Articles by Fletcher Long

About Fletcher Long
Two-time winner of Kentucky Press Association awards for excellence in writing and reporting news stories while Managing Editor of the Jackson (KY) Times-Voice

Rakale Johnson among the best athletes in 2027’s class in the Derby City/in the Bluegrass @rakalej_32, @CoachWatson9, @FHS_Dawgs_FB, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball, @eCampusdotcom, @coachdov, @bigassfans,

March 26, 2026 Fletcher Long 0

The Fairdale Bulldogs are among the better 5As yearly competing in KHSAA football around Louisville’s “Derby City.” Players and athletes like Rakale Johnson are a large reason why. Johnson is a 6’2,” 210-pounder who can play receiver, TE, RB, and OLB as well as contribute in a meaningful way to the special teams units. This kid has so much utility that he is also a 7.3-pts/7.3-rebounds a game guy in basketball. There are guys who can just do about anything you ask of them and Johnson certainly numbers among their ranks. Enjoy this look at a premier athlete/football player in the KHSAA entering the ’26 season, his senior campaign.

Friday Night Fletch

Joshua Dredge is the @eCampusdotcom Big Man on the eCampus Feature of the Week @eCampusdotcom, @mac_darland, @Oakley_Watkins, @CoachDCharles, @jhyde61, @MattieLebryk, @LCAEAGLESFB, @bigassfans, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball, @CoachDCharles, @matthewmont57, @Dfarmer2028

March 25, 2026 Fletcher Long 0

We are proud to have eCampus.com on our list of sponsors. These guys have set the industry standard for savings, selection, convenience, and customer service and have committed themselves to helping college students more easily afford to better themselves and develop. Now, eCampus.com is helping high school football players gain notice, attention, and opportunities to play at the next level when their KHSAA playing days are through. Join us each week as we inform you about a KHSAA, high school football player who is a “Big Man on (our) Campus” and should be a Big Man around your Campus too. Thank you, eCampus.com for taking this step to provide worthy high school kids this type opportunity.

Friday Night Fletch

Joseph Katz, 8th grade phenom on the varsity basketball roster, is the Lasaters Coffee & Tea Feature of the Week @FC_FALCONS_FB, @LasatersCoffee, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball, @bigassfans, @eCampusdotcom

March 24, 2026 Fletcher Long 0

Joseph Katz brings something to the table programs desperately need, particularly programs competing at the 2A classification. Katz has a very versatile skill set with a variety of talents which lend itself well to playing multiple sports. Katz averaged over 6-points and 4-rebounds a game as an eighth grader playing varsity basketball at Fort Campbell High this winter. Basketball employs skills which lend naturally (and specifically) to playing football. Katz’s multi-faceted, athletic tool belt makes him more, not less, recruitable to colleges around the commonwealth. Enjoy this feature.

Friday Night Fletch

Brayden Winchester from Calloway County is the Bank of Cadiz & Trust Co.’s Feature of the Week @BrayWinchester1, @KYHighFootball, @MurrayLedger, @CClakerfootball, @teeroyhowell, @khsaafootball, @bigassfans, @LasatersCoffee, @eCampusdotcom

March 23, 2026 Fletcher Long 0

’27 TE/DE among the commonwealth’s, preseason, “Nifty-Nichols” Brayden Winchester is a load. Winchester is 6’3,” 225-pounds of twitchy, explosive, muscle and sinew. As a junior, Winchester registered 49-tackles, 14.5-sacks, and eight (8) TFLs. Winchester holds the program record for career sacks (18.5), sacks in a season (14.5), and tied for […]

Isaiah Kiser from Letcher County Central may prove quite the addition to the varsity roster in the Fall @IsaiahKiser1199, @Chris_Sailer, @Prokickercom, @KohlsKicking, @LCC_Football, @LCCougarSports, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball, @bigassfans, @KyHighFootball

March 21, 2026 Fletcher Long 0

Quality programs don’t skimp on any of football’s three phases. You will find that is true of most of your “Big Time,” “Big Boy,” KHSAA football programs. That certainly explains Isaiah Kiser (’30). Kiser is a rising 9th-grade place-kicker who was sending kicks into the end zone and over the head of the deep man on the opponent’s kick return team as an eighth grader. That is called having a lithe leg. Kiser is a soccer player in addition to football. Kiser is a multi-faceted talent who makes a difference on a football team not always noticed by the casual fan. We are a long way from either casual or just a fan of KHSAA football. Enjoy the feature.

