MANUAL (9-2) AT MALE (11-0)
Bulldogs beat Crimsons 43-7 three weeks ago
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
Next week: Winner will face St. Xavier-Trinity winner.
* Manual, No. 18 in the state in The Courier-Journal’s Litkenhous Ratings, built a 24-0 lead early in the third quarter and held on for a 30-23 victory at Ballard last week. Junior Will Britt made his first start of the season at quarterback and threw two touchdown passes and rushed for 76 yards on 13 carries. Senior defensive end Chase Gavin leads the Crimsons in tackles (64) and had a big game against Ballard (five tackles, two sacks, one interception return for touchdown, one fumble recovery).
MORE COVERAGE | Manual defensive end Chase Gavin went from ‘rock bottom’ to ‘a diamond’
MORE COVERAGE | Coach breaks down Male-Manual matchup
* No. 1 Male is 11-0 for the second straight season after a 49-3 whipping of Jeffersontown last week. Several regular starters (quarterback Hayden Shelton, wide receiver Keion Wakefield, running back Devin Gentry, cornerback Demetrius Holt) did not play last week, but coach Chris Wolfe said all are probable for Friday’s game except Wakefield (out with hamstring injury). Male leads the Old Rivalry against Manual 82-45-6. The series dates to 1893.
Quotable: “You can’t flinch at this stuff,” Wolfe said of his team’s injuries. “There’s no hesitation our worry on our part. You try to build a program to have guys step in for these situations. Obviously you don’t want to miss a bunch of guys, but we’re in the unique position of having a lot of depth.”
The pick: Male 38-14.