Yesterday on Live at 5, Stephen A Turner and Vic Evans revealed our ESPN Owensboro preseason high school football top 10 on Live at 5. Here’s a capsule for each team, starting with #10:
#10 Meade County: Last season the Green Wave finished with a 4-6 record, but made it to the 2nd round of the KHSAA class 6A state playoffs. Word has it that the Green Wave have transitioned to the spread attack, which will be a drastically different look than the previously run heavy Meade football team has showed in the past few seasons. Quarterback Kyle Parker looks to return and expect his passing numbers to rise drastically. Running back Levi Stull returns and will be a receiving threat as well. There will be lots of new faces in 2021 on both sides of the ball as Meade County will look to navigate an always tough regular season schedule.
#9 McLean County: The Cougars battled through a 3-2 COVID shortened season in 2020. McLean County will feature new quarterback Brodie Cline, who adds a passing dimension to the triple option attack. Brady Dame returns at tight end and receiver and looks to be one of the most lethal downfield weapons in all of the ESPN Owensboro coverage area. Zach Clayton and Elijah Baldwin figure to be home run threats out of the backfield for the Cougar offense. Will Taylor and Zach Clayton return to lead the defense, along with defensive lineman Wesley “Bigfoot” Wells who tallied 25 tackles in only 5 games.
#8 Perry Central: It was the Commodores, who wound up making a deep run at the Indiana 1A sectional last year, falling in a heartbreaker to West Washington. Camiren Etienne returns as a dynamic playmaker with Gabe James taking over at the quarterback position. Sawyer Guillaume and Lucas Mitchell look to run behind a very physical offensive line for Perry Central. Defensively, the Commodores will be breaking in some new faces, but word from their scrimmages is that they have matched up physically very well. Expect Perry Central to once again be a factor once the 1A sectional begins.
#7 Hancock County: It was a banner year for the Hornets as they captured the class 2A District 1 regular season championship. Hancock County returns a wealth of talent, led by Kaleb Keown, who made a notable one handed catch on the road against Todd County Central to propel Hancock County to a win. Quarterback Cole Dixon also returns and provides a legitimate passing threat in the Hornets option attack. Defensively the Hornets have their two top returning tacklers in Aiden Weatherholt and Jack Duncan returning. The Hornets will look to defend their regular season district championship and parlay that into a post season district championship in 2021.
#6 Tell City: The Marksmen were one of the big stories in 2020. Before being derailed by COVID, Tell City ascended to as high as #3 in the Indiana State high school football rankings in class 2A. While the Marksmen have heavy graduation losses, they return quarterback Aden Dodson, who is also a solid passer in Tell City’s option attack. Big time playmaker Keaton Lloyd returns and is a threat to take it to the house anytime he touches the ball. Gage Meunier & Nick McDowell will be the workhorse in the backfield. Tell City will go from one of the biggest offense and defensive lines to one of the smaller teams in the area. How the Marksmen handle that transition and the COVID contract tracing could determine the overall success in 2021.
#5 Owensboro Catholic: While the Aces didn’t win the regular season district championship, Catholic captured it when it mattered the most in the KHSAA class 2A playoffs. Lincoln Clancy returns at quarterback as does running back Hunter Monroe who rushed for 761 yards. Braden Mundy leads a young and talented receiving corps and will likely be used in some wildcat formation situations at quarterback. Wide receivers Reid Clark and Tutt Carrico along with 6’6 basketball star Ji Webb look to have breakout seasons. The Aces will have to answer questions defensively, but look for Everett Munsey, Eli Blair, and Kolbe Kemper to be consistent forces on the defensive side of the ball. Catholic will once again look to play for a regional championship in 2021.
