On the eve of Championship Weekend, Here’s how we see the Division III bracket shaking out…

It is the biggest weekend in Middle School football in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and it is an event not too many states can boast of hosting. Yes, we have middle school football state Champions in Kentucky and yes, it is both legitimate and quite an accomplishment. These programs are the lifeblood of the high school programs they will supply with players, and most often, teams with strong middle school football programs also are heavyweights in the KHSAA as well. We will tell you what we know of the Semis and forecast which two teams we believe will play for it all, in Division III, and which forecast which team will ultimately survive the weekend and take home the Division III, Championship trophy.

Region I Champion, Hancock County vs. Region 3 Champion, Christian Academy-Louisville (CAL):

To win the Region I Championship, Hancock County, the region’s number one seed, had to beat a Campbellsville team which has a well established history in the KYMSFA playoffs. Hancock County beat Campbellsville, at home, 34-0 to advance to this week-end and earn the right to play the Region 3 Champion.

In Region 3, CAL, a two seed, had a tougher row to hoe if you will. CAL was taxed with beating Lexington Christian Academy, seeded third this year but the defending, Division 3 State Football Champion from 2017. CAL had the benefit of getting LCA in Louisville and sent the defending Champions packing in a hard fought 14-6 triumph. CAL next met top-seeded Georgetown at Bryan Station for the Region 3 Championship game. CAL beat Georgetown 20-0.

KPGFootball’s call: I suppose in what might be considered a slight upset, as Hancock County was seeded first in its Region where as CAL was a two seed, we like CAL to advance to the Championship here.

Meece, the top seeded team in Region 2, advanced to the Championship week-end by completely blowing out Williamsburg 46-13. Meece Middle School is the feeder program to one of the stronger teams perennially in the 2A classification in Kentucky in the Somerset Briar-Jumpers. Meece has had plenty of time to get ready for its semi-final opponent and has taken the opportunity to watch Pikeville dismantle Belfry in its Regional final. Meece hasn’t played since October 13.

Pikeville, the Region 4 Champion, had a tougher road to get to the Championship weekend than, perhaps, any other team in the Division. On October 6, Pikeville had to beat 6th seeded Jenkins, which it did 36-6. Then it had to beat a higher seeded Letcher Central (2 seed), which it did 38-16, then it had to beat a Belfry Middle School team which was both an old nemesis and which owns four Middle School State Football Championship trophies already in the case. Belfry had beaten Pikeville in the regular season 22-16. Belfry would not be so lucky in the Region 4 Championship played at Pikeville. Pikeville killed the Pirates 38-6. Pikeville has several things going for it in the match-up with Meece. First, Pikeville boasts the best middle school football player in Kentucky in Carson Wright, LB/RB. He may also be Kentucky’s fastest player in his grade, and at 5-11 and weighing 175 pounds, benching the middle school rep weight of 115 pounds over 20 times, that is really saying something. The second thing going for Pikeville is it played for the Championship in Division 3 just last year, the team which beat it is already eliminated, and they lost 45-8 a year ago which should provide plenty of motivation to play hard this year.

KPGFootball’s call: Meece is excellently coached, but, then again, so is Pikeville. We are going with the marquee player in Carson Wright to lead his team back to the Championship. We are picking Pikeville to beat CAL to win the Division III trophy.

Who takes home the Trophy: We believe Pikeville wins the State Championship in Division 3 this year.

Reporting for KPGFootball, this is Fletcher Long reminding all of the ballers out there that #WeGotUCovered and to PLAY THROUGH THE WHISTLE.