Hopkins County Central

Storm Warning: Jaiden Jones (’26 OL) is a man with many talents, many skills @HopkinsCentral, @_CoachManning, @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball

July 24, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

The high school game is a game where the 5’8,” 240-pounder may flourish. It is his game. It is the game for the “Chapter 16” type kid, the Football Playing Jesse. If these referenced 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. Jaiden Jones 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: Dallas Kinlaw has put in the time and is ready for the show @jasonhenc3, @Aspirationsgym, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball, @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans, @HopkinsCentral

June 19, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

We regularly keep up with rosters by asking agents of ours to monitor players as they lift, condition, and develop. We got a call from our Hopkins County guy and he was raving about Dallas Kinlaw. Kinlaw is a RB/LB combo guy who got a couple games of run in ’24. In spite of the limited run, Kinlaw still registered four (4) tackles. Not shabby for a freshman. Kinlaw has killed it this offseason. We don’t have a picture of him which is recent and he doesn’t appear to have either a Hudl page or X-Account. He will have to remedy that. If what we are hearing about this guy is correct, Kinlaw will want to have the means for schools to find him and evaluate his film. Enjoy this look at an up and comer who is coming right along.

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: 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: Albert Jackson giving back to his alma mater @HopkinsCentral, @CountyMustangs, @bigassfans, @minguabeefjerky, @_CoachManning

April 3, 2025 Fletcher Long 1

There may never have been a finer athlete play any sport in the pantheon of Hopkins County Central history. Albert Jackson signed with the Georgia Bulldogs and had a productive and noteworthy college career playing hoops in the SEC. Jackson played overseas for quite a while before coming back to his home and teaching and coaching kids and serving as the Mayor of Earlington. Ladies and gentlemen, we are proud to feature today the Honorable Albert Jackson, Mayor of Earlington, KY and assistant coach for the Storm’s FB program. Enjoy the feature.

Friday Night Fletch.

Storm Warning, JaCoveion Bussell from Browning Springs Middle looks poised to compete for early PT @evans02_mike, @Meloishim3, @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans, @ChiefSmoke10, @_CoachManning, @SylasGunn, @carlos_mason52, @HopkinsCentral, @CBussell84610

March 20, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

JaCoveion Bussell is a kid of many skills and talents. He is a 20-point a game scorer on the MS basketball team. He is the reigning 8th-grade, D-2, KYMSFA Regional POY in football. Did we mention he is a 3.6-GPA guy? Don’t want to omit that. Bussell is zoned to attend Central and we are hoping that holds. Either way, he appears poised to challenge for early PT in high school on Friday Nights. Let’s pray there are a few Storm clouds in his future.

Friday Night Fletch

Storm Warning: Mike Evans Former QB and Former Assistant Coach at Central among the best to ever play on Morton’s Gap @evans02_mike, @Meloishim3, @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans, @ChiefSmoke10, @_CoachManning, @SylasGunn, @carlos_mason52, @HopkinsCentral

February 20, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

We have been hitting the history of the game we love better than any other this offseason pretty hard. Thing is, if we don’t do this then who will? We are telling you about players, coaches, and events which are such a rich part of the fabric of the KHSAA that they deserve to be told, they deserve preservation. This is another of those today. Today, we highlight a guy who is among the best QBs to ever grace the playing service on Morton’s Gap. Ladies and gentlemen…the great Mike Evans.

Friday Night Fletch.

Storm Warning: Dariyon Walker from Browning Springs looking to contribute immediately at Central @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans, @ChiefSmoke10, @_CoachManning, @SylasGunn, @carlos_mason52, @HopkinsCentral

January 23, 2025 Fletcher Long 2

Every year, rosters are charged with replacing outgoing talent with upgrades (if they are lucky). Eighth graders leave middle school, and enter ninth grade, more and more prepared to contribute on Friday nights than at any previous time. Dariyon Walker looks to crack the Storm’s lineup early in his high school career. Will he? We like his chances!

Friday Night Fletch