Christian County has had a season for the ages, as the third-ranked Colonels are one of just six undefeated teams in Kentucky and seeking their first state title since 1984.
But South Warren may have other plans for the Colonels.
South Warren (9-2) is currently ranked fifth in Class 5A, and the Spartans will travel to Hopkinsville on Friday night for an epic second round showdown with Christian County.
The Colonels (11-0) are led by senior quarterback Kolbe Langhi, who has completed 111-of-215 passes for 1,567 yards and 11 touchdowns while rushing for an additional 239 yards and team-high nine scores.
Senior JaQuon Long—who is also a starter on the CCHS basketball team–tops the receiving corps, as the junior has hauled in 38 passes for 678 yards and seven touchdowns.
Another multi-sport talent that is a vital part of this Colonels’ team is senior Corey Trice. The basketball standout has excelled on the gridiron this season as well, recording a team-high in both interceptions and fumble recoveries with three apiece.
The Spartans have a very balanced attack that spreads the football around the field to several different players, but South Warren will especially need offensive production from junior quarterback Gavin Spurrier and senior running back Christian Winn to leave Hoptown with a victory.
Spurrier has completed 133-of-217 passes for 1,906 yards and 19 touchdowns, and Winn has rushed for 620 yards and 11 touchdowns despite missing four games this season.
On the flip side of the ball the Spartans will look for seniors Tryce Cofer and Greg Byrd to continue to make big plays in the secondary. The duo has a total of 10 interceptions on the season, recording four and six picks, respectively. Cofer has returned his four for a team-high 74 yards, including a 39-yard return for a score against Greenwood on Sept. 29.
The Spartans and Colonels have played three common opponents this season in Hopkinsville, Barren County and Graves County. South Warren defeated Graves County by a score of 38-12 in the first round last week, while Christian County had to earn a hard-fought 21-14 overtime victory in Mayfield on Oct. 13.
Kickoff between South Warren and Christian County is slated for 7 p.m. in near-freezing temperatures at Stadium of Champions in Hopkinsville. If you can’t make the trip to Hoptown listen to the audio broadcast at STBNTV.com, pre-game show starting at 6:50.
