Pivotal matchup key for the success of the ’24 season
These two teams met in Morton’s Gap a season ago and it was one heck of a game. Central won that game 20-14 and Caldwell struggled from there, finishing an uncharacteristically poor 1-9. The two square off again for the ’24 opener and the game will be in Princeton, KY where the Tigers figure to be much tougher. You know the old Indian Proverb about Tigers, riding one isn’t close to as scary as the dismount. Who is going to win the matchup this season? Here is our take.
HB Lyon, Senior Scout, KPGFootball
Caldwell County 21, Hopkins County Central 20
The reasons for the Storm to be optimistic: QB Isaac Earl returns.
Earl completed 77 of his 157-passing attempts for over a thousand yards (1,085) with 11-TDs in ’23 and the young rising junior (’26) has improved every game he has played. Earl gained 493-yards rushing in 67-carries, six (6) of which were for scores.
When Earl looks to locate targets, there will be two “good ‘ins” lurking. Issac Manning (’25) and Sylas Gunn (’26) are all-state types at receiver and both of them are sufficiently versatile to play both ways and contribute to the bottom line from multiple phases of the attack.
Kamran Harrison (’26) looks to take his brother’s place in the lineup and provide the same star power as was provided by the “other Harrison.” There will need to be young bigs willing to step forward and replace the Posey-types but they are on the roster, just un-tested.
Gunn led the team with four (4) picks a year ago and returns. The third level of the defense will have size, length, quicks, and speed and should provide quite a challenge to opposing QBs.
The reasons for the Tigers to be optimistic: RB/LB Cooper Mobley is an All-Stater and back for another year.
Caldwell has Luke Parker (’25) back and he led the team in passing a year ago. Parker is feeling some heat coming up from Daelyn Lander (’27) who will be a sophomore in ’24 but may have the brighter “upside” at the QB slot. We’re high on Lander and believe him to be among the better young QB prospects around the western end of the commonwealth.
Gus Fox (’25) and Cooper Mobley (’26) both return to carry the football as the pair consistently did the most damage a year ago. Fox was also the top receiving target in ’23 and the club’s top scoring threat.
Caldwell lost its PK, Timothy Nichols, but Sutton Ritchey returns and Ritchey (’26) and Nichols had identical 88.9 conversion rates on PATs in ’23 anyway.
Jack Roach (’26) and Cooper Mobley were top defenders in ’23 and both of them are back in ’24 along with Shane Farrow (’26). Roach led the team in tackles, FFs, FRs, and INTs a year ago. Cooper Mobley was a small school all-stater.
The Call: If you can tell, the Caldwell team was among the youngest teams in the area a year ago. The young Tigers will benefit from the game speed and game reps they enjoyed as freshmen and sophomores.
The Storm lost some of its star power from a season ago. However, the Storm still has some talent on hand to make the team’s battle toward first-district supremacy very much a continuing work in progress.
Truthfully, this game is a toss-up. We want the Storm to come out on top, of course, but would feel better about the outcome if we weren’t traveling to Princeton on August 23, 2024.
We like the Tigers, 21-20 over the Storm. Let’s hope we’re dead wrong. Early season games are hard to predict because we don’t have much data at this time of year to study. Last year’s data is pretty unimportant.
This is Friday Night Fletch, reporting for KPGFootball, reminding you to PLAY THROUGH THE WHISTLE!
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