Picking guru, ‘Friday Night Fletch,’ gives us his opening weekend winners…
Tomorrow night, the KHSAA will kick off another high school football season. If you recall, “Friday Night Fletch” was pretty close to 90% winners a year ago on his radio podcast on 840WHAS, “Friday Night Kentucky.” How will our resident expert do this year? Well, he might need a few weeks data to get his picks where he wants them, but we thought we would publish these anyway.
HB Lyon, Scouting Director, KPGFootball
High School football opens full throttle this weekend and particularly Friday Night. I have picked 25 games on Friday Night with two additional bonus babies. I have picked five (5) for Saturday Night. That is 32-games, in toto.
I am looking for 28-29 winners this weekend. Can I do it? We shall see.
Under the Friday Night Lights,…
August 23, 2024
Atherton at KCD
Friday Night Fletch says: Big A train rolls by 14-points
Ballard at South Warren
Friday Night Fletch says: South Warren in a mild upset by 3-points
Bardstown at Cooper
Friday Night Fletch says: Cooper over Bardstown by 30+
Breathitt at Belfry
Friday Night Fletch says: My Breathitt family won’t like this prediction, and I hope I am wrong, but the Pirates by 25
Christian Academy-Louisville (CAL) at Owensboro
Friday Night Fletch says: First game for the Centurions without last year’s leading passer and rusher, Cole Hodge. We like the Centurions in this early season test anyway. CAL by 20-points.
First game for the Centurions (CAL) without last year’s leading passer and rusher,…
Friday Night Fletch
Covington Catholic High at Ryle High
Friday Night Fletch says: Ryle is always tough. Cov. Catholic lost a ton of production to the graduation stage. We like the Raiders by a single point.
duPont Manual at Central High
Friday Night Fletch says: Central’s HFC, Marvin Dantzler, told us this is the most amount of talent on his roster since he won the 3A title in ’18. Manual ain’t no 3A team, Mister. We like Manual by six (6) points but this one should be on upset alert!
Johnson Central at Madison Central
Friday Night Fletch says: Zack McCoart being back may mean the Eagles are also back. This Madison Central bunch shouldn’t be taken lightly. Johnson Central by a couple (2) points.
Zack McCoart being back may mean the Eagles are also back…
Friday Night Fletch
Male at Butler
Friday Night Fletch says: Male will look differently than when they had a traditional, drop-back guy under center. Still, Male is in the hunt in 6A every year. Male by 60+ points over cross town Butler.
Martin County at Hazard
Friday Night Fletch says: I can remember a day when this prediction would have been vastly different. Still, the boys from Inez, KY have it rolling and Hazard is under new leadership. Matt Chandler will get it done there in the jewel of the Appalachias, just not opening night. Martin County over Hazard by 28-points.
Mayfield at Graves
Friday Night Fletch says: We don’t know what to make of Mayfield. The legendary coach is gone. Much of last year’s championship production is gone. Mayfield is accustomed to reloading, not rebuilding. We like Mayfield over the 5A Graves County by 10-points.
McLean County at Ohio County
Friday Night Fletch says: McLean is 3A but a tough customer at that level of play and very well coached. Ohio County is 5A but will have its hands full with the smaller classification competition. Tell the Hartford, KY contingent this one might well leave a mark. McLean by 30.
McLean is 3A but a tough customer…
Friday Night Fletch
North Laurel at Bell
Friday Night Fletch says: It is a little over an hour to travel down State Hwy 229 and US-25 ES to get to Middlesboro from London, KY. Once North unloads the bus and takes the field, the difference between the two programs may appear even more vast. Bell County by 10.
North Oldham at Fern Creek
Friday Night Fletch says: We like Fern Creek here by 7-10 points.
Owensboro Catholic at Apollo
Friday Night Fletch says: Apollo’s HFC, John Edge, used to coach at Catholic. Both of these teams have primetime, HS, QB’s (Catholic, Brady Atwell; Apollo, Max Johnson). Still, Catholic is a program unafraid to beat any team, regardless of classification. Catholic by 35+.
Perry County Central at Somerset
Friday Night Fletch says: Perry County Central is good enough to go on the road and win this game. Mark Dixon is as good as it gets in the HS coaching industry and new QB, AD Johnson figures to give the offense a boost. Still, Clay Clevenger is a clever football coach himself coming off a 10-win season with lots of talent returning and Somerset is a very hard place to play. We like Somerset by 10-points at home.
Mark Dixon is as good as it gets in the HS coaching industry…
Friday Night Fletch
Pikeville vs. Corbin
Friday Night Fletch says: Have you ever heard the phrase, “Biting off more than you can chew?” Corbin at home by 14-points over a game Pikeville ball club.
Seneca at DeSales
Friday Night Fletch says: Hey St. Francis DeSales, want to convince your fans you’re finally back? Schedule Seneca. DeSales by 40+, runs the clock in the opener.
St. Xavier at Floyd Central (IN)
Friday Night Fletch says: This game pits two of its state’s most formidable football powers. St. X from KY is a little better this year than we believe the boys from Floyds Knobs, IN are. We like St. Xavier by 21-points on the road.
Trigg County at Calloway
Friday Night Fletch says: This is a game pitting two teams which are both looking to improve on crippling ’23 campaigns. Trigg boasts a young, ’28 QB in Timmy Williams who figures to grab a ton of ink over his four year career. Still, we like Calloway at home. Calloway by 7-points only because the game’s in Murray.
Saturday Night Fever
E-Town at Fairdale
Friday Night Fletch says: This isn’t your daddy’s or big brother’s E-town team. Fairdale by 6-points at home.
Frederick Douglass at Bowling Green (Sr.) High
Friday Night Fletch says: This team pits a 6A contender (Frederick Douglass) against the 5A favorite to win another title to go along with last year’s (Bowling Green Senior). This field may contain the most D-1 talent on one football field to play this coming weekend. We like BG at home to come out 2-points ahead.
McCracken County at Tilghman
Friday Night Fletch says: Do you remember a time when McCracken might well have been favored in this match-up. Nope, neither do we. Tilghman has as much D-1 talent on the roster as any program at any level of competition. The Blue Tornado to blow down the Mustangs by running the clock (by 36+ points).
Southwestern at North Hardin
Friday Night Fletch says: Southwestern by 21-points
Woodford County at Taylor County
Friday Night Fletch says: The men from Versailles travel to Campellsville, KY to play Taylor County. They will NOT find the confines very hospitable. Taylor County by 7-10 points over Dennis Johnson’s Yellow Jackets.
Bonus Babies:
Hopkinsville at Greenwood
Friday Night Fletch says: Greenwood by 21-points
Christian County at Warren East
Christian County by four(4) in a double digit upset to kick off the Atchley era.
This is Friday Night Fletch, reporting for KPGFootball, reminding you to PLAY THROUGH THE WHISTLE!
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