Herald-Leader Top 10: Kentucky Class 5A high school football preseason poll for 2024

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

Bowling Green has been setting the standard in Kentucky high school football’s Class 5A as defending champion this year and state title winners seven times since the division was established in 2007 — more than any other school.

Incredibly, Purples coach Mark Spader returns 18 starters off last year’s champs, including two players he believes will surpass career school records at their positions this season in senior quarterback Deuce Bailey and junior wideout Trevy Barber.

“If we stay healthy, we should go on another deep playoff run this season,” Spader said.

That’s the consensus of Bowling Green’s division rivals as well. The Purples got 20 of the 26 No. 1 votes in this year’s Herald-Leader preseason poll. Last year’s Class 5A runner up, Cooper, got three No. 1 votes, Scott County two, and Owensboro one.

Cooper also looks loaded for another run and Scott County will be dangerous as well, especially at home, where they have seven games on the campus of their brand-new school.

Here are the preseason top-10 teams in Class 5A as voted on by coaches in the division.

1. BOWLING GREEN

Head coach: Mark Spader (seventh season).

Last year: 12-3. State champions with 28-14 win over Cooper.

Quick look: Deuce Bailey and Trevy Barber “have been playing together since little league ... and might be the most humble and hardest-working players with college-level talent that I have ever coached,” Spader said. Bailey, a Missouri State commit, threw for 3,517 yards and 43 TDs last season; 1,189 yards and 16 TDs went to Barber. On defense, all the top tacklers return, led by senior safety Grayson Newman, senior linebacker Jayden Axson and junior linebacker Montez Trussell. One of the most difficult schedules in the state awaits.

Schedule highlights: Aug. 24 vs. Frederick Douglass (at Western Kentucky University); Aug. 30 vs. Owensboro; Sept. 6 vs. Bryan Station (at Lexington Christian); Oct. 18 vs. South Warren; Oct. 25 vs. Greenwood; Nov. 1 at St. Xavier.

2. COOPER

Head coach: Randy Borchers (17th season).

Last year: 12-3. Region champions and state runner-up.

Quick look: Senior wideout/defensive lineman Austin Alexander, a North Carolina commit, had a breakout season with 1,138 yards and 19 TDs receiving on offense and 57 tackles with a whopping 19 sacks on the other side of the ball. Quarterback Cam O’Hara threw for 47 TDs and had another 1,000-yard receiver in Isaiah Johnson. Keagan Maher rushed for 1,204 yards and 18 TDs. Those three are all juniors. A lack of experience in the trenches and at the linebacker spot could be a concern early, but the Jags look loaded for another run.

Schedule highlights: Aug. 23 vs. Bardstown; Sept. 6 vs. Ryle; Sept. 27 at Highlands; Oct. 25 at Dixie Heights.

3. HIGHLANDS

Head coach: Bob Sphire (fourth season).

Last year: 12-2. District and region champions. Lost 17-15 to Cooper in the state semifinals.

Quick look: Sphire said he has “the fastest team we have fielded in the four years we have been here.” Junior Rio Litmer split time at QB last season and still threw for more than 1,000 yards and 20 TDs. He’ll have two of his top receivers back in seniors Adam Surrey and Jackson Arnold and 6-3, 300-pound junior lineman Max Merz as one of his protectors. Senior linebacker Ethan Grimm and junior defensive back Tyus McCarter ranked among the team’s top tacklers.

Schedule highlights: Aug. 23 vs. Lexington Catholic; Aug. 30 at Covington Catholic; Sept. 13 at Ryle; Sept. 20 vs. Raceland; Sept. 27 vs. Cooper.

4. SCOTT COUNTY

Head coach: Jim McKee (28th season).

Last year: 9-3. District champions. Lost 49-21 to Cooper in the second round.

Quick look: Quarterback Andrew Hickey begins his fourth season running the wing-T offense and has proven weapons at the ready. Buddy Collins, a senior Navy commit, and Timmy Emongo, a sophomore who already has offers from Kentucky and Louisville, will be impact players on offense and defense. Junior offensive lineman Cristian Rodriguez earned first-team all-state honors last season. The Cards will play seven of 10 regular-season games at home in their own stadium on a stunning new campus. Scott County hasn’t had its own field in 30 years.

Schedule highlights: Aug. 23 vs. Franklin County (at Great Crossing); Aug. 30 vs. Great Crossing; Sept. 13 vs. Boyle County; Oct. 18 vs. Woodford County; Nov. 1 vs. Lexington Catholic.

5. SOUTH WARREN

Head coach: Brandon Smith (12th season).

Last year: 9-3. Lost 53-22 to Owensboro in the second round.

