Kentucky Class 4A promises to be a deep, talented group of teams!
We are running through our preseason, yearly ritual of forecasting the finish in each of Kentucky’s six classifications before the season kicks-off. Today we will run through a particularly deep classification, Kentucky 4A. There are lots of teams which could challenge this year as there is some excellent teams at this level of play with awfully good players. We wouldn’t be at all surprised to see Mr. Football get crowned from out of this classification. We have provided below our predicted order of finish and why. Enjoy the analysis. It is what makes us “KPGFootball” and singular in the football industry in the commonwealth of Kentucky.
HB Lyon, Scouting Director, “KPGFootball”
We have been running articles detailing how we see each of Kentucky’s six (6) classifications fleshing out this coming Fall. Football season is literally right around the corner.
Today we look at a class of football which appears particularly deep. We like them in the order you see the listed, but to be fair, some of the teams we listed under “Look out for” could surprise some people come the second, third, or even fourth rounds of the playoffs.
Watch particularly the running squads. That ball gets slippery and hard when the temperature drops around late November.
The 4A classification looks deep to us, kind of like 2A. We believe Boyle County will repeat; but, in the end a slip here or a fall there and the entire picture could get considerably foggy.
Here is our take. This is why we make the big money!
No. 1, Boyle County, Defending Champions, 14-1 in 2025;
There may be a 4A team in Kentucky which can play with the Rebels but having won five of the last six titles, it is hard for me to imagine. Boyle has the best TE maybe in high school football across the nation, certainly in the commonwealth in Seneca Driver.
Driver (’27), a Mr. Football frontrunner, caught 49-balls for 875-yards and 11-TDs at TE. Driver scored 96-points a season ago, and posted 10-TFLs, three sacks, five INTs, and a pair of pick-sixes playing a side of the scrimmage line he isn’t even forecast to play when he gets to Norman, OK.
Jhet Raleigh (’28) threw for over 2,000-yards and 22-TDs against only a pair of picks and gained 339-yards with five (5) rushing TDs a year ago. The Rebels have a transfer, in Gavin Johnson (’27), slotted to shore up a backfield hit hard by graduation.
Grant Klosterman (’29) converted 63-PATs and nailed the only FG he was called upon to kick last year and Lucas Akers (’27) and Brayden Borders-Coffman (’27) will lead a defense which only surrendered 162-points in 15-games in a championship run in 2025.
Justin Haddix may be the KHSAA’s premier young coach in the industry. His Rebels are a destination program.
No. 2, Franklin County, 14-1, 4A Finalist;
If Justin Haddix isn’t the industry standard in 4A coaching across the commonwealth, then Eddie James’s name should be tossed into the discussion. Year in and year out he has his Flyers in title contention and this year doesn’t look to be different.
Oftentimes having a top-notch QB in the fold is all many teams need to compete. Knox Barrett (’28) certainly fits the bill.
In 2025, Barrett completed 225-passes for 3,119-yards with 37-TDs against only six (6) INTs. Aaron Jones (’29) will be the leading returning receiver and Brayan Lopez Padia and his 71-PATs also returns, shoring up another phase of the attack for the coming season.
Lane Brock (’29) is a top-notch defender. There aren’t too many freshmen who register 97-tackles, 4.5-TFLs, and half a sack over an inaugural season. Corieon Tabbs (’27) show he had that “rushing the passer” thing handled leading the returners with 4.5-sacks coming into ’26.
Franklin lost a ton in the back third defensively. That being said, Tabbs and Nick Dunmire (’29) know what they are doing back there defending then down field pass.
Look out for Noah Coleman (’29). Coleman registered a scoop and score among three (3) registered tackles, two of which were TFLs, and one of which was a QB-sack. Look out for young guys who get limited run but make the most of those type opportunities. Coleman will break out this coming year (in our estimation) in a big way.
No. 3, Covington Catholic, 9-4 in 2025, lost to Boyle in the Regional Championship;
Eddie Eviston is among the best the KHSAA football industry has seen come along. Like Haddix, James, Thompson, Adler, and Lewis, 4A seems boiling over with all-time, type guys.
One can never completely discount a football team coached by Eddie Eviston out of title contention. Period, right that down!
Owen Pitzer (’27) brings back his considerable talents. So does Logan Zembrodt, who with 59-PATs and four (4) for four (4) on FGs, may be as good as any PKer in the KHSAA.
Cash Myers (’28) registered 112-tackles a year ago. Johnny Lind contributed 4-sacks and a FR. Brandon Smith (’29) patrols the third defensive level and contributed a pair of INTs and 51-tackles over the course of a spectacular freshman campaign.
There were times in ’25, Covington Catholic looked like the team to beat in 4A, like when they went back to back over both Beechwood and Central (Lou.) or when they put Johnson Central out of the playoffs in round two. This team is a prestigious program and they have the tradition, talent, facilities, and coaching to be in the hunt.
No. 4, Corbin, 10-4 in 2025, lost to Boyle County by a single point in the semis;
There are a lot of people who would tell you the two best teams in 4A didn’t meet in Lexington a season ago. Boyle County ran Franklin County off of Kroger Field, 34-0, in last year’s 4A title game.
That wasn’t the case when Boyle entertained Corbin in Danville, Ky on November 28, 2025. Boyle County narrowly escaped the semifinal game, 34-33, in a game Corbin looked likely to win for much of the evening.
