What to know about Friday's KHSAA Class 6A football quarterfinals; Bullitt East, Male, Ballard, Trinity in hunt

Here’s a look at Friday’s Class 6A football quarterfinals:

KHSAA football: Complete pairings for the third round of the playoffs

Central Hardin (11-1) at Bullitt East (11-1), 7:30 p.m.

Central Hardin enters with a seven-game winning streak after knocking off Daviess County 17-3 on Friday. The Bruins’ only loss came to Henderson County, 38-22, on Sept. 16. Central Hardin averages 284 rushing yards per game and is led by junior Mason Gardner (1,141 yards, 25 touchdowns). The defense allows 8.8 points per game – ranking No. 1 in Class 6A – and is led by senior linebacker Gage Bryant (89 tackles), senior end Adam Hobbs (71 tackles, eight sacks) and junior cornerback Caden Elmore (six interceptions). The Bruins are trying to reach the state semifinals for the first time since 2017.

Bullitt East has won 11 in a row after beating Manual 36-35 on Friday, getting a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown from Ryan Still late in the fourth quarter for the winning score. The Chargers rank No. 2 in Class 6A in scoring offense at 39.8 points per game and are led by the fearsome foursome of seniors in quarterback Travis Egan, running back Mason Gauthier along with receivers Nolan Davenport and Cam Brogan. The Chargers are trying to reach the state semifinals for the first time since 2008, when they finished as Class 4A runners-up.

Henderson County (10-2) at Male (8-4), 7:30 p.m.

Henderson County rolled past Meade County 35-6 on Friday as seniors Jordan Wright (145 yards, two touchdowns) and Jaheim Williams (109 yards, two TDs) had big games on the ground. The Colonels lead Class 6A in scoring offense (42.2 ppg) and average 262.6 rushing yards per game behind Wright (1,204 yards, 16 TDs) and Williams (953 yards, 16 TDs). Senior defensive end Saadiq Clements (6-4, 265 pounds) ranks second in the state with 19 sacks and has committed to Purdue. Henderson County’s last trip to the state semifinals came in 2006.

Male knocked off No. 1-ranked St. Xavier 22-21 in overtime on Friday as Antonio Harris passed to Max Gainey for the game-winning 2-point conversion. Senior Daniel Swinney carried 18 times for 128 yards and a touchdown and has re-established himself as one of the state’s top running backs since coming back from a shoulder injury. Sophomore linebacker Solomon Conley had 16 tackles (seven solo), one tackle for loss and a key pass breakup in the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs are trying to reach the state final for the fifth straight season.

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Madison Central (9-3) at Ballard (10-2), 7:30 p.m.

Madison Central went 2-3 in the second half of the regular season – losing to Pikeville, Bryan Station and Southwestern – but has turned things around in the playoffs. The Indians knocked off Paul Dunbar 45-42 on Friday as junior Brady Hensley carried 29 times for 354 yards and five touchdowns. Hensley has rushed for 1,318 yards and 15 touchdowns and ranks fourth in the state with 164.8 rushing yards per game. Madison Central reached the state semifinals last year before falling to St. Xavier 31-21.

Ballard defeated Ryle 26-14 on Friday behind a stellar defensive performances that included pick-6s by sophomore lineman Quordair Atkinson and junior safety Montel Campbell. Senior linebacker Cameron Norfleet had 13 tackles (nine solo) and three sacks. Defense has been the story all year for a Ballard team that allows just 9.8 points per game, ranking No. 3 in Class 6A. The Bruins are seeking their first trip to the state semifinals since 2014.

Trinity (8-4) at Bryan Station (9-3), 7 p.m.

Trinity rolled past Simon Kenton 51-20 on Friday as sophomore Jeremiah Lynn scored four touchdowns (two rushing, two punt returns). Lynn has scored eight touchdowns (five rushing, two punt returns, one receiving) during the Shamrocks’ current four-game winning streak. Trinity, which is trying to reach the state semifinals for the seventh straight year, will be facing a Lexington opponent for the first time since beating Lafayette 56-21 in the 2016 Class 6A final.

Bryan Station was 0-3 after starting the season with losses to Frederick Douglass, Boyle County and Scott County but has won nine in a row after knocking off Tates Creek 45-14 on Friday. The Defenders have a balanced offense led by junior quarterback Trenton Cutwright (1,731 passing yards, 16 TDs). Top receivers are junior J.T. Haskins (35 catches, 697 yards, eight TDs) and senior Damin Green (41 catches, 676 yards, four TDs). Senior Jeremiah Mundy-Lloyd (880 rushing yards, 17 TDs) and junior Bayubahe Benit (742 rushing yards, 10 TDs) lead the ground attack. Haskins, a first-team Courier Journal All-State pick last year, has a team-high four interceptions. The Defenders haven’t reached the state semifinals since finishing as Class 4A runners-up in 1999. That team beat Trinity 31-21 in the third round of the playoffs and is the last team from Lexington to defeat the Shamrocks.

Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @kyhighs.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: What to know about Friday's KHSAA Class 6A football quarterfinals