This week’s best: Corbin’s home opener features renovated stadium, top-ranked Douglass

Jared Peck
·6 min read

If you ask Frederick Douglass football coach Nathan McPeek or Corbin coach Tom Greer, both will tell you it’s a little crazy their teams are playing each other Friday..

For McPeek, taking his team down I-75 to face Class 4A power Corbin for an 8 p.m. kickoff as the Redhounds unveil the major part of their $9.3 million stadium renovation in front of what is expected to be a standing-room only crowd seems unsound.

For Greer, inviting last year’s Class 5A state champions (who are now a Class 6A contender) for such an event borders on ridiculous, too.

“It’s a big week, but I was just sitting here thinking, ‘What nut scheduled Frederick Douglass for your home opener?’” Greer said with a laugh. “He ain’t right in the head.”

Both have reasons for concern.

Corbin (3-0) finished runner-up last season to Boyle County in Class 4A and has bolstered its defensive lineup with a pair of four-star Michigan commits in twins Jerod and Jacob Smith. The Redhounds have pummeled three opponents this season.

Ranked No. 3 in the latest Class 4A media rankings, the Redhounds debuted on the Herald-Leader’s Cantrall Ratings this week at No. 2 overall in the state.

“I was able to go watch them play Lexington Catholic a couple of weeks back. Obviously, there’s no answer for (the Smith twins),” said McPeek, who was also impressed with Corbin’s overall size. “You’ve got to have a plan for those guys.”

McPeek also complimented the play of Corbin QB Kade Elam, a Louisville baseball commit “who could get a lot of football offers too.”

After winning the Class 5A state title last year, the Broncos (2-1) moved up to Class 6A this season where they are ranked No. 2, according to the media. The Broncos boast five three-star recruits, including Arkansas commit Zuri Madison and Purdue commit Demeco Kennedy on their offensive line.

A 17-14 win at No. 4 Trinity on Aug. 26 is a big reason Douglass rates as No. 1 overall in the state, according to Cantrall.

“They are very athletic and if you watch them play, their speed is different than everybody else’s,” Greer said of Douglass. “We’ve played well. We’ve got to turn it up about five notches though to be able to stay with Frederick Douglass.”

Corbin’s first home game of the season will also showcase its $9.3 million renovation to historic Campbell Field, which will have a new artificial turf surface, a new construction in the east end zone that includes elevated seating, a concourse area and new concessions and restrooms.

The west end zone features a large video board and a small field for children to have their own play area during games. Corbin’s locker room has also been renovated.

“It’s beautiful — state of the art,” said Greer, who noted that the project remains ongoing with a new visitors press box and locker room to be completed by next year.

Corbin High School’s $9.3 million renovation of Campbell Field includes a new artificial turf surface that replaced its old Bermuda grass. Next year, the visitors press box, center, will also be redone in addition to new locker rooms.
Corbin High School’s $9.3 million renovation of Campbell Field includes a new artificial turf surface that replaced its old Bermuda grass. Next year, the visitors press box, center, will also be redone in addition to new locker rooms.
Corbin High School’s $9.3 million renovation to Campbell Field includes new construction in the east end zone that features elevated seating, a concourse area, new concessions and new restrooms.
Corbin High School’s $9.3 million renovation to Campbell Field includes new construction in the east end zone that features elevated seating, a concourse area, new concessions and new restrooms.

Lexington’s Holy War

Lexington Catholic snapped a three-game losing streak to its Holy War rivals last season, but with a healthy Cutter Boley and the addition of standout running back Brady Hensley, Lexington Christian will look to avenge that setback and notch another highly ranked team on its belt.

Boley, LCA’s senior Kentucky commit quarterback, sat out last season’s contest with an ankle injury and the Knights rolled to a 42-6 victory to take a 5-4 series lead in what has become the most intense football rivalry in Lexington in its short history.

