. Murphy played in nine games last season, where he threw for 307 yards, six touchdowns, and no interceptions.
The Rebels are currently scheduled to play four teams ranked in KSR’s Preseason Top 25 Rankings (No. 3 Frederick Douglass, No. 15 Bryan Station, No. 20 LCA, and No. 24 Scott County), as they look towards another potentially undefeated season. Since Haddix took over in 2020, Boyle County is 53-3 overall.
Lincoln, Russell, Taylor, and Wayne County will look to just keep it somewhat close against the Rebels this season, as Boyle County defeated the four schools by a combined score of 204-38 last season.
Class 4A | District 8
#9 Corbin (2023: 12-1), Letcher County Central (2023: 5-6), Perry County Central (2023: 7-5), Whitley County (2023: 5-6)
2024 marks a new era for the Corbin Redhounds, who are bringing in a new head coach and a new stadium this season.
Coach Tom Greer retired over the offseason, handing the reigns to new head coach Joshua Salmons. Salmons comes to Corbin from Cabell Midland High School in West Virginia, where he led Cabell Midland to a combined record of 118-37 across 13 seasons.
He and the Redhound faithful return senior quarterback Kade Elam, one of the best players in the entire state. Last season, Elam passed for 2,443 yards, 27 touchdowns, and three interceptions. Alongside Elam will be wide receiver breakout candidate Eli Pietrowski , who hauled in 272 receiving yards and three touchdowns last season. Pietrowski holds an offer from Kentucky.
Preseason Honors
- Class 4A Player of the Year – WR Montavin Quisenberry (Boyle County)
- Class 4A Coach of the Year – Justin Haddix (Boyle County)
- Class 4A State Champion – Boyle County Rebels
The post KSR’s 2024 Kentucky High School Football Preview: Class 4A appeared first on On3 .
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