KPGFootball handicaps the Holy War matchup between Lexington Catholic and Lexington Christians
To say the Eagles from Lexington’s Christian Academy have started out the ’26 season with a difficult trek is a bit of an understatement. The Eagles stand at 2-2 and are coming off a 19-point victory over a 4A finalist from a year ago (Franklin County). However, iron sharpens iron as we commonly say and this week the Eagles draw another tough opponent in cross town Lexington Catholic. This game is referred to as “The Holy War” and it is quite the game. Catholic enters the contest 3-1 and has looked in every way like a 3A KHSAA contender. This is another one of those great seeding opportunities to get to play games at home come playoff time. Hey, we’re still in the hunt here…act accordingly. Go Eagles…
Jumpin’-Jack Flash, Associate Scouting Director, “KPGFootball”
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Their mission has always been supporting student success both on and off the field through affordable access to the course materials they need. eCampus.com is 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 scout the Lexington Catholic Knights and lay out how we see the Holy War coming off this coming weekend.
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. We aren’t panicking now with the team standing at 2-2 through four of the toughest games any small school in Kentucky has perhaps ever started out playing in any singular season. This schedule has been brutal.
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: We are coming off a big 19-point victory over a 2025, Class 4A Finalist in Franklin County. It is one thing to beat a 4A squad when you regularly compete in the 2A classification. It is another thing altogether to beat a 4A team which is royalty and regularly competes for championships at that classification.
The Lexington Christian Academy Eagles (2-2) make the short trip across town, Friday night, to face the Lexington Catholic Knights (3-1) in one of Lexington’s best rivalries. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Lexington Catholic, and PrepSpin will be live-streaming the game.
Both teams enter the matchup coming off wins and looking to build momentum as district play draws closer. Both teams are excellently coached, have excellent traditions, facilities, with instutional, district, or even diocesan support.
Lexington Catholic enters the game at 3-1 and coming off a 42-14 win over Great Crossing, a 6A school winless on the year (0-4). The Knights also own wins over Ballard (6A) and Paul Laurence Dunbar (6A), with their only loss coming against perennial state power, Boyle County (4A, defending champions). Through the first month of the season, Lexington Catholic has established itself as one of the stronger teams in Class 3A.
LCA improved to 2-2 last week with an impressive 40-21 victory over Franklin County. That win may have reminded people just how challenging the Eagles’ schedule has been through the first month of the season.
LCA has already faced unbeaten Pulaski County, unbeaten Christian Academy-Louisville, and a larger-classification North Hardin team. The Eagles now enter another rivalry matchup against a quality Lexington Catholic squad. Few small-school teams in Kentucky can match that level of early-season competition.
Lexington Catholic is slightly favored to win the upcoming September 18, 2026 matchup against Lexington Christian Academy, according to current computer power rankings and state class positioning. We, respectfully, disagree.
The game takes place at Lexington Catholic High School at 7:30 PM EDT.
- Records: Lexington Catholic enters with a 3-1 record, while Lexington Christian holds a 2-2 record.
- Rankings: Lexington Catholic holds the No. 19 state power ranking in early computer indexes, sitting just ahead of Lexington Christian at No. 26, despite LCA being the defending Class 2A champion.
Key Players to Watch
- Nash Whelan (LCA, QB/DB): Junior dual-threat star who anchors the offense with thousands of passing/rushing yards and makes critical impact plays on defense.
- Matthew Montgomery (LCA, OL/DL): Montgomery is a junior, interior OL who has played extensively this season along the outside at tackle. That says quite a bit about his athleticism which is exception for where he deploys. Montgomery plays some (sparingly) along the defensive front too. His value to an offensive line cannot be overstated. Montgomery possesses quick feet, excellent technique and hand placement, power, explosion, and sink and may be the definitive player, at his position, in the KHSAA. Montgomery is a two-time, all-state player who looks to make his third straight all-state team at the season’s conclusion.
- Nick Greer (LCA, Center): Greer is the KHSAA’s definitive player at the center position. He has the heft and smarts to run an OL and the nasty to deliver blocks aggressively at the point of attack. Greer is also a returning all-state performer.
- Conrad Hart (LCA, TE): Senior University of Kentucky commit providing a massive mismatch in the passing game at 6’5″ and 235 pounds.
- Daven Hood (LCA, ATH): Dynamic senior playmaker who handles key touches out of the backfield and in the open field.
- Aiden Lyons & Thomas Sizemore (LCA, LBs): Defensive leaders and top tacklers who will be tasked with slowing down the Knights’ attack.
- Eli Gann & Grady Lamonica (Lexington Catholic): Core offensive playmakers driving the Knights’ early success thus far this season.
KPGFootball’s call: We like the Eagles (LCA) to upset the Knights (Lexington Catholic) 27-24!
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This is Friday Night Fletch, reporting for KPGFootball, reminding you to PLAY THROUGH THE WHISTLE!
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