Which team, in 3A, is at the top, Kentucky-wide? Here is our ‘case for the ‘Cats…’ @minguabeefjerky @LintonTay @PrepSpin @KyHighFootball @kyhighs @HLpreps @CoachEzell45 @APSUCoachJones @1776Bank @MaxPreps

Top-flight program has scaled these peaks previously!

We are unabashed Wildcat enthusiasts around the magazine. For the last two Associated Press weekly top-10 polls, we have voted the Wildcats the top team in the 3A classification. Well, the RPI (Ratings Percentage Index) from the KHSAA (Kentucky High School Athletic Association) has come out and Trigg has debuted at No. 2 in the entire 3A classification according to the CalPreps.com computer. So, we weren’t as crazy as some people were saying. Read this article and learn why we believe, as we do, and vote in accordance with our belief.

Fletcher Long, KPGFootball Senior Scout

We got a phone call at the magazine in Owensboro from an agent of the publication relaying a message from a Kentucky High School coach who is a friend of his. The gist was relating to us a complaint concerning our exercise of our weekly, top-10, Associated Press (AP) vote. The caller was “miffed” we had voted Trigg County in the top spot in the 3A classification.

Now the fact of our being one of the ten or so media members who voted is published. How exactly we vote each week (and for whom) isn’t.

This caller was “guessing” we were the voters who cast the number one vote for the Wildcats from Cadiz, Kentucky. This voter was completely guessing. He was also completely correct (which should make our popularity swell a bit around Lake Barkley).

The substance of the phone call went to the tune of…

“Tell KPGFootball to cut it out, we all know they are the ones voting Trigg County No.1!” We got that message communicated to us through a former game official, now retired, who scouts a little for us on the side.

Oh well, some secrets are hard to keep. Now that we have been outed, we are glad “you all know.” We have taken little to no efforts to conceal the fact.

We are “guilty” as charged. We are the parties holding the Wildcats in such high regard.

No one around the magazine, of which we are presently aware, has a son on the roster or a child enrolled at the high school. Heck, except for one scout (to whom none of us listen anyway, according to him), we have no ties whatsoever to Coach Chris Ezell’s team or staff.

We might as well warn you; should the Wildcats continue to play at the present clip, we have no intention of voting any differently in future, subsequent polls. Besides that, Trigg is a 3A, first-District team, competing in 3A’s toughest district from top to bottom. This issue will flesh itself out.

Look, if the ‘Cats get through Paducah Tilghman and Union County, both on the road later on this season; the Wildcats claim on the top spot will be as legitimate as any team’s across the commonwealth. So, time will tell the tale of the tape as it were. For now,…let us make our case.

First of all, chief among our critic’s claim is that the ‘Cats haven’t played any “real” competition. We respectfully disagree.

Trigg has trounced Todd County Central. Todd is ranked the 6th-best team at the midway point in the 2A classification according to the KHSAA’s Ratings Percentage Index (RPI).

Trigg has also beaten 4A Warren Central (13th, RPI), 2A Murray High (12th, RPI), and 3A LaRue County (14th, RPI). In the 3A’s RPI published this week, which has been tabulated by the CalPreps.com computer algorithm impervious to bias, Trigg is second only to Bardstown.

The one everyone wants us to vote at the top spot, Christian Academy-Louisville, comes in 4th, behind Bardstown, Trigg, and Mason County. Strength of schedule is a component which factors heavily into the KHSAA’s RPI.

Margin of victory doesn’t factor into RPI. Strength of schedule most certainly does!

So, if CAL has played a much tougher schedule than Trigg, and have an identical record (5-0), then why is Trigg “rated” two (2) slots higher? Inquiring minds want to know.

Just screaming something at the top of your lungs doesn’t make it true. Seemed like a perfect time to interject this point.

On the year, and in spite of a stout schedule, Trigg has scored about twice as much as they have allowed (219/122). Trigg has passed for 3-X’s as many yards as they have allowed (1,043/357). Both of these statistics are indicia of dominating its opposition. 

QB Jacob Wease (’23) has a 6:1 TD to INT ratio and is throwing for over 250-yards per game along with three (3) TD’s per contest. Jhaden Vaughn (’24) has 16 of the ball club’s 54-receptions and five (5) of the team’s 13 TD’s, via air delivery.

Olivia Noffsinger (’23) is making history. As one of the few females to be a regular player her gender on any varsity football roster in Kentucky, she is hitting 100% of her PATs and is fourth (4th) on the team in scoring.

Kelsey Parham (’23) is leading the team in scoring. He has scored TD’s rushing (6), receiving (1), and on special teams (KR/1)

TayShaun Linton DE, 6’1,” 235-pounds (’24) has 6.5 QB-sacks and 4-TFLs of his 13-tackles in just the first five (5) games. Linton is either making an explosive, game changing play in the backfield or none at all. Jerimyah Shearer (’24) has 4 of the ball club’s 6-INTs.

According to our local agent we contacted to prepare to write this piece, “next year may be even better than this one.” We are hearing Trigg has a stud freshman RB (Davaree Gude) which always portends brighter days on any program’s horizon.

Trigg also has plenty of talent cycling through its MS program. We have even heard a rumor there may be skill player or two in the MS program who are both splendid and framed out exactly like any program would want.

We were able to reach out to head football coach, Chris Ezell, for this article. He told KPGFootball that, “Our guys worked hard this off-season to be where we are at this point but we are not satisfied.”

Ezell continued, “We have a mature, competitive group that wants to win every time we step on the field. We are not a perfect team, by any means; but, [there is] not a group I’d rather coach than this one.” 

So in the end, what exactly is the solution to the above detailed mathematical formula? Well, so far the solution has been an undefeated regular season at its midway point. If that solution should continue to hold; KPGFootball may take this group of ‘Cats all the way to Lexington in December.

This is Coach HB Lyon, reporting for KPGFootball, and we’re JUST CALLING IT LIKE WE SEE IT!

If you enjoyed this article and wish to gain full-access to the site, then subscribe monthly to Kentucky Prep Gridiron by following the prompts!

© The information contained on this site is the copyrighted intellectual property of KPGFootball. Any unauthorized dissemination of this material without the affective consent of this magazine is strictly prohibited.