KHSAA Class 6A football championship: Male vs. Bullitt East players to watch, matchup, history
How much of a difference will Daniel Swinney make?
That’s the key question entering Saturday’s Class 6A football championship game between Male (10-4) and Bullitt East (13-1). Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. at the University of Kentucky’s Kroger Field in Lexington.
Bullitt East picked up its first-ever victory over Male on Oct. 21, winning 24-17.
But Male was missing Swinney, the senior running back who sat out four games with a shoulder injury. Swinney returned to action the week after the Bullitt East loss, and the Bulldogs are 5-0 since he’s been back. He carried 28 times for 133 yards and a touchdown in last week’s 24-20 semifinal victory at Ballard.
Since the Kentucky High School Athletic Association expanded football from four to six classes in 2007, this will be just the fourth Class 6A final not to include Trinity or St. Xavier. The others: Scott County over Meade County 21-14 in 2013, Male over Lafayette 41-14 in 2015 and Male over Scott County 37-20 in 2018.
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Here’s a closer look at the matchup:
History of Male and Bullitt East at state
Male is in the state final for the fifth straight year and is 8-6 all-time in championship games. The Bulldogs’ last title came in 2018 — a 37-20 victory over Scott County. Male also won titles in 1960, 1963, 1964, 1993, 1998, 2000 and 2015. Chris Wolfe, in his 13th season at Male, is 2-4 all-time in championship games.
Bullitt East is 0-2 in state finals, falling to Danville 39-7 in the 1994 Class 2A final and to Bell County 15-13 in the 2008 Class 4A final. This will be the first state final for first-year Chargers coach Keegan Kendrick.
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Bullitt East and Male players to watch
The 5-foot-11, 219-pound Swinney has rushed for 1,099 yards and 10 touchdowns on 173 attempts in 10 games this season. He was considered a top candidate for Kentucky Mr. Football honors before his injury. He has scholarship offers from Central Michigan and Eastern Kentucky. Senior quarterback Lucas Cobler has passed for 1,154 yards and 14 touchdowns and also ranks second on the team in rushing (695 yards, five TDs). Junior Kolter Smith also sees times at quarterback and is more of a traditional pocket passer, throwing for 871 yards and 12 TDs. Top receivers are sophomore Antonio Harris (35 catches, 681 yards, 10 TDs), senior Matthew Hinz (29 catches, 457 yards, seven TDs) and junior Max Gainey (27 catches, 292 yards, four TDs). Leading the defense are junior linebackers Kevin Wilson (136 tackles) and DeAndre Malone (91 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, five sacks), sophomore linebacker Solomon Conley (89 tackles) and senior safety Demetrius Dunlap (24 tackles, four interceptions).
Bullitt East senior quarterback Travis Egan has completed 194 of 295 passes for 2,649 yards and 31 touchdowns with five interceptions. He also ranks second on the team in rushing with 901 yards and 17 TDs and was named Class 6A, District Four Player of the Year. He has an offer from Kentucky Wesleyan. He has two outstanding senior wide receivers in Camron Brogan (72 catches, 996 yards, 15 touchdowns) and Nolan Davenport (67 catches, 989 yards, 11 TDs). Senior Mason Gauthier (1,479 yards, 16 TDs) anchors the rushing attack. Leaders on defense are senior safety Ryan Still (76 tackles), junior end Isaiah Hare (67 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, four sacks), sophomore linebacker Ryan Rayhill (65 tackles, nine tackles for loss) and junior cornerback Bryce Elder (41 tackles, three interceptions).
KHSAA football finals: Check out the state championship schedule: Kickoff times, matchups, records
By the numbers
Male averages 26.9 points per game and allows 13.8 points per game, ranking 18th in the state. The defense has posted three shutouts.
Bullitt East averages 40.1 points per game, ranking 13th in the state. The defense allows 16.4 points per game, ranking 36th in the state. The Chargers have posted three shutouts during their 13-game winning streak.
Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @kyhighs.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: KHSAA football: What to know about Male-Bullitt East in Class 6A final