Friday Night Fletch

Lucas Flint, ’28 lineman from Scott County HS, is our @bigassfans Kentucky Comfort Creator Feature of the Week… @cards_football, @RivalsHS, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball, @bigassfans, @eCampusdotcom, @ChiefSmoke10

March 20, 2026 Fletcher Long 0

We are proud to have Big Ass Fans among our list of sponsors. These guys have set the industry standard for quality, selection, convenience, and customer service and have committed themselves to helping people find just the write temperature at which to be optimally productive. Now, Big Ass Fans is helping high school football players gain notice, attention, and opportunities to play at the next level when their KHSAA playing days are through. Join us each week as we inform you about a KHSAA, high school football player who is our Big Ass Fans feature of the Week and who’s efforts make Kentucky a much more comfortable place to live. Thank you, Big Ass Fans for taking this step to provide worthy high school kids this type opportunity.

Friday Night Fletch

Preston Denton, ’31 BGJHS, setting southern Kentucky a blaze with his talent… @GrahamDenton14, @SOKYElite, @khsaafootball, @bigassfans, @eCampusdotcom, @KyHighFootball, @BGJHSFootball

March 19, 2026 Fletcher Long 0

We cut our teeth in this business covering middle school football. We moved up with our first set of middle school stars into covering the high school game and the rest is history, so to speak. When we write about a middle school kid we do it mostly out of a sense of nostalgia, out of a sense of paying homage to our beginnings. These Denton boys can ball. We featured the ’32 prospect, Graham Denton, in March of 2025, Now, a year later, we are featuring the Denton brother going into the 8th-grade at Bowling Green Junior High School (BGJHS). Preston is quite the prospect, like little brother and both of the Dentons spend tons of time sharpening their skills and technique, offseason, with the Southern Kentucky Elite. Enjoy the feature.

Friday Night Fletch

Rising senior, Daven Hood, from Lexington Christian Academy is our Big Man on the eCampus Feature of the Week @eCampusdotcom, @SamPearson1303, @Oakley_Watkins, @CoachDCharles, @jhyde61, @LCAEAGLESFB, @bigassfans, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball, @CoachDCharles, @matthewmont57

March 18, 2026 Fletcher Long 0

We are proud to have eCampus.com among our list of sponsors. These guys have set the industry standard for savings, selection, convenience, and customer service and have committed themselves to helping college students more easily afford to better themselves and develop. Now, eCampus.com is helping high school football players gain notice, attention, and opportunities to play at the next level when their KHSAA playing days are through. Join us each week as we inform you about a KHSAA, high school football player who is a “Big Man on (our) Campus” and should be a Big Man around your Campus too. Thank you, eCampus.com for taking this step to provide worthy high school kids this type opportunity.

Friday Night Fletch

Jasiah McCarley hopes to prove he is the man for the job… @Jasiahmccarley, @bigassfans, @KyHighFootball, @khsaafootball, @eCampusdotcom, @coachclsmit, @ChiefSmoke10, @LasatersCoffee, @Ale8One, @HenryMi74881410, @HopHighTigers, @FC_FALCONS_FB

March 17, 2026 Fletcher Long 0

Jasiah McCarley emerged for Hoptown in its last competitive year and earned the job as QB-1. He led the Tigers to a seven win season and heading into the first season of the newly consolidated Christian County Tigers has to be considered the betting favorite to lead the new school from the same slot. I suppose we shall see. Congratulations to Jasiah McCarlery (’28) for being our ‘Wake Up and Smell the Coffee (or Tea)’ Feature of the Week from Lasaters Coffee & Tea where you are more than served, you are loved!

Friday Night Fletch

Jack Long from the Christian County Tigers is our Bank of Cadiz Feature of the Week @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball, @bigassfans, @eCampusdotcom, @County_TigerFB

March 16, 2026 Fletcher Long 0

Jack Long was medically retired from the active roster in 2025. That doesn’t diminish from a young man who was a heck of a football player over the course of his varsity high school career. Whatever Long’s roll may be going forward, Long will find someway to contribute and his contribution will be meaningful and impactful. That is why he is our Bank of Cadiz, Feature of the Week! Enjoy this look at an extraordinary young man, who accomplished extraordinary type things, both on and off the football field brought to you by our friends and neighbors at the Bank of Cadiz & Trust Company.

Friday Night Fletch