The 2014 high school football season has been one to remember throughout the 4th region area. Six teams are ranked amongst their respective classes and making statements all across the commonwealth. Here is the breakdown of each ranked team’s upcoming game and the outlook for it.
The area has two teams ranked in the Class 5A top ten – Bowling Green (6-1) and Warren Central (5-2). Both teams were off last week with a bye and return to action this Friday at Warren Central High School for a game that should all but decide the Class 5A, District 2 regular season title. The Purples are ranked #1 in Class 5A and dispatched of district opponents Barren County and Logan County by a combined score of 104-8. The two victories came on the heels of the program’s first loss in 49 games when they dropped a tight one to McCallie from Tennessee, 21-20. Coach Kevin Wallace-led Purples will look to win its 51st game in 52 tries. 
As for the Dragons, Coach Howard Feggins’ inaugural season has seen success as the program currently holds the #4 ranking in Class 5A. WCHS returns to action at home against Bowling Green after dropping a two-point decision to Class 4A #1 Owensboro on October 3. A bye week has given the Dragons time to recuperate and hit the practice field hard. The best wins to date for the club came in the season’s opening weeks when Central dropped Class 5A #10 Hopkinsville 54-16 in the Russell Rivals Bowl before traveling to play in the PBK Rebel Bowl and defeating Class 3A #7 Bourbon County, 28-14. The Purples and Dragons meet Friday, October 17 at 7:00pm at Warren Central.
Franklin-Simpson (5-1) returns to the gridiron Friday night after a bye week to face off with district opponent Breckinridge County. 
The Wildcats will play the role of the heavy favorite as the Fighting Tigers sit at 1-6 midways through the 2014 campaign. Coach Doug Preston’s club currently sits ranked #6 in Class 4A at 5-1. The team’s only loss – like Bowling Green High – came at the hands of a Tennessee school, Battle Ground Academy, in mid-September. The Wildcats are coming off two one-point victories, first over a talented Russellville crew (21-20) before eking out a 14-13 win over district rival Warren East. Franklin and Allen County-Scottsville both are 1-0 in district and will face off on October 24 for what could decide the district’s #1 seed this postseason. Franklin-Simpson hosts Breckinridge County on Friday, October 17 at 7:00pm at Franklin-Simpson.
South Warren (8-0) has amassed 15 of 19 first-place votes to hold the #1 ranking in all of Class 3A. The Spartans dispatched of then eighth-ranked Adair County, 42-12, last week, choosing to hold its bye week on October 24. Coach Brandon Smith has found the right ingredients at the helm in his first season as head coach and has the Spartans two games away from a perfect regular season. 
A final district game awaits SWHS this Friday when the program will welcome nemesis Monroe County. The Falcons have struggled at times this season and are currently 1-1 in district play and 2-5 overall. The Falcons have been snake bit by injuries this season losing 12 players with six out for the season with either broken bones or ACL injuries. Still at 2-5 an upset victory would propel Monroe to one-half game out of first place in Class 3A, District 2. South Warren and its stifling defense hosts Monroe County on Friday, October 17 at 7:00pm at South Warren.
Glasgow (5-2) has not played up to the standards many have become accustomed to seeing out of the Scotties; however, the program finds itself 5-2 and ranked #9 in the current Class 2A poll. A 34-14 home loss to Louisville Seneca gave the Scotties a lot of things to work on and improve over the course of last week’s bye.
Coach Rick Wood’s team begins district play this Friday night against Green County. The Dragons have struggled to a 2-5 record this season but always seem to give the Scotties a tough game. The two programs will meet Friday, October 17 at 7:00pm at Glasgow.
Rounding out the area’s ranked teams in Russellville (6-1), who finds itself #5 in Class 1A. Coach John Myers’ club has only one slip-up – a one-point loss to Franklin-Simpson on September 26 – from having a perfect record through seven games. However, the Panthers responded to their loss with a 45-0 thrashing of district rival Fulton County. With remaining games against Class 1A #1 Mayfield and Class 3A #1 South Warren looming in the near future, the Panthers will need to buckle down this week and take care of business. Russellville hosts Fulton City (0-6) at 7:30pm in Russellville. The Panthers will be heavy favorites.
