Herald-Leader Top 10: Kentucky Class 6A high school football preseason poll for 2023

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.

In the Herald-Leader’s annual preseason high school football survey, every coach is asked to sum up the aspirations for his team.

Perhaps St. Xavier Coach Kevin Wallace put it best.

“Win a game in December.”

There’s only one game in Class 6A scheduled after Dec. 1 — the state championship at Kroger Field.

Wallace’s Tigers are an early favorite to be there, garnering 15 No. 1 votes from the 24 ballots submitted in our survey.

Since Class 6A was created for the largest Kentucky schools by enrollment in 2007, Trinity has won the division’s state title 10 times. St. Xavier and Male have each won it twice. Scott County captured the 2013 crown.

With Bullitt East winning last year’s 6A title and the recent resurgence of Bryan Station and return of Frederick Douglass to the division, Class 6A appears more competitive than it’s ever been.

Male and Douglass, last year’s 5A champion, each received four No. 1 votes. Bryan Station, a semifinalist last year, got one.

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. St. Xavier

Head coach: Kevin Wallace (fifth season).

Last year: 10-2. District champions. Lost 22-21 to Male in the second round.

Quick look: One of St. X’s strengths lies in the trenches where Southeast Missouri commit and reigning heavyweight wrestling champ Carter Guillaume, a 6-2, 275-pound senior center, sets the table alongside veteran tackles Hamilton Atkins (6-4 245) and Tommy Rosenbarger (6-4 325). Sophomore wideout Marlon Harbin (360 yards, three TDs) already has offers from Louisville and Kentucky. Senior quarterback Trevor Havill threw for 1,006 yards and 12 TDs to go with four rushing scores. Senior defensive lineman Ashton Jones (6-2 265) had 35 tackles, five for a loss, and four sacks in 2022.

Marquee matchups: Aug. 25 at Central; Sept. 1 vs. Male; Sept. 22 vs. Trinity (at L&N Stadium); Sept. 29 at Ryle; Oct. 6 at Manual; Oct. 27 at Bowling Green.

2. Male

Head coach: Chris Wolfe (14th season).

Last year: 10-5. Region champions. Lost 28-27 to Bullitt East in the state finals.

Quick look: The Bulldogs return two of the state’s most highly regarded playmakers in three-star junior Antonio Harris (684 yards, 10 TDs receiving) and three-star senior Max Gainey (445 yards, five TDs receiving). Isaac “Spike” Sowells, a 6-3, 296-pound three-star junior center, has offers that include Louisville, Kentucky and South Carolina. Kolter Smith split time at quarterback as a junior and threw for 871 yards and 12 TDs. The defense returns six starters, including its top three tacklers in senior linebackers Kevin Wilson (145) and Deandre Malone (98 with seven sacks) and junior LB Solomon Conley (98).

Marquee matchups: Aug. 25 vs. Ballard; Sept. 1 at St. Xavier; Sept. 15 vs. Trinity; Oct. 20 vs. Bullitt East; Oct. 27 at Manual.

3. Frederick Douglass

Head coach: Nathan McPeek (fourth season).

Last year: 15-0. Class 5A champions with 28-7 win over Bowling Green.

Quick look: The Broncos rejoin Class 6A after capturing last year’s 5A title. The line features 6-4 310-pound Arkansas commit Zuri Madison and Demeco Kennedy, a 6-3, 285-pound senior with offers including Purdue and Illinois. Eastern Kentucky commit Cole Carpenter threw for 1,863 yards and 23 TDs last year. Two-sport junior Aveion Chenault will be a prime target. Defensive backs Terrion Hicks and Jeremiah Lowe both have multiple Division I offers. Senior linebacker Darion Neal led the team in tackles (69 with two sacks).

Marquee matchups: Aug. 19 vs. Archbishop Hoban (Akron, Ohio) at Massillon, Ohio; Aug. 25 at Trinity; Sept. 15 at Corbin; Sept. 22 vs. Cathedral (Indianapolis); Oct. 6 vs. Madison Central; Oct. 14 at Bryan Station; Oct. 27 vs. Boyle County.

4. Trinity

Head coach: Jay Cobb (third season)

Last year: 8-5. Lost 10-7 to Bryan Station in region finals.

Quick look: The Rocks will look to avenge last season’s playoff loss to No. 5 Bryan Station on opening day and will face No. 2 Male and No. 3 Douglass early. Fourteen starters return, including eight on defense with Brady McEnaney (73 tackles, four sacks), Gabriel Mingus (60 tackles) and Robert Morrow (56 tackles) leading the way. Running backs Clint Sansbury, Luke Sasser and Jeremiah Lynn combined for more than 1,200 yards and 11 TDs in 2022. Lynn was also the team’s leading receiver with 486 yards and three TDs.

Marquee matchups: Aug. 18 vs. Bryan Station; Aug. 25 vs. Frederick Douglass; Sept. 15 at Male; Sept. 22 vs. St. Xavier (at L&N Stadium); Oct. 6 at Ballard.

5. Bryan Station

Head coach: Phillip Hawkins (fourth season).

Last year: 10-4. District and region champions. Lost 55-41 to Bullitt East in the semifinals.

