Middle School Spotlight: Christian County Middle plans to ride its Big Three to a championship @minguabeefjerky @AlPopsFootball @840WHAS @KyHighFootball @bigassfans @PrepRedzone

Ford, Ware, and Mainu maybe the best MS footballers in the West

Christian County Middle is coming off an 8-3 season. They have most of the weaponry returning and were the third best team in the Pennyroyal and Jackson Purchase areas a year ago behind only Tilghman and Trigg County. Tilghman will be tough again but Trigg lost a ton just in the matriculation of Timmy Williams to the high school varsity, QB-1 slot. New coach, Dereck Ford, believes his Colonels are primed for a deep playoff run, if not a championship, at the Division-I level.

HB Lyon, Scouting Director, KPGFootball

Christian County vs. Logan County District Championship Game

Hopkinsville, KY: Last year there were two teams on the western most end of Kentucky who appeared to stand alone. Trigg County had Timmy Williams, who led them to an 11-win season and a conference title. Paducah Tilghman had one of the more stocked rosters in the commonwealth which led the Blue Tornado to a KYMSFA, Division II, State Championship in a 26-8 victory over Boyle County.

Christian County Middle had a fine year too (8-3). Unfortunately, it was overshadowed by the performance of a couple other area squads.

“Not this year,” new headman, Dereck Ford, tells KPGFootball. “We’re plan on riding a talented roster, which will return many critical roster pieces, together with a triumvirate of players locally called, ‘The Big Three,’ to a title of our own.”

“The Big Three (3)” are Bryson Ford (TE/DE), Kendrick Mainu (OT/DT), and Antonio Ware (WR/S). The three of them contributed mightily to last year’s eight (8)-win campaign.

Mainu registered 34-TFLs on the year with an additional 10-QB sacks. Ford registered 32-TFLs, 16-QB sacks, five (5) TDs on offense together with seven (7) two-point conversions from his TE deployment. Ware, who only played in five (5)-games, scored eight (8) TDs, three (3) KO-returns for TDs, and proved himself among the more dynamic and explosive performers in the western end of the commonwealth.

These guys have been producing, “Big Time,” for their program for several years. In sixth grade, the team was undefeated and won the Western KY Football Championship. We believe them to be the only Hopkinsville area team to win this league since the area teams joined the conference.

Having these three performers hasn’t been exactly “smooth sailing.” Several coaches have routinely checked birth certificates and one time, during a weigh in, the opposing team put Ware on a scale, so convinced he violated league weight parameters for ball carriers.

After weighing in at 132 (the league limit on carrying the football was 135), the staff told the player they called A-Train that it was on…and A-Train scored on his very first carry. Ware would go on to house three, leading the Colonels to a 26-6 victory over Franklin Simpson that day.

Antonio Ware is 5’11.” Ford and Mainu are both 5-10. All three have tremendous growth potential and look no where close to finished, frame wise.

Coach Ford told KPGFootball, “[The Big Three] are all unique players with different skill sets that complement each other and comprise a terror for opposing teams to try to contain.” Coach Ford continued, “We are adding all the puzzle pieces to this team to really be special. We have developed some very impressive players to complement the nucleus with which we have been winning for years.”

When asked about some examples, Coach Ford mentioned RB, Ti Palmer; WR, Kamari Lofton; LB, Devin Diaz; and G/DT, Kam Wells. About Wells, Ford told us, “[Wells] dead lifts 375-pounds and is only 13-years old.”

About Diaz, the LB, Ford told us, “[Diaz] is big for us on defense.” Ford concluded with, “He’s a leader.”

Jackson Rodgers will start out under center this season and Coach Ford is excited about his prospects. “He comes from a fine line of QB’ing talent.”

All in all, this is a team to watch as the season looms. Post-Dead Period practice begins tomorrow (July 10, 2024) and there are teams out there who plan to seize this opportunity to leave its mark. Count the Colonels among those teams!

This is Friday Night Fletch, reporting for KPGFootball, reminding you to PLAY THROUGH THE WHISTLE!

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