Mustangs Put Win Streak on Line Against Bruins

One of the top playoff matchups in the state happens Friday night as Louisville Ballard comes to Marquette Stadium to take on McCracken County.

The Mustangs (8-3) have been on of the hottest teams in the state over the last two months, winning six games in a row, including a 50-12 thrashing of Jeffersontown in the opening round of the Class 6A playoffs. McCracken County scored 36 points in the 2nd quarter last week to achieve a running clock in the first half.

The matchup becomes much more difficult with the Bruins Friday night. The schedule for Ballard has been very challenging, and their results against that schedule have been impressive. The Bruins (7-4) have won five of their last six games, with the lone loss coming in heartbreaking fashion to highly touted Louisville Trinity 19-14. Ballard also gave up a 21-20 overtime loss to crosstown rival DuPont Manual.

Ballard has had more success running the football than passing it, but the Bruins have feasted on stopping the run. On the season, Ballard averages just under 130 rushing yards per game, but they feature one of the better run defenses in the state at just 61 rushing yards per game.

Larry Cummings has taken most of the Bruins snaps under center this season for the Bruins. On the season, Cummings has passed for 787 yards. Not eye-popping stats. But he also features a strong touchdown-to-interception ration over his seven games. On the season, he has 11 touchdowns to only two interceptions.

The Mustangs used the ground game last week to topple Jeffersontown. McCracken County rushed for 211 yards last week with Franklin Hayes carrying most of the load. Hayes rushed for 101 yards on six carries with three touchdowns. Quarterback Elijah Wheat was 7-for-9 passing for 77 yards and a touchdown as well.

The Bruins and the Mustangs kick off Friday night at 7pm at Marquette Stadium.



Revenge is on the mind of Paducah Tilghman Friday night as the Blue Tornado get an opportunity to eliminate Elizabethtown, the team that has eliminated them for three years in a row.

The Blue Tornado are enjoying one of the best seasons they’ve had in a while. Paducah Tilghman (9-2) has won five games in a row to claim the 2-seed in the Class 3A Playoffs. With the exception of a 12-8 win at Christian County, none of the games during the current winning streak have been very close. Paducah Tilghman throttled Hart County in the opening round of the playoffs last week, 50-7.

Paducah Tilghman features one of the top rushing attacks in the state. The Blue Tornado have rushed for an eye-popping 2,824 yards this season while passing for 439 yards. Paducah Tilghman has rushed for 41 touchdowns this season while passing for three touchdowns. Damien Ford and Makel Askew lead the rushing attack; Ford with 668 rushing yards and Askew with 652 rushing yards. Askew leads the team in rushing touchdowns with 13 while Ford has seven touchdowns.

Elizabethtown’s weakness could be their worst nightmare Friday night; their rushing defense. Elizabethtown (7-4) has given up 2,573 rushing yards in 11 games this season, an average of 234 rushing yards given up per game.

Paducah Tilghman and Elizabethtown square off Friday night at 6:30 at Elizabethtown



Few high school teams in Kentucky have made the game of football look as easy as the 2018 Mayfield Cardinals.  Mayfield looks to continue their dominance Friday night when the Cardinals host McLean County.

The closest game Mayfield has played this season came in the opening week almost four months ago in a 43-27 win over Union City. Since then, the Cardinals have won by the following point differentials; 28, 24, 30, 35, 24, 35, 48, 42, 17, and 28 points. The Cardinals have also scored a minimum of 31 points in each of their games so far this season.

Mayfield’s secret this season comes on a balanced offense. The Cardinals (11-0) have passed for 2,787 yards while rushing for 2,049. Jaden Stinson has passed for 30 touchdowns and 2,429 yards. Mayfield’s top rusher has been the electric Kent Trey Matthews, who has rushed for 1,485 yards and 23 touchdowns.

The Cardinals and the Cougars (8-3) square off Friday night at 7pm at Mayfield’s historic War Memorial Stadium.



Friday Night's Playoff Games


Class 1A
Bethlehem at Crittenden County

Class 2A
McLean County at Mayfield
Murray at Owensboro Catholic

Class 3A
LaRue County at Caldwell County
Paducah Tilghman at Elizabethtown

Class 4A
Hopkinsville at Madisonville

Class 6A
Louisville Ballard at McCracken County