Clik here to view.
After losing to Male in the third round of last year’s playoff, Trinity is back in the Class 6-A state final after defeating St. X 24-14 on Friday. Photo by Matt Stone, The Courier-Journal.
Trinity High School football coach Bob Beatty has described senior quarterback Spencer Blackburn as a perfectionist, saying he has a bit of a “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” personality.
So even after Trinity’s 24-14 victory over St. Xavier on Friday in a Class 6-A state semifinal, it wasn’t a surprise to hear Blackburn be critical of his performance.
Shamrocks offensive coordinator Andrew Coverdale even spent a couple of minutes after the game encouraging Blackburn and telling him to make sure he enjoys the next few days as Trinity approaches the state championship game.
“I can think back on mistakes I’ve made, and I am a perfectionist,” Blackburn said. “I want to perfect those and get better and be the best team we can be.”
Blackburn completed 15 of 25 passes for 187 yards and two touchdowns in Friday’s victory. He also carried 10 times for 13 yards and a score.
MORE COVERAGE | Trinity back in 6-A final after knocking off St. X
Blackburn may have had an issue with his 60 percent completion rate, a solid number but his lowest since going 7 for 12 (58.3 percent) in a 35-21 victory over Tennessee’s Brentwood Academy in the second game of the season.
Blackburn promised a better performance next week when the Shamrocks will face Lafayette in the Class 6-A championship game in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
“The win is satisfying, and to go back to Bowling Green is definitely a good feeling,” Blackburn said. “But that effort given tonight is below our standards. The effort wasn’t there. It was a very subpar performance on our part. It’s just not Trinity football.
“You’ll see a different team in Bowling Green.”
FERN CREEK’S ABELL SEES BRIGHT FUTURE
For the second straight year, Fern Creek saw its season end at the hands of Bowling Green in the Class 5-A semifinals. However, Tigers coach Josh Abell sees a bright future in store for his team.
“We lose 19 seniors, but we got 27 juniors coming back,” he said. “And a lot of juniors who had a lot of (playing) time in two seasons.”
Abell must find replacements for players like quarterback Shamar Bryant and running back/linebacker Kyree Hawkins, the team’s leading rusher. But junior Devin Blincoe also rushed for more than 1,000 yards this season, and junior Damon Durrah showed some explosiveness Friday night with a 53-yard kickoff return and his 25-yard touchdown catch.
“There’s a lot to build on,” Abell said. “If games like this and opportunities like this don’t make them hungrier, I don’t know what will.”
PURPLES RETURN TO FINAL
There were plenty of happy faces on the Bowling Green sideline as the clock wound down in its 34-7 victory over host Fern Creek on Friday, but one thing that didn’t take place was a wild celebration when the Purples received their trophy.
That’s by design, coach Kevin Wallace said.
MORE COVERAGE | Purples roll past Tigers
“We’ve won so much that there’s only one goal,” he said. “There’s only one thing you’re going to get really excited about. It’s a long grind, a long time to get here, but we’re finally down to that one game.”
And as Bowling Green gets ready for another rematch, this time against Pulaski County, the approach will be business as usual. With one week left in the season, Wallace said that’s not enough time to make someone a better blocker or better tackler. Rather, the Purples just need to make sure everyone’s ready and understands the game plan.
“This week is just a preparation week,” quarterback Clark Payne said. “We got a long week – we don’t play until the last game on Sunday – so we really got to keep our minds right, make sure we get everybody healthy. Just going out there and taking care of business. It’s the best week on football.”
CENTRAL’S UNIQUE STREAK REACHES 10 STRAIGHT YEARS
Need a sign as to whether Central will advance to the Class 3-A championship game? Simply look at what the Yellowjackets do in their regular-season finale.
Central clinched a spot in next week’s state final with a 21-14 victory over Elizabethtown. The victory came four weeks after the Yellowjackets lost to Pleasure Ridge Park 42-3 in their regular-season finale.
This marks the 10th straight season that Central’s result in its regular-season finale has been an accurate predictor of whether it makes the state final – a loss meaning the Yellowjackets will reach the final and a win meaning they won’t get there.