#4 Daviess County: The Panthers were high octane on the offensive side of the ball in 2020. Joe Humphreys had a breakout season and along with a great offseason camp circuit, has landed several FBS college football offers. Daviess County did loose the best returning running back in the ESPN Owensboro coverage area in Bryson Parm, with a broken collarbone in their scrimmage game. The full extent of Parm’s injury is unknown and it is possible that Parm could return by the playoffs. Gunnar Evans and Carter Hamilton look to share the load at running back. Statistically, Daviess County returns the best receiving corps in the area with Decker Renfrow (ESPN Owensboro 1st team), Max Dees, Isaiah Tomes (KWC commit), Luke Floyd (Adidas freshman All-American), and 6’3 basketball star Cole Burch will add depth to that position as well. The big question is defensively, but the Panther do return their top four tacklers in Parker Crews (93), Gunnar Evans (90), Isaac Blue (73), and Isaiah Tomes (65). The Panthers could very well win the Class 6A District 1 championship or finish fourth, depending on the defense, the loss of Parm, and replacing Jon Nalley and Blake Henry on the line.
#3 Apollo Eagles: The Eagles quietly had a very successful 2020 campaign, defeating Daviess County and taking Henderson County and McCracken County to the wire. The Eagles will look much different in 2021 as coach Edge’s unit will return to the traditional Tony Franklin system air raid attack. Quarterback Christian Combs takes over and will have Donte Dixon behind him at running back. John Lynn returns as a 5th year senior and will be at the tight end position, and Eli Masterson has been looking impressive at the wide receiver position in the preseason. Defensively, Apollo will be led by Jarrod “Doozer” Gray, Morgan Eans, Kyle Taylor, Kadin Howard, and Dayton Brown. Mykel Whitney is another 5th year senior returning, and tallied 3 interceptions last season. Harrison Bowman also returns for his 5th year to handle the kicking duties and went 4-4 for field goals last season. Apollo will look to take the next step and turn close losses to Henderson and McCracken into wins.
#2 Henderson County: The talk is that the KHSAA Class 6A district 1 title runs through McCracken, but folks forget that it was the Henderson County Colonels who captured the district championship in 2020. COVID derailed the Colonels from a playoff run, but Henderson County returns a very talented group of juniors who will look to defend that district championship. Jaheim Williams posted a 10.7 at the KHSAA state track meet and will be one of the most dynamic playmakers in Kentucky this fall. Add in athlete Jordan Wright, and now the Colonels have a potent 1-2 punch offensively. Henderson County will be anchored by Saadiq Clement (Kentucky, Louisville, and Purdue offers), and Bryce Tapp (EKU offer) on the offensive and defensive lines. Dru Meadows looks to take over at quarterback and if Henderson County can find their offensive flow, look out. Henderson County will have a very stingy defense, and scoring on the Colonels could prove difficult.
#1 Owensboro: The Red Devils fell in the KHSAA class 5A state title game to long time nemesis Bowling Green Purples but OHS doesn’t have any time to think about that loss. The Devils open with perennial 6A power Louisville St. Xavier at Rash Stadium. Four star quarterback Gavin Wimsatt (Rutgers commit), leads the Red Devil offense behind a talent offensive line of Jak Lindsey (UK offer), Jerrick Williams, Ryland Chaney, Jamarian Stephens, and Trey Miller (EKU offer). Running back will be by commitee with Javius “Byrd” Taylor, Kenyatta Carbon, Tramel Barksdale, and others seeing carries. The receivers will be talented but untested with 6’4 Ethan Pendleton, Eli Early, Khalil Rogers, and tight ends Kendrick Williams and Jeremiah Goodwin. Defensively the Red Devils boast a ton of team speed. Zach Clark (nickel), Taylor & Moorman (corners), and Carbon & Kanye Johnson at safeties will cover a lot of ground very fast. OHS will break in new linebackers in Williams and Xander Early. OHS’ defensive front will be led by ESPN Owensboro 1st team Sahvon Hines, Jacoryon Miller, Barksdale and Goodwin off the edge. It may not be fair, but Red Devil nation is expecting nothing less than a state title after knocking on the door the past two seasons.
