Hopkins Central Storm

Storm Warning: Central drops a winnable road game at Fort Campbell but has little time for pity parties as Kentucky Country Day (Louisville) is coming to “The Gap” @LasatersCoffee, @Ale8One, @bigassfans, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball, @HopkinsCentral, @_CoachManning

September 18, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

Like we have done in prior seasons, now the games are finally here, we will take the last week’s action and break it down and then look at the road ahead. We had a slight misstep on the road at Fort Campbell this past Friday night and return home to face one of the best 1A teams in the commonwealth of Kentucky, Kentucky Country Day from Louisville. Enjoy this feature and get out to the games this weekend. Remember, your hometown heroes need a little help from you! See you at the game!

Friday Night Fletch

Storm Warning: Central left reeling from tough home loss but braces for Rebel Horde @LasatersCoffee, @bigassfans, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball, @HopkinsCentral, @_CoachManning

August 28, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

Like we have done in prior seasons, now the games are finally here, we will take the last week’s action and break it down and then look at the road ahead. We had quite the battle with Caldwell at home this past Friday night and the game turned on two fumble recoveries and a KO return for a TD comprising the 11-point difference between the two equally matched teams. What should we expect in Elkton, KY this coming Friday Night? Well, we will break that down for you right here.

Friday Night Fletch

Storm Warning: Joel Murrah, Class of 2028, is getting stronger, is getting better @HopkinsCentral, @_CoachManning, @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball

July 31, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

The high school game is a game where players like Joel Murrah may flourish. It is his game. It is the game for the “Chapter 16” type kid, the “Football Playing Jesse.” If these references are unfamiliar to you, you need to read Sam Harp and my book, “Football 101: Boo-Boo’s a Quarterback.” There is a link at the bottom of this article, will take you right to where you can order. It is just $9.99 on “Kindle,” best ten bucks you will ever spend. Joel Murrah will help anchor the Storm front this coming year. He appears well equipped to handle the assignment. Enjoy the feature.
Friday Night Fletch

Storm Warning: Kaijain Hayes back for his sophomore season looking to fulfill his immense promise @CoachJRiley_, @hayes_kaijain, @_CoachManning, @SylasGunn, @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball

July 3, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

KJ Hayes came up from middle school with tremendous promise. We predicted he would start varsity as a freshman. We were right. Hayes was put into the starting lineup after the opener where he remained until being lost to injury the fifth game of the year. Hayes has rehabbed this injury, reports being back 100%, and is looking forward to getting back on the field and giving his all to the fans, his teammates, and brothers. We predict a break out year for Cajun Hayes in ’25 and believe as he goes, so goes the Storm to a large extent. Enjoy this feature about a kid who plays an important role on this team and a guy about whom you may have well forgotten.

Friday Night Fletch

Storm Warning: Central plans on unveiling a new scoring weapon in ’25 @HopkinsCentral, @_CoachManning, @evans02_mike, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball, @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans

June 5, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

Blaze Whitaker is an accomplished soccer player. He has made All-State teams and All-Region teams in that sport where he stars on the varsity team as an “Attacking Midfielder.” I would say if there is a soccer player in the world who could transition to American Football, it would be the “Attacking Midfielder.” When in doubt, attack! Whitaker got seven games of run in ’24 as a sophomore and converted 12 of his 23 PAT attempts. We would like to see that conversion rate increase significantly as would the Storm coaching staff. That said, there is no reason to not expect significant improvement with more practice and more experience coupled with anatomical development. Enjoy this feature about a kid who plays an important phase of football often overlooked.

Friday Night Fletch

Storm Warning: Conner Miles is looking to lead @HopkinsCentral, @_CoachManning, @evans02_mike, @scott_khristian, @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball

May 22, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

Connor Miles, a ’27 DE for the Storm, looks to have all the right measurements to thrive where slotted. Mile is a DE. Miles is 6’5″ tall. Miles weighs a slight, but thickening as he lifts and conditions, 215-pounds. Miles played some his sophomore year and did well when presented with opportunity. Coach Manning believes both Miles and Aaron Wells are growing into roles on his team. That means we should see much more from this prospect over the next couple of years than we have the first two. Big, tall, lengthy kids can take longer to develop. However, when they finally arrive… Enjoy the article and be careful out there; looks like a Storm is brewing!

Friday Night Fletch

Storm Warning: Connor Miles, ’28 DE, looks to be setting into a role @bigassfans, @minguabeefjerky, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball, @HopkinsCentral, @_CoachManning, @evans02_mike

May 8, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

What can we tell you about Connor Miles? We can tell you he got three (3) games of run as a sophomore on the varsity. We can tell you he is putting in the work this offseason. We can tell you his coach tells us he is ready to assume a roll on the ’25 roster as a regular and (perhaps) a leader. We can tell you he may be a two-way guy this coming Fall. All of the above aside, Miles finished 5th in Kentucky in powerlifting at one of the sport’s toughest classes (220-pounds). We feel that says a ton (pardon the pun). Enjoy this feature about a kid you might not have know about prior.

Friday Night Fletch

Storm Warning: No one is feeding this Khristian to the lions, Scott is preparing for a huge senior season on Morton’s Gap @HopkinsCentral, @_CoachManning, @evans02_mike, @scott_khristian, @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball

April 24, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

In latin the practice was know as Damnatio ad bestias, losely translated “Condemnation to beats.” You would know it as throwing “Christians to the Lions” and it was a form of capital punishment where the condemned person was killed by wild animals, usually lions or other big cat. No one is practicing this today, but the vernacular of “Throwing (one) to the lions” has modern day usage usually akin to a young player being thrust into action earlier than a coach would like. Well, no one is throwing this particular “Khristian” anywhere. This guy plans on making a real impact his senior season on Morton’s Gap and then sliding somewhere for some college football. The way he is built, don’t bet against him.

Friday Night Fletch

Storm Warning: Remembering Central great, ‘McNairy on the Carry!’ @HopkinsCentral, @CountyMustangs, @bigassfans, @minguabeefjerky, @_CoachManning

April 17, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

The offseason is a great time to look back on special times and special players. A wise man once said that people who failed to learn from their own histories were forever doomed to repeat them. I can’t speak for any of you but I would enjoy four more years of Calil McNary. Enjoy this look back at a player who showed he was special in middle school and never showed us anything different in HS.

Friday Night Fletch

Storm Warning: Former Maroon and Murray State Racer matriculates to Morton’s Gap to join up with the Storm @HCCHS_Football, @jordanv89292975, @CountyMustangs, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball, @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans

April 10, 2025 Fletcher Long 1

Jordan Vaughn was a player we covered regularly when the ’20 OL was owning defenders around Madisonville North-Hopkins. Now the OL coach, who played for Murray State in college, is moving from the OL coach at South Hopkins (Coach Logan) up to the varsity program at Central. The lines of scrimmage are where championships are both won and lost. Central is bringing in a “big gun” in the hopes he provides the edge the program needs to take its next step. Enjoy the feature.

Friday Night Fletch