MORE COVERAGE | Central rallies to beat E’town in 3-A semifinal
The streak started in 2007 and 2008, when Central lost to Highlands in their last game of the regular season before going on to win the state title. In 2009, 2013 and 2015, Central beat PRP in the regular-season finale but failed to reach the 3-A final. The Yellowjackets lost to the Panthers in the 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014 finales before going on to reach the state final.
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
* Lafayette (13-1) stopped a two-point conversion run by Brice Fryman with 11 seconds remaining to secure a 48-47 victory over visiting Scott County (11-3) in a Class 6-A semifinal. Josh Davis’ 4-yard touchdown pass to Cameron Shepard had pulled the Cardinals within 48-47.
Lafayette quarterback Walker Wood, who has committed to the University of Kentucky, completed 15 of 16 passes for 211 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 96 yards and four touchdowns on 21 carries.
Jacob Burton led Scott County with 154 yards and three touchdowns on 31 carries.
MORE COVERAGE | Pulaski County beats South Oldham in 5-A shootout
* Carlos McKinney rushed for 119 yards and a touchdown to lead Franklin Simpson (14-0) to a 27-7 victory at John Hardin (9-5) in a Class 4-A semifinal. The Wildcats’ defense held the Bulldogs to 11 yards of offense in the second half.
* Joe Jackson rushed for 185 yards and two touchdowns to lead host Johnson Central (14-0) to a 51-0 victory over Wayne County (11-3) in a Class 4-A semifinal. The Golden Eagles led 31-0 at the end of the first quarter and cruised the rest of the way.
* Taveon Hunter rushed for 201 yards and four touchdowns on six carries to lead Belfry (13-1) to a 42-17 victory at Corbin (12-2) in a Class 3-A semifinal. Down 17-7 at halftime, Belfry outscored Corbin 35-0 in the second half to advance to the state final for the seventh straight year.
* Zach Dampier passed for 256 yards and four touchdowns to lead host Danville (12-2) to a 42-35 victory over Covington Holy Cross (10-4) in a Class 2-A semifinal. Danville, a 10-time state champion, advanced to a state final for the first time since 2006.
MORE COVERAGE | CAL rolls in second half to knock off Mayfield in 2-A
* Brayden Burch completed 7 of 9 passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns and Aiden Justice scored two touchdowns to lead host Beechwood (13-1) to a 35-0 victory over Russellville in a Class A semifinal.
* Cory Smith carried 39 times for 199 yards and two touchdowns to lead host Hazard (12-2) to a 20-7 victory over Paintsville (13-1) in a Class A semifinal.
POWER FIVE
Each week Jason Frakes will provide his ranking of the top five teams in the state, regardless of class:
* No. 5 – Lafayette (13-1). Quarterback Walker Wood accounted for all seven touchdowns (four rushing, three passing) as the Generals beat Scott County 48-47 in the Class 6-A semifinals. Up next: Faces Trinity (14-0) in Class 6-A state final Saturday.
* No. 4 – Male (10-3). Season complete.
* No. 3 – St. Xavier (10-4). Couldn’t overcome three turnovers and quarterback Desmond Ridder’s injury in a 24-14 loss to Trinity in the Class 6-A semifinals. Up next: Season complete.
* No. 2 – Bowling Green (14-0). Jamale Carothers rushed for 196 yards and scored three touchdowns as the Purples beat Fern Creek 34-7 in the Class 5-A semifinals. Up next: Faces Pulaski County (12-2) in Class 5-A state final Sunday.
* No. 1 – Trinity (14-0). Spencer Blackburn passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another in a 24-14 victory over St. Xavier in the Class 6-A semifinals. Up next: Faces Lafayette (13-1) in Class 6-A state final Saturday.
GAME BALLS
Corey Johnson, Central
The senior carried 29 times for 169 yards and a touchdown in a 21-14 victory over Elizabethtown in the Class 3-A semifinals.
Rondale Moore, Trinity
The junior had seven receptions for 80 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Shamrocks to a 24-14 victory over St. Xavier in the Class 6-A semifinals.
Jason Frakes can be reached at (502) 582-4046 and jfrakes@courier-journal.com.