’27 ATH among the more versatile performers in 5A-football
South Oldham in Crestwood, Kentucky has an enviable pedigree among 5A programs. The Dragons have been strong competitors in its region for supremacy at its classification of competition. The Dragons were 5-6 in 2025, which is historically “terrible” by South Oldham standards. No one around the sixth district should count on Coach Cain Sams’s boys turning in another such performance in 2026. Having to compete annually with the likes of Scott and Woodford counties makes the sledding quite difficult. Evan Hale is a stud. Hale is 6’2,” 220-pounds, runs a 4.8-second, forty-yard dash, while carrying a 4.0-GPA. Hale can play end and linebacker on defense and TE on offense. We believe his senior year will be a critical one.
HB Lyon, Scouting Director, “KPGFootball”
Big Ass Fans from Lexington, Kentucky has a simple corporate goal. The company is “creating a more comfortable world,” one fan at a time.
The logo is the rear of a donkey (Fanny) swishing its tail back and forth. The trademarked logo is among Kentucky’s more celebrated and well known corporate identities across the commonwealth and has come to represent commitment to quality, cutting-edge innovation, and product reliability.
Big Ass Fans is so much more than just a gigantic fan. It is gigantic quality, gigantic performance, and a gigantic commitment to reliability and innovation. Its size is far from the only selling point about our product.
Our product is a Kentucky Comfort Creator…and, these days, isn’t that exactly what Kentucky needs?
“Fanny” is among Kentucky’s more celebrated and well known corporate logos…
Friday Night Fletch, “KPGFootball”
Crestwood, KY: There have been plenty of great former Dragons who have toiled away on a gridiron in Crestwood, KY. One of our favorites was a RB named Keaton Martin.
Martin was a 5’6,” 190-pound bullet who was called K-Mart around the South Oldham program. Martin started in the backfield all four years.
Keaton Martin, a running back for
South Oldham High School from 2016 to 2019, finished his high school career with approximately 4,769 rushing yards. On top of that, the little back who could tallied around 70 rushing touchdowns.
Martin matriculated to Centre College where he earned four varsity letter playing running back for the Colonels program. Martin was a solid back with the versatility to ripped off big gains while being a reliable and dependable guy in late down, short distance situations.
We believe K-Mart is about to get a post-graduate degree. It is our understanding he will be a chiropractor. He was a football playing little son of a gun, we can tell you that.
A guy with more frame, but just as much moxy and toughness may be Evan Hale. Hale is a 6’2,” 220-pound guy who works from end to linebacker defensively while playing TE on the offensive side.
Hale had a big junior year. Offensively, the TE caught three (3) passes for 42-yards receiving while filling a critical role in the ground game as the OL’s sixth member. The Dragons gained over 2,000-yards rushing in ’25, scored 20-ground scores, and averaged over 190-yards rushing a night.
Most of Hale’s statistically quantifiable work was turned in on defense. Hale registered 38-tackles, 8.5-TFLs, and three (3)-sacks. Hale also contributed a FF, a FR, and an INT returned 19-yards for a score.
The Dragons were 5-6 in 2025. A 10-point loss to North Oldham and a six (6) point loss to Collins were the only things between a much different conversation regarding the ’25 season.
Hale’s performance as a junior was way superior to “solid.” Matter of fact, Hale was (sort of) spectacular.
Hale was a top defender and a key component on offense too
KHSAA statistical website
Among Hale’s more impressive numbers may be the kid’s GPA. Hale is a 4.0-student who should be in play for prestigious programs like Centre College (for instance). It sure worked out very well for both sides when Keaton Martin played there.
Hale is a very versatile athlete. His type versatility and varied skill set lends itself to many different deployments. It also earmarks him for “stardom” at the 5A, high school level.
It is not common for players to pull double duty at the high-end of 5A. It is especially uncommon for such production out of a single player with multi-phase utility.
The colleges have taken full notice of Hale and he is on recruiting boards across the commonwealth. Before it is all said and done, Hale will be among the more recruited “athletes” in Kentucky, plenty will “jump on board” over the course of the upcoming summer evaluation/camp/combine sessions.
First, there is next year’s senior season to which to attend. Hale cares much more about his team reaching its full potential over any of the individual awards.
To us, and we have always been this way, having a performer who contributes mightily to more than just one side of the football, or phase of the game, is an attractive candidate for post season awards and teams. We could see this guy on some All-State teams after his senior season has been played.
Then again, that may be just we. We certainly have our eyes fixed squarely on this dude!
This is Friday Night Fletch, reporting for KPGFootball and reminding you to PLAY THROUGH THE WHISTLE!
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