’27 WR says ‘Here’s your Daddy’ as he scores on a couple of long TDs to salt away Tigers’ first win…
“Friday Night Fletch” makes some weekly appearances, each and every week, throughout the HS football season. On one such appearance, the one on the popular “Cleats 2 Whistle” podcast out of Louisville, Fletch said, “Someone needs to stand up and ‘be Daddy’ for the Tigers on Friday nights…” or words to that effect. As if on cue, Jalen Ray stood up in the Tigers’ first program victory, on the road against highly ranked and regarded McKenzie High, and said (with his play) “Here’s your Daddy!” Maybe this will be the win to turn around the newly consolidated school’s inaugural season. Those are my thoughts on the matter anyway.
Jumpin’ Jack-Flash, Associate Scouting Director, “KPGFootball”
The Bank of Cadiz & Trust Company, based in Cadiz, Kentucky, was founded August 7, 1970. The bank obtained trust powers in 1978.
It is a locally owned, independent bank which has expanded, through the years, to locations in Hopkinsville and Murray in addition to Cadiz. The Bank of Cadiz & Trust Company has focused on community finance and dealing face-to-face with both families and small-business owners while fulfilling customer needs and the dreams of area families and businesses regardless of size or construct.
We, like our area schools, strive for high performance and finding ways to prosper in an ever-changing economic environment. The Bank of Cadiz & Trust Company remains committed to superior performance goals coupled with an exceptional quality of customer service.
’27 WR Jalen Ray was among the young, high school athletes who also rendered a superior performance while achieving exceptional quality this past weekend in his team’s first program win against one of Tennessee’s top rated teams in the McKenzie High School Rebels. Ray caught a pair of long TD passes from Jasiah McCarley which went a long way toward salting away the program’s first win in its inaugural football season post-consolidation.
Well, that is the reason Ray get’s this season’s third jacket patch and is our featured player of the week. If history should repeat itself, and should his performance continue on at this clip, and should Ray continue to improve as many would anticipate, Ray may well find himself on 2026’s Big Ass Fans, Small School, All-State Football Team. I mean, who knows…?
The Bank of Cadiz & Trust Co. strives for high performance and finding ways to prosper in an ever-changing economic environment
Jumpin’ Jack-Flash
Hopkinsville, KY: I was on the very popular podcast, Cleats 2 Whistle, last week and discussed the upcoming road game between the newly consolidated Christian County Tigers and the number two ranked Tennessee team in 1A, the McKenzie Rebels. On the show I made the comment that the Tigers roster was still waiting on a Daddy.
What I meant by that is the roster contained many good athletes but needed a guy who would stand up, put the team on his back, and sort of take charge, assume the role of team leader, be the dawg (if you will). As if on cue, Jalen Ray (’27 WR) appeared to assume that role Friday night.
Let us paint the scene curtesy of the article published, online, by WHOP radio. WHOP reported…
McKenzie (1-2) took a 7-0 lead with 8:31 to play in the first quarter on a 63-yard pass from Tennessee Mr. Football candidate Cole Brown to Avery Brown. Jony Hernandez’s kick made it 7-0.
Christian County (1-2) answered with a 16-play, 98-yard drive that ended with a 6-yard touchdown run by DeAsian Harris. The conversion failed and the Rebels led 7-6 with 9:04 to play in the second quarter.
After, Parker Ross returned an interception 60 yards for a touchdown with 5:50 to go in the half to give the Rebels a 13-6 lead, Tristin Dillard capped a 3-play, 59-yard drive with a 5-yard scoring run. Jayleigh Campbell’s point-after kick tied the game at 13 with 4:18 to go in the half.
Unlike last week, Christian County responded. Jasiah McCarley hit Jaylen Ray on a 44-yard scoring pass to give the Tigers a 33-28 advantage with 6:44 to play.
On their next possession, McCarley found Ray again. This time the wide receiver [ran] 73 yards to pay-dirt (sic). Campbell’s kick gave Christian County a 40-28 lead. Emphais added.
…the Tigers are “full of warriors” and that [the Friday night triumph] was a “statement win.”
Dustin Lopez, HFC
These two long passes seemed to put the game out of reach. This was what coaches refer to as stepping on an opponent’s neck, or pouring on some steam. This was a player standing up at a critical time and crying out, here’s your Daddy and just in the nick of time.
The Christian County Tigers won the road game 47-28, notching the program’s inaugural win in its inaugural season. The Tigers will take a road trip to a winless Daviess County (0-3) team this next Friday night.
Following Christian County’s 47-28 victory over McKenzie, Head Coach Dustin Lopez told WHOP radio in Hopkinsville, Kentucky that the Tigers are “full of warriors” and that the Friday night triumph was a “statement win.” We would agree with that on both counts.
Among the signatures of well coach ball clubs are both consistent execution and individual/team progression. We will be looking for, and expecting to find, both going forward from here.
After last Friday night, it would appear the roster may have discovered a Daddy or two. Didn’t Daddy show up right on time?
We know this, the Tigers will be excellently coached and excellently prepared. We like this program’s track record. We love this program’s trajectory.
Rod Argent, 1968, “Time of the Season,” The Zombies
This season will go along way in answering questions. Regardless, seeing the answers revealed should prove entirely interesting.
Let’s just hope Jalen Ray continues to demonstrate the skills and ability he has shown, thus far, in the opening of the ’26 football season which landed him on the receiving end of two pivotal TD receptions just when the team most needed him. Ray’s continued development would really help to establish this program as a district contender in its classification.
This is Friday Night Fletch, reporting for KPGFootball, reminding you to PLAY THROUGH THE WHISTLE!
If you enjoyed this article and wish to gain full-access to the site, then subscribe monthly to Kentucky Prep Gridiron by following the prompts!
© The information contained on this site is the copyrighted intellectual property of KPGFootball.
Leave a Reply