“I’m learning more and more about it as the week goes on. Yes, it’s a rivalry, but still, we’ve got to play a football game on Friday and that’s our focus,” first-year LexCath coach Nick Baisch said this week.

Both are the No. 2 teams in their respective classes, according to the media, and the Herald-Leader’s Cantrall Ratings have LexCath ranked No. 10 overall in the state to LCA’s No. 13.

LCA (3-1) has faced a succession of top-ranked foes over the first four weeks, losing to only Class 4A No. 1 Boyle County along the way. Lexington Catholic (2-2) has routed a pair of 6A teams and fallen to highly regarded Highlands and Corbin.

The Knights have yet to face a team from their own Class 3A division, but Baisch likes what he’s seen so far.

“We might not be the biggest, we might not be the fastest, but we’re going to have guys that are going to fight tooth and nail for each other,” Baisch said. “They respond to adversity and it’s really been fun to go watch them compete and grow up more and more each week.”

LexCath’s game at Lexington Christian kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Top 10 showdowns

Southwestern (1-2) at Mercer County (4-0), 7:30 p.m. Second-year coach Craig Yeast has the Titans off to their best start since the state championship year of 2006. That will get a test against a Warriors team that is much stronger than its record suggests.

Trinity (Louisville) (2-2) at Male (2-1), 7 p.m. The Bulldogs are on a three-game win streak in the series.

South Warren (4-0) at Manual (4-0), 7:30 p.m. The Spartans recently took over Class 5A’s No. 1 ranking.

Pikeville (2-2) at Belfry (2-2), 7:30 p.m. The Panthers have won four straight in this crosstown rivalry.

Others: Central Hardin (2-2) at Bowling Green (2-2), 7 p.m.; Somerset (3-1) at Campbellsville (4-0), 7:30 p.m.; Highlands (3-1) at Raceland (2-1), 7:30 p.m.; Christian Academy-Louisville (3-1) at Ryle (2-2), 7:30 p.m.

The rest of Lexington’s teams

Bryan Station (2-2) at Tates Creek (3-1), 6:30 p.m. If the Commodores compete well here after being shut out by Douglass last week, that could mean trouble down the line for the Defenders. Bryan Station faces Douglass on Oct. 14 in what is now a district showdown.

Dayton (2-2) at Sayre (3-0), 7:30 p.m. The Spartans come off a bye week and look to continue the form that has them in the Class A top 10.

Others: Paul Laurence Dunbar (0-4) at Boone County (1-2), 7:30 p.m.; Henry Clay (0-4) at Madison Southern (1-3), 7:30 p.m.; Lafayette (0-4) at West Jessamine (2-2), 7:30 p.m.

Should be a good one

Rockcastle County (4-0) at Paris (4-0), 7:30 p.m. Greyhounds face probably their toughest test yet against a red-hot Rockets offense averaging more than 55 points per game.

Other top matchups: Central (1-3) at Bullitt East (3-1), 7:30 p.m.; Ballard (2-2) at George Rogers Clark (3-1), 7:30 p.m.; Pulaski County (1-3) at Woodford County (2-1), 7:30 p.m.

Rail Cities Bowl: Ashland Blazer (4-0) at Russell (2-2), 7:30 p.m.

Army Bowl: Fort Campbell (1-3) at Fort Knox (0-4), 7 p.m.

Other rivalry games: Oldham County (2-2) at South Oldham (3-1), 7:30 p.m.; Bourbon County (0-4) at Harrison County (2-2), 7:30 p.m.; Leslie County (3-1) at Clay County (4-0), 7:30 p.m.

Kentucky’s first high school football RPI standings of the season are out

Who’s No. 1 in the latest Kentucky high school football media rankings?

High school football: Dave Cantrall’s top 25 teams through Week 4 (Sept. 10)

Vote: Kentucky.com’s high school football defensive player of the week (Week 4)

Vote: Kentucky.com’s high school football offensive player of the week (Week 4)