LCA travels to Danville for the Rebel Bowl to play a 5A finalist from 2025
LCA has built a Christ-centered environment prioritizing character-building and faith alongside athletic successes. Along the way the program boasts a 2A title (2025), a 1A title (2009), a pair of Kentucky runners-up finishes (2020, 2021), and a Kentucky 1A runner-up finish (2007). LCA travels to Danville, Kentucky to play a football team, in Pulaski County which will have something to prove after having been “disrespected” in some preseason, top-teams polls (they believe). To get to play the semi-state game at home, LCA has to bolster its RPI and playing the “Pulaski Counties” on a neutral site is a good way to do just that. We like LCA in this ball game and the below comprises the reasons why.
Jumpin’ Jack Flash, Ass. Scouting Director, “KPGFootball”
eCampus.com was built on a simple idea: make textbooks affordable, convenient, and accessible for every student. Founded in 1999 in Lexington, KY and backed by visionary investors like Wendy’s founder Dave Thomas, the company has grown into a premier online textbook retailer for high school and college students nationwide.
Their mission has always been supporting student success both on and off the field through affordable access to the course materials they need. eCampus.comis excited to invest in our student-athletes through Kentucky Prep Gridiron (KPGFootball) which was founded to promote and assist young high school football players get promoted to “next level,” college football opportunities.
That is why eCampus.com sponsors the KPGFootball, Big Man on the eCampus series. This week we are doing something a bit different. In stead of giving you a feature, we are going to predict the order of finish in the 2A classification for the ’26 season.
We aren’t sure how many of you remember this, but KPGFootball may have been the only Kentucky-wide publication which came out on the record and picked the Eagles to win the title last season (2025). We didn’t panic when the team came out of the gates losing three of its first four.
Iron sharpens iron. We knew the tough early season schedule would pay off dividends in 2025 when it got to playoff time. We were right and believe the similar course of action, in 2026, may well net a similar result.
The 2A classification will be a tough league in 2026 and boasts as many top-flight, top-notch teams as any other class in the commonwealth. There are literally 11-teams who could take home the title with four to five at the top capable of beating the other depending on factors as rudimentary as the location of the game.
Lexington, KY: The Eagles will continue its big title defense with a trip to the Rebel Bowl in Danville, Kentucky to play a 5A powerhouse (Pulaski County) in a game where Pulaski County feels a bit disrespected owing to its not being picked higher in some preseason, top-team’s polls. The game will feature two primetime teams both coming off opening wins.
Here is our tale of the tape:
Lexington Christian (2A), 1-0 at Pulaski County (5A) 1-0
Pulaski County is projected to win this matchup by a score of 35-28, according to the latest algorithmic projections from Massey Ratings. We don’t see it that way. We are picking the Eagles to prevail on the road by a score of 33-27.
This highly anticipated Week 2 clash takes place on August 29, 2026, at the Rebel Bowl in Danville, Kentucky, a neutral field. It features two of Kentucky’s premier high school football programs coming off dominant season-opening wins.
Team Comparison & Analytical Breakdown
| Metric | Lexington Christian Academy (LCA) | Pulaski County |
| KSR State Ranking | #9 | #15 |
| Massey Win Probability | 35% | 65% |
| Week 1 Result | Won 28-7 vs. North Hardin | Won 41-16 vs. Henderson County |
| Offensive Style | Balanced attack led by QB Nash Whelan | Run-heavy behind star RB Kasen Brock |
We are taking LCA to win this game 33-27. Playing in Danville, Kentucky at a neutral site, we wager, is a wash as to bestowing any advantage to either team. We believe LCA is six (6) or so points better than Pulaski.
These two teams have never before played. Won’t this be exciting?
Quarterback Nash Whelan (’28), behind a hulking offensive front, anchored by All-Staters, Matthew Montgomery (’28) and Nick Greer (’28), provided a breakout, multi-touchdown performance against the opening opponent, Class 6A, North Hardin. For his part, Whelan was selected the bowl game’s MVP.
Of course, any great QB would tell you he is only as good as the men who protect him and the men who play and align around him. We’ve heard Nash Whelan conceded as much.
A key matchup to monitor is the LCA defensive run box against the Maroons’ run-heavy, RB’ing star player, Kasen Brock. How (or whether) Brock is contained will go along way toward determining this outcome.
This is an important game. At the end of the year, when the playoffs roll around, victories against out of classification teams, especially moving up three or so classes and on a neutral field, will factor heavily into RPI and, consequently, playoff seeding.
The Eagles will have to figure out an effective way to deal with Pulaski’s hulking front line and star running back. Pulaski will have to contain Nash Whelan who has been as dangerous, so far this year, with his legs and mind (high football IQ) as with his arm.
The Eagles are a consistent title contender in the 2A classification. The Maroons are an omnipresent contender in the KHSAA’s Class 5A.
The Maroons are an omnipresent contender in the KHSAA’s Class 5A
Jumpin’ Jack Flash
The Eagles always seem to round into form at just the right time. Coaching has a lot to do with that. So does culture; so does roster talent.
We know this, the performance of the players so far this season strengthens (in our minds) the prediction this upcoming version of LCA will meet with future success, both on and off the field. These players comport themselves appropriately and exhibit strong, academic performances; possessing excellent class standing and sure-fire qualifying credentials for the NCAA Clearinghouse.
Congratulations to Coach Watkins, players, and staff and the entire LCA program. In addition to all the other skills and assets we have highlighted, the program has developed the best athletes, citizens, and students in addition to this program’s being our eCampus.com, Big Men on the eCampus feature of the week!
Good luck against Pulaski County, men!
Join us next week as we return to honor another eCampus.com, Big Man on the eCampus. Until then, from any classroom to every field, eCampus.com delivers an easy, fast, and affordable way to order textbooks for students everywhere.
This is Friday Night Fletch, reporting for KPGFootball, reminding you to PLAY THROUGH THE WHISTLE!
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