With the 2018 Kentucky high school football regular season in the books, it’s officially time for postseason action around the Bluegrass State.
As the playoffs kick off Friday night, there will be 13 teams from the around the area looking to survive and advance to the next round.
Here’s a complete look at each local opening round matchup, ranging from Class A to 5A:
Class A
Fort Knox (4-6) at Russellville (4-6)
7 p.m. Friday
Rhea Stadium
Broadcast: WRUS 610 AM
Last meeting: Russellville won 41-8 in the playoffs on Nov. 3, 2017
Breakdown: Russellville went 4-6 in the regular season … The Panthers advanced to the second round of the Class A playoffs last year … Fort Knox, which also went 4-6 in the regular season, fell in the opening round last season … Russellville has lost two straight, most recently a 53-6 loss to Franklin-Simpson on Oct. 26 … Fort Knox defeated Shawnee 13-12 in its final regular season matchup … Panthers QB Jacob Naylor has passed for 1,130 yards and 10 TDs … RB Edward Barber has rushed for 405 yards and six TDs … RB Alton Pendergrass leads Fort Knox with over 10 rushing TDs this season … The winner will meet Campbellsville next Friday in the second round.
Class 2A
Owen County (0-9) at Glasgow (9-1)
7 p.m. Friday
Hank Royse Stadium
Broadcast: WCLU 102.3 FM (PXP: Joe Myers)
Last meeting: First meeting
Breakdown: Glasgow went 9-1 in the regular season, only losing to Franklin-Simpson … The Scotties advanced to the semifinals of the Class 2A playoffs last year … Owen County, which went 0-9 in the regular season, fell in the opening round last season … Glasgow has won four straight, most recently a 35-34 win over Elizabethtown on Oct. 26 … Owen County lost to Bracken County 42-6 in its final regular season matchup … The Scotties – ranked fourth in the final Class 2A AP poll of the season – are led by RB Nick Mitchell, who has recorded 1,675 yards and 24 TDs … QB Tanner Abernathy has passed for 936 yards and 14 TDs, while rushing for 610 yards and four more scores … Owen County hasn’t posted any stats on the KHSAA’s Scoreboard website since Sept. 14 … The winner will meet the Carroll County-Green County winner in a second-round matchup next Friday.
Gallatin County (1-8) at Monroe County (3-7)
6:30 p.m. Friday
Falcon Stadium
Last meeting: First meeting
Breakdown: Monroe County went 3-7 in the regular season … The Falcons advanced to the quarterfinals of the Class 2A playoffs last year … Gallatin County, which went 1-8 in the regular season, fell in the opening round last season … Monroe County fell 21-14 to Allen County-Scottsville in its regular season finale on Oct. 26 … Gallatin County lost 41-0 to Grant County in its final regular season matchup … Falcons RBs Jamison Geralds and Landon Stinson have combined for nearly 1,000 yards and 12 TDs … QB Danny Hudepohl leads Gallatin County with 234 yards and three TDs … The winner will meet the Walton-Verona-Metcalfe County winner in a second-round matchup next Friday.
Metcalfe County (2-8) at Walton-Verona (8-2)
7:30 p.m. Friday
Bearcat Stadium
Last meeting: First meeting
Breakdown: Metcalfe County went 2-8 in the regular season … The Hornets were defeated in the opening round of the Class 2A playoffs last year … Walton-Verona, which went 8-2 in the regular season, advanced to the second round last season … Metcalfe County closed its regular season with a 56-14 win over Caverna on Oct. 26 … Walton-Verona has won three straight and defeated Bellevue 42-0 in its final regular season matchup … Hornets RB Dylan Johnson has rushed for 717 yards and seven TDs … QB Garrett Jones leads Walton-Verona with 423 yards and 10 TDs this season … The winner will meet the Monroe County-Gallatin County winner in a second-round matchup next Friday.
Class 3A
Edmonson County (4-6) at Caldwell County (7-3)
7 p.m. Friday
Tiger Stadium
Broadcast: EdmonsonVoice.com (PXP: Scott Lindsey)
Last meeting: Edmonson County lost 16-0 in the playoffs on Nov. 13, 1998
Breakdown: Edmonson County went 4-6 in the regular season … The Wildcats were defeated in the opening round of the Class 3A playoffs last year … Caldwell County, which went 7-3, in the regular season, advanced to the quarterfinals last season … Edmonson County has lost three straight, most recently falling 19-12 to Barren County on Oct. 26 … Caldwell County lost 31-14 to Mayfield in its final regular season matchup … Wildcats QB Jon Smith has passed for 1,011 yards and six TDs, while also rushing for 493 yards and 10 more TDs … QB Joby Jaggers leads Caldwell County with 2,432 yards and 28 TDs this season … The winner will meet the LaRue County-Union County winner in a second-round matchup next Friday.
Class 4A
Hopkinsville (4-6) at Warren East (6-4)
7 p.m. Friday
Jim Ross Field
Broadcast: ESPN KY 102.7 FM (PXP: Garret Browning) | Talk 104.1 FM (PXP: Chad Young)
Updates: Twitter
Last meeting: Hopkinsville won 21-7 in the playoffs on Nov. 3, 2017
Breakdown: Warren East and Hopkinsville meet in the Class 4A playoffs for the second consecutive season … The Raiders went 6-4 in the regular season … East fell to the Tigers in the opening round of the playoffs last year … Hopkinsville, which went 4-6 in the regular season, advanced to the quarterfinals last season … Warren East closed its regular season slate with a 28-26, double overtime win over Bardstown on Oct. 26 … Hopkinsville has won three straight … Raiders RB Thomas Maxey has rushed for 1,676 yards and 22 TDs … QB Nolan Ford has passed for 1,486 yards and 17 TDs … Hopkinsville hasn’t entered any stats on the KHSAA’s Scoreboard website since Aug. 31 … The winner will meet the Madisonville-North Hopkins-Warren Central winner in a second-round matchup next Friday.
