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SPENCER COUNTY (7-4)

Coach: Mike Marksberry (3rd season, 12-11).

Starters back: Offense 4, defense 4.

Class: 4-A, District 3.

Player to watch: RB-DB Shawn Boykin (Sr.). A top sprinter in track, Boykin also excels in football. He ran for 850 yards and 5 TDs last year. "Shawn has the speed where he has the opportunity to go the distance every time he touches the ball," Marksberry said. The 6-foot, 180-pounder is also active in his team's return game.

Other top players: C Tyler Eldridge (Sr.), RB Logan Holbrook (So.), RB-LB Michael Fowler (Sr.), RB-LB Trenton Bryant (Sr.), WR Kynan Smith (Jr.), QB Jacob DeRudder (So.).

Outlook: Holbrook is cat-quick and ran for 600 yards and 7 TDs as a freshman so he and Boykin give Spencer County a solid 1-2 punch. Fowler made over 100 tackles and recovered three fumbles a year ago. The Bears' season may depend on how DeRudder develops at quarterback. "We hang our hat on defense," Marksberry said. "We only gave up 180 points in 11 games last year, and that included 54 to Nelson County in the playoffs."

-- Bob White

Date Opponent Date Opponent
8/23 at Thomas Nelson 10/4 *COLLINS
8/30 at Shelby County 10/11 *at Atherton
9/6 LARUE COUNTY 10/18 EAST JESSAMINE
9/13 at Bullitt East 10/25 *WAGGENER
9/27 *at North Oldham 11/1 HENRY COUNTY
*-District game.

VALLEY (3-7)

Coach: Preston King (3rd season, 7-14).

Starters back: Offense 7, defense 8.

Class: 4-A, District 4.

Player to watch: Senior quarterback Robert Jones (6-1, 175) is drawing interest from several colleges after passing for nearly 1,000 yards and rushing for another 500 last year. "He went to a lot of camps over the summer ... and that helped him a lot to see where he wanted to go," King said. "We expect a big-time year out of him."

Other top players: RB Kevonte Mitchell (Sr.), WR Tyler Oates (Sr.), OL-DL Jansen Fisher (Sr.), OL Travis Lucas (Jr.), DT Treshawn Macklin (Sr.), LB Antwan Thomas (Jr.), FS Brian Smith (Sr.).

Outlook: Jones, Mitchell and Oates give the Vikings three solid playmakers on offense. "Oates used to drop a lot of balls, but he's caught everything that's come to him so far this year," King said. "Mitchell is only 160 pounds, but he runs like he's 200. He'd rather run over you than by you." King also pleased with the improved depth of the program, though it's still not where he'd like it to be. "Last year we probably had 14 or 15 kids in the rotation," King said. "Now we have 22 or 23 solid players who can help us. We feel like we can have a good year if we stay healthy on the offensive and defensive lines."

-- Jason Frakes

Date Opponent Date Opponent
8/30 PRP 10/3 *at Fairdale
9/6 at Iroquois 10/11 *NELSON COUNTY
9/13 at Bullitt Central 10/18 *at Doss
9/20 at Holy Cross 10/25 *WESTERN
9/27 *MOORE 11/1 BUTLER
*-District game.

WAGGENER (2-9)

Coach: Jason Stallard (1st season).

Starters back: Offense 6, defense 6.

Class: 4-A, District 3.

Player to watch: QB-RB-DB Marquise Nelson (Sr.). "His speed makes him special out of the quarterback position," Stallard said about Nelson. "He's a dual threat at running or passing. He's vocal and leads by example. He's a player."

Other top players: RB-LB Romeo Perry (Sr.), OL-DL Deshawn Gaines (Sr.), OL-DL Brandon Byrd (Jr.), RB-S Jonquise Grady (So.), G-LB-Malik Watts (So.), WR-CB Leonard Nelson (Jr.), OL-DL Jerome Bailey (Sr.).

Outlook: Stallard, who played on Georgetown College's national championship team as a free safety in 2000 and 2001, begins his 12th season as a high school coach. "We're in a rebuilding mode. We only have nine seniors and 25-30 kids, but we have a positive outlook," he said. "I love the athletic talent we have. Our linemen have really been sound. We'll go as far as our linemen take us. We're a hungry group.''

-- Bob White

Date Opponent Date Opponent
8/30 at Iroquois 10/3 *ATHERTON
9/6 BULLITT EAST 10/11 *NORTH OLDHAM
9/13 at Moore 10/18 *at Collins
9/20 at Henry County 10/25 *at Spencer County
9/27 HOLY CROSS 11/1 FERN CREEK
*-District game.

WESTERN (6-7)

Coach: Torrey Shinholster (2nd season).

Starters back: Offense 8, defense 4.

Class: 4-A, District 4.

Player to watch: Senior linebacker Kermory Malone (6-1, 230) was the Warriors' Defensive Player of the Year last season and has a solid knowledge of the game. "He changes the calls on defense for me," Shinholster said. "He's like a player-coach. He's really intelligent."

Other top players: QB Jordan Cooper (Jr.), RB Cory Durham (Sr.), WR Andre Carson (Sr.), WR Ryan Love (Sr.), WR Ladon Marshall (Sr.), OL Quadry Johnson (Sr.), OL Chris McGraw (Sr.), OL Rajae Woods (Sr.), DE Montez Bowen (Sr.), CB Taron Barger (Jr.), CB Donald Moore (Sr.).

Outlook: The Warriors have won four straight regular-season district championships and figure to battle Doss for a fifth straight this season. The offense returns most of its playmakers, with Cooper leading the way at quarterback. Malone anchors a defense that will be breaking in seven new starters. "Our strength is that we're better disciplined than last year," Shinholster said. "These kids want something this year. Our weakness is that we're young and we don't have a lot of football players. We're creating football players right now."

-- Jason Frakes

Date Opponent Date Opponent
8/31 a-Meade County 10/4 *at Nelson County
9/6 at Butler 10/11 *DOSS
9/13 at Ballard 10/18 *at Moore
9/20 CENTRAL 10/25 *at Valley
9/27 *FAIRDALE 11/1 JOHN HARDIN
*-District game. a-at North Hardin.

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