Quick look: Senior QB Trenton Cutwright threw for 1,982 yards and 17 TDs with 598 yards and eight TDs rushing. Three-star senior JT Haskins Jr. had 758 yards and eight TDs receiving and a team-high four interceptions as a defensive back. Senior RB Bayubahe Benit should improve on his 749 yards and 10 TDs rushing. The defense returns a trio of Akron commits — linebackers Jason Hocker (90 tackles) and Dahvon Frazier (42 tackles, three sacks) and defensive end Jahvon Frazier (54 tackles, five sacks), Dahvon’s twin brother.

Marquee matchups: Aug. 18 at Trinity; Aug. 26 vs. Franklin County (at Boyle County); Sept. 2 vs. Bowling Green (at Lexington Christian); Sept. 8 at Ballard; Sept. 15 at Tates Creek; Oct. 14 vs. Frederick Douglass; Oct. 20 at Madison Central; Oct. 27 vs. Central Hardin.

6. Ballard

Head coach: Adrian Morton (eighth season).

Last year: 11-3. District and region champs. Lost 24-20 to Male in semifinals.

Quick look: Senior running back Journey Wyche rushed for 939 yards and 11 TDs in addition to 164 receiving yards and a score. He’ll have junior offensive linemen Logan Russell and Christian Clark among his blockers.. Senior linebackers Davon Rudolph (76 tackles, four sacks) and Montel Campbell (76 tackles, one sack) return to lead a defense that will need to replace seven starters.

Marquee matchups: Aug. 18 vs. Southwestern (at Campbellsville); Aug. 25 at Male; Sept. 8 vs. Bryan Station; Oct. 6 vs. Trinity; Oct. 27 at Woodford County.

7. Manual

Head coach: Josh Gillispie (interim).

Last year: 9-3. Lost 36-35 to Bullitt East in the second round.

Quick look: Senior running back Zah’Ron “Zeek” Washburn rushed for 1,388 yards, and 20 TDs last season. In the trenches, sophomore offensive lineman David “Pancake” Pellman (6-3, 285 pounds) has been drawing significant recruiting interest from the likes of Florida and Kentucky. Defensive lineman Christopher Jones (6-3, 308) has an offer from Vanderbilt. Manual named Josh Gillispie acting head coach on July 14 after the suspension of second-year head coach Donnie Stoner, who faces a number of charges related to allegations of sex with a female juvenile student.

Marquee matchups: Aug. 18 vs. Central; Aug. 25 at Central Hardin; Sept. 15 vs. South Warren; Sept. 22 at Christian Academy-Louisville; Oct. 6 vs. St. Xavier; Oct. 27 vs. Male.

8. Bullitt East

Head coach: Keegan Kendrick (second season).

Last year: 14-1. State champions with a 28-27 win over Male.

Quick look: Despite losing most of his offensive starters, Kendrick believes his defending state champion Chargers have “a chance to play with anyone” if their team chemistry comes together and the newcomers “learn to compete at a high level.” Seven starters return on defense, including junior linebacker Ryan Rayhill, the team’s leading returning tackler with 74 last year and senior defensive lineman Isaiah Hare, who also notched 74 tackles and a team-high four sacks. Senior Jack Zwernemann is slated to take over at quarterback.

Marquee matchups: Aug. 19 vs. Woodford County (at Mercer County); Sept. 15 vs. Central; Sept. 22 at North Hardin; Oct. 20 at Male.

9. Ryle

Head coach: Mike Engler (10th season).

Last year: 6-6. Lost 26-14 to Ballard in the second round.

Quick look: Dual-threat senior QB Logan Verax, a three-year starter, threw for 2,018 yards and 17 TDs and rushed for 605 yards and 12 scores. Junior wideout Landon Lorms (361 yards, one TD) and senior tight end Grady Reynolds (282 yards, two TDs) will be two of his top targets and are among the seven offensive starters returning. On defense, linebacker Jacob Savage led the team in tackles with 93 and interceptions with three as a freshman last year. Junior defensive end Dillon Smith had a team-high nine sacks.

Marquee matchups: Aug. 18 at Covington Catholic; Sept. 1 vs. Cooper; Sept. 8 at Highlands; Sept. 15 vs. Christian Academy-Louisville; Sept. 29 vs. St. Xavier.

10. Central Hardin

Head coach: Tim Mattingly (10th season).

Last year: 11-2. District champions. Lost 28-15 to Bullitt East in the second round.

Quick look: Mattingly calls his 2023 schedule “the toughest this school has ever faced.” He’ll have seven offensive starters returning, including senior fullback Mason Gardner, who rushed for 1,171 yards and 26 TDs. Dual-threat QB Zak Spurrier, a 6-3, 230-pound senior, totaled nearly 1,300 yards of offense and 17 TDs split between pass and run. Second-leading rusher Walker Meredith, another senior, racked up 917 yards and seven TDs.

Marquee matchups: Aug. 25 vs. Manual; Sept. 1 vs. Henderson County; Sept. 15 at Bowling Green; Sept. 22 vs. Central; Oct. 6 vs. North Hardin; Oct. 27 at Bryan Station.

Others receiving votes

In order of votes received: Henderson County, Simon Kenton, North Hardin, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Madison Central, Daviess County, Tates Creek, Pleasure Ridge Park, George Rogers Clark and Great Crossing.

Survey method: These rankings reflect the participation of coaches from 24 of the 32 Class 6A teams (75%). 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.

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