Just three area high school football teams remain in the KHSAA Commonwealth Gridiron Bowl after recording wins in their respected regional finals on Friday night – and each of those three clubs will face tough tests in their semifinal rounds next week.
In Class 3A, Glasgow defeated Monore County to claim its first Region 3 title since 2011. At the 4A level, Franklin-Simpson recorded a comeback win over Hopkinsville to win its second consecutive regional championship. And, lastly, South Warren upset Bowling Green to advance to the 5A semis.
“It feels good to be able to play another game next week,” Glasgow’s Griffin Murphy said. “There’s nothing more I could ask for. Being region champs, we got something going here.”
Glasgow will certainly have its hands full next Friday, as it’ll host Danville – an undefeated club at 13-0. The Scotties (10-3), who will play in their first semifinal contest since 2011, will meet a Danville squad that won 42-35 over Holy Cross (Covington) in last season’s semifinal round.
The Scotties and Admirals haven’t played each other since Nov. 18, 2008 – a 45-6 Danville win in the Class 2A opening round.
Class 2A State Semifinals: Glasgow (10-3) vs. Danville (13-0), Friday, 7:30 p.m.
With Franklin-Simpson’s 35-20, come-from-behind victory over Hopkinsville, the Wildcats (10-3) will now face off with Collins (11-2) at Shadetree Stadium.
Against the Tigers, Franklin once trailed 20-0 but turned things around and went on to score unanswered points and secure the win. The Wildcats will next host a Collins team that will be trying to return to the Class 4A title game for the first time since 2013, a year in which the Titans were state champions.
In the 2016 semifinals, Franklin-Simpson beat John Hardin 27-7 to advance to the championship.
Class 4A State Semifinals: Franklin-Simpson (10-3) vs. Collins (11-2), Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Along with playing Bowling Green twice this season, South Warren will face its biggest test of 2017 on Friday against a dominant Covington Catholic team.
The Spartans (11-2), who knocked off the Purples and kept them from winning a third straight Class 5A title, are in their first semifinal round in their first year as a member of 5A. They won the 2015 Class 4A state championship with a 36-6 win over Johnson Central.
Covington Catholic (13-0) will travel to Bowling Green after beating South Oldham 49-7 in the semifinals. The Colonels are a team that, defensively, hasn’t allowed more than 17 points in a single game all season and present an offense that averages over 400 yards per outing.
“I know they haven’t lost a game and they’re a heck of a ball club,” South Warren coach Brandon Smith said. “We’ll come back Monday, regroup, and get ready for Friday.”
Class 5A State Semifinals: South Warren (11-2) vs. Covington Catholic (13-0), Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Tyler Mansfield can be reached at mansfield.sportingtimes@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter at @_TylerMansfield.