Quick look: Thirteen starters return for the Spartans. The seven on offense include Bryce Button, a 6-2 senior quarterback committed to Eastern Michigan. He threw for 3,274 yards and 38 TDs last season. Senior defensive end/linebacker Colton Veltkamp tied for the team lead in sacks and has offers including Western Kentucky. In the same district with Bowling Green, stakes are always high for their regular-season rivalry game. This year’s is Oct. 18.

Schedule highlights: Aug. 23 vs. Ballard (at Campbellsville); Aug. 30 at Henderson County; Sept. 6 vs. Southwestern; Sept. 20 vs. Manual; Sept. 27 vs. Greenwood; Oct. 18 at Bowling Green; Nov. 1 at Logan County.

6. OWENSBORO

Head coach: Jay Fallin (10th season).

Last year: 9-5. District and region champions. Lost 38-6 to Bowling Green in the state semifinals.

Quick look: Evan Hampton, a 6-2, 205-pound running back, led the Red Devils in rushing and receiving last season as a sophomore and has piled up at least 14 Division I offers, including Kentucky and West Virginia. Also among the seven offensive starters returning is senior dual-threat quarterback Trevor DeLacey and second-leading receiver Blake Kimbrell. Owensboro has won five straight region titles.

Schedule highlights: Aug. 23 vs. Christian Academy-Louisville; Aug. 30 at Bowling Green; Sept. 13 at Owensboro Catholic; Sept. 20 vs. Graves County; Oct. 25 vs. Madisonville; Nov. 1 at Henderson County.

7. SOUTHWESTERN

Head coach: Jason Foley (sixth season).

Last year: 9-4. District champions. Lost 24-14 to Cooper in the region finals.

Quick look: The Warriors will be bolstered by Wayne County transfer Antajuan Dumphord, a 6-5, 210-pound two-way senior standout who scored 25 TDs last season and topped 1,000 yards receiving. Senior running backs Braxton Walters and Kaeden Flores combined for more than 1,000 yards and 16 TDs in support roles last season and will be a big part of this year’s offense. Eight starters return on defense, led by Walters at linebacker and senior safety Jonas Gallagher.

Schedule highlights: Aug. 24 vs. North Hardin (at Campbellsville); Sept. 6 at South Warren; Sept. 13 vs. Belfry; Oct. 11 at Franklin County.

8. PULASKI COUNTY

Head coach: Travis Burns (first season).

Last year: 4-8. Lost 41-13 to Southwestern in the second round.

Quick look: Burns, who has been Boyle County’s defensive coordinator for a number of years, takes over a Maroons program that returns 15 starters. Zak Anderson, a 6-5 junior QB, threw for 2,154 yards and 22 TDs. Kasen Brock, a 6-0 sophomore running back, rushed for 1,459 yards and 14 scores. And Harris Denmyer, a 6-1 senior wideout, topped 1,000 yards receiving. The defense is led by senior linebackers Broderick Finley, Ethan Idlewine and Gunner Loveless and sophomore defensive back Cohen Finley.

Schedule highlights: Aug. 23 vs. Beechwood (at Corbin); Sept. 13 at Corbin; Sept. 20 vs. Woodford County.

9. WOODFORD COUNTY

Head coach: Dennis Johnson (10th season).

Last year: 6-4. Lost 60-14 to Dixie Heights in the first round.

Quick look: The Yellow Jackets hope for a health Makhi Smith after a year off recovering from a knee injury. Smith ranks as a three-star wideout with offers including Kentucky. With fellow senior wideout Leland Taylor and senior quarterback Justus Wertzler, Woodford’s triple-option offense should be potent. Senior linebackers Davion Sturgis and Graham Hodge and junior linebacker Darrian Tomlin topped the tackle chart last season.

Schedule highlights: Aug. 24 vs. Taylor County (at Mercer County); Sept. 20 at Pulaski County; Oct. 18 at Scott County; Nov. 1 at Ballard.

10. GRAVES COUNTY

Head coach: Tyler DeBernardi (first season).

Last year: 8-4. Lost 51-3 to Bowling Green in the second round.

Quick look: DeBernardi, a longtime assistant, takes over and returns. Eight starters return on offense, including quarterback Kaden Gregory and his leading receiver, Lincoln Acree, both seniors. Senior running back Denis Marrs rushed for 642 yards and eight TDs last season despite being limited by a hamstring injury. Seniors Kace Tubbs at linebacker and Braden Woodford at defensive back lead the defense.

Schedule highlights: Aug. 23 vs. Mayfield; Aug. 30 at Paducah Tilghman; Sept. 20 at Owensboro; Sept. 27 vs. Madisonville; Nov. 1 at McCracken County.

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES

In order of votes received: Atherton, Madisonville, North Laurel, Madison Southern, Dixie Heights, Greenwood, Collins, Grayson County, Fairdale, South Oldham.

Survey method: These rankings reflect the participation of coaches from 26 of the 39 Class 5A teams (66.7%). 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.