Calloway County (3-7) at Franklin-Simpson (9-1)
7 p.m. Friday
James ‘Shadetree’ Matthews Stadium
Broadcast: WFKN 1220 AM (PXP: Brian Talley)
Last meeting: Franklin-Simpson won 56-0 in the playoffs on Nov. 4, 2011
Breakdown: Franklin-Simpson – the defending Class 4A state champion – went 9-1 in the regular season, only losing to South Warren … The Wildcats are ranked No. 2 in the final 4A AP poll of the year … Calloway County, which went 3-7 in the regular season, didn’t participate in the playoffs in 2017 … Franklin-Simpson has won seven straight … Calloway County has lost three straight … Wildcats RBs Tre Bass (1,390 yards, 23 TDs) and Carlos McKinney (1,194, 15) have combined for 2,584 yards and 38 TDs … Calloway County hasn’t entered any stats on the KHSAA’s Scoreboard website since Sept. 21 … The winner will meet the Logan County-Allen County-Scottsville winner in a second-round matchup next Friday.
Allen County-Scottsville (6-4) at Logan County (9-1)
7 p.m. Friday
Cougar Stadium
Broadcast: WVLE 99.3 FM (PXP: Kyle Harwood)
Updates: Twitter
Last meeting: ACS won 26-6 on Sept. 26, 2014
Breakdown: Logan County went 9-1 in the regular season, only losing to Madisonville-North Hopkins … The Cougars – ranked seventh in the final Class 4A AP poll of the season – advanced to the second round of the playoffs last season … Allen County-Scottsville, which went 6-4 in the regular season, fell in the opening round in 2017 … Logan County and ACS have both won two straight … Cougars QB Tyler Ezell has passed for 1,387 yards and 11 TDs, while also rushing for 396 yards and 10 more scores … RB Gary Hardy has rushed for 1,334 yards and 16 TDs … Patriots RB Kelly Weger has rushed for 1,052 yards and 13 TDs … The winner will meet the Franklin-Simpson-Calloway County winner in a second-round matchup next Friday.
Warren Central (0-10) at Madisonville-North Hopkins (8-2)
7:30 p.m. Friday
Badgett Athletic Complex
Last meeting: Warren Central lost 27-11 on Aug. 23, 2013
Breakdown: Warren Central went 0-10 in the regular season … The Dragons have lost 34 consecutive games dating back to 2015 … Madisonville-North Hopkins – ranked No. 6 in the final Class 4A AP poll of the season – went 8-2 in the regular season and earned a marquee win over Logan County on Oct. 12 … The Maroons fell in the opening round of the playoffs in 2017 … Madisonville-North Hopkins has won six straight … The winner will meet the Warren East-Hopkinsville winner in a second-round matchup next Friday.
Class 5A
Apollo (5-5) at South Warren (10-0)
7 p.m. Friday
Spartan Stadium
Last meeting: South Warren won 43-22 on Aug. 26, 2016
Breakdown: South Warren finished the regular season undefeated for the third time in school history … The Spartans – ranked second in the final Class 5A AP poll of the season – advanced to the state semifinals last season … Apollo, which went 5-5 in the regular season, fell in the opening round of the playoffs in 2017 … South Warren QB Gavin Spurrier has passed for 1,757 yards and 30 TDs … RB Mariano McKenzie leads Apollo with 1,337 yards and 16 TDs … The winner will meet the Graves County-Grayson County winner in a second-round matchup next Friday.
Christian County (4-6) at Bowling Green (8-2)
7:30 p.m. Friday
El Donaldson Stadium
Broadcast: STBNTV.com (PXP: Joe Brunk)
Updates: Twitter
Last meeting: Bowling Green won 44-29 in the playoffs on Nov. 10, 2016
Breakdown: Bowling Green went 8-2 in the regular season … The Purples – ranked third in the final Class 5A AP poll of the season – advanced to the state quarterfinals last season … Christian County, which went 4-6 in the regular season, advanced to the second round of the playoffs in 2017 … Bowling Green RB DeVito Tisdale has rushed for 746 yards and has scored 12 total TDs … QB J’Lin Powell leads Christian County with 873 all-purpose yards and 13 total TDs … The winner will meet the Owensboro-Greenwood winner in a second-round matchup next Friday.
Greenwood (2-8) at Owensboro (8-2)
7 p.m. Friday
Rash Stadium
Last meeting: Greenwood lost 28-17 in the playoffs on Nov. 11, 2016
Breakdown: Greenwood went 2-8 in the regular season … The Gators advanced to the second round of the Class 5A playoffs last season … Owensboro, which went 8-2 in the regular season, fell in the opening round of the playoffs in 2017 … Greenwood is led by Reed Slone, who has rushed for 596 yards … Owensboro QB Will Warren has thrown for 2,610 yards and 31 TDs … The winner will meet the Bowling Green-Christian County winner in a second-round matchup next Friday.
