[Hoot Gibson]

Covington Catholic is a 5A school by enrollment. Highlands is 4A playing up. (Based on enrollment numbers listed in the KHSAA 2019-2022 realignment list: https://khsaa.org/football/realignment/2...iginal.pdf. Highlands should reconsider its decision to play up. They are no longer a contender in 5A and would not be a contender in 4A either but if they want to have a shot at a title in the future, their chances are better in 4A.

Thanks for the correction. I thought that CC and Highlands both played up. That has been my understanding….My apologies Ram a Devil

I knew that Covington Catholic's enrollment had increased but I was surprised when I looked at the stats and found that Highlands' enrollment had increased enough to put them into 4A. 

I wish Highlands had not decided to play up. There is not much doubt that Johnson Central would lead the series with the 'Birds had stayed in 4A instead of following Covington Catholic to 5A. It's ironic that the quality of Highlands' football teams have dropped as their enrollment increased.

A few years ago when Johnson Central wa playing CovCath and Highlands in the playoffs, Cental was in 5A and the other two were both in 3A playing up in 5A. Right? .....Then realignment took place and that moved JC to 4A, while CC and Highlands both chose to stay in 5A...Still correct?  ...So the enrollment for boh CC and Highlands increased since that time in that Highlands is now qualified to be in 4A and CovCath in 5A? Is that correct as well?

That's the way I remember it. Both Highlands and Covington Catholic were 3A, both decided to play up to 5A and both have grown in enrollment - but I could be mistaken. I think the fact that teams are allowed to play in different classes than they belong is proof that Kentucky has too many classes. Travel distances and expenses are a disadvantage for large county schools around the state like Johnson Central and other kids work in high school to help support their families. I always argued that transportation home from practices was also an advantage that schools like Highlands had over county schools. Some kids are too poor and live too far from school to make it to practices.

An enrollment of 500 boys at an urban or suburban school is not equivalent to the same enrollment at a large school in a rural school where 70 percent of potential players qualify for free lunches. Those factors make Johnson Central's success on the football field even more impressive, IMO.