Joshua Salmons’s Redhounds figure to be pretty tough again in 2026, something about which we have become right accustomed. Having Mason Salmons (’27) back at the steering wheel doesn’t hurt. The top-flight, signal caller threw for 2,401-yards, 30-TDs, against only a pair of picks while running for over 500-yards and eight gourd scores.
Losing Cam Estep was a huge loss, but Zach Thomas (’28) is very capable and somewhat dynamic multi-phase performer, if we are telling the truth. Thomas caught 26-balls for 584-yards receiving and six (6) TDs. Thomas also housed an INT amongst his 53-tackles, a TFL, and his pair of INTs with 79-IRNYs.
Silas Mahan and Malachi Brown (both ’27s) are as good as it gets on defense. Mahan registered 90-stops in ’25, forcing a pair of fumbles, while picking a pass while Brown logged 11-TFLs, eight (8) sacks, a FF, and a pair of FRs.
Corbin will be good again, let us assure you.
No. 5 (Tie) Paducah Tilghman, 12-2, lost to Franklin County in the semis;
Sean Thompson took the Blue Tornado to the 4A title in 2024. In 2025, the Blue Tornado challenged again and bowed out in the semis to a 4A finalist in Franklin County.
The heir-apparent at the QB-slot appears to be Avery Gates. We hear great things about the young man who, though untested, was the JV team’s Offensive MVP a year ago.
Avery Thompson (’28) is among the very best football players in the commonwealth of Kentucky at any level. Thompson caught 70-balls a year ago, for over 1,000-receiving yards, and 10-TDs.
Thompson also picked a pair of passes, and scored three (3) two-pointers on special teams. Chance McPike (’27) will align opposite Thompson and he caught 33-balls in 2025, five (5) of which were housed.
Rex Gay is the type of PKer who will win a team games. He converted 66-PATs a year ago and hit on 94.3% of his chances. Those are college numbers.
Wyatt Gower (’28) and Isaac James (’28) are two of the top defenders. Gower registered 105-tackles, six (6) TFLs, 2-sacks, four (4) FFs, while recovering two fumbles, and pick-six’ing a pass he returned 33-yards for a score. James registered 96-tackles, with 13-TFLs, 5.5-sacks, five (5) FFs, and a FR.
No. 5 (Tie) Highlands, 10-3, lost to Corbin in the Regional Championship;
We have been wondering when Bob Spire is going to have the 23-time, KHSAA football champions back where the Bluebirds traditionally belong. When Highlands jumped out to a 6-1 start, with wins over Frederick Douglass and Ryle and a one-point loss at Boyle County, we started dreaming big dreams and making bold claims.
Tayden Lorenzen (’27) is an exciting player and not just because he is the son of the hefty-Lefty (Jared Lorenzen). Lorenzen, in 2025, threw a pair of TDs, rushed for 541-yards and 18-TDs, caught four (4) scores amongst his 26-receptions, scored 136-points, made a handful of tackles to include a TFL, all while picking a pass Lorenzen took back 25-yards. The kid can play.
John Feldbrugge (’27) and Cale Harris (’27) are back to lead the receiving corps. Feldbrugge caught 30-balls with five TDs while Harris caught 28-aerials with three (3) scores of his own. Gabe Williams (’27) is also capable with his 21-receptions for 234-yards receiving he logged.
Kai Anderson (’27) is a real weapon at PKer. Anderson connected on 52 of 55 PATs (94.5%) and converted three (3) FGs.
The Bluebirds lost quite a bit defensively from a year ago which is why they aren’t rated higher on this list. That being said, Michael Tincher (’27) picked a pair of passes last year for 102-IRNYs, which means when he does pilfer one it takes a while for the offense to get him downed or run him out of bounds. Look out for the Benke twins (Cooper and Griffin, both ’27s). The pair combined for 73-stops, 13-TFLs, and six (6) sacks in ’25 making the pair quite formidable.
When will the Bluebirds add another title to number 23? Who knows, maybe this is the year…
Look out for:
Johnson Central, 11-1 in 2025, lost to Covington Catholic in the second round; Johnson Central’s pound the ground attack will be back and will have quite a few weapons returning. Austin Stone (’27) will be back under center and Braxton Perry (’27) is a thousand yard rusher who looks to get the bulk of the carries and continue to lead the ball club in scoring.
Logan County, 10-3, lost to Tilghman in the Regional Title Game; Logan County is as well coached as most teams at the 4A level. The job Todd Adler has done turning around this ball club’s fortunes is remarkable. Luke Rogers is among the better ’28s at QB, particularly for one about whom we rarely hear (2,274-yards passing and 24-TDs in ’25). Christian Helle (’27) is coming off a 1,489-yard rushing season (22-TDs) and TySean Thomeczek (’28) caught 49-balls with six (6) TDs to lead the receiving corps. Frankly, there is a ton of exciting stuff going on with talent development and facility upgrades around a program which was struggling mightily before Adler.
Paul Blazer, 7-5, lost to Highlands in round two; Blazer is tough and likely will be as long as Chad Tackett is at the controls. Tanner Stutler (’29) had a productive year as a freshman. Brody Simpkins will likely get the bulk of the carries. Luke McCoy (’28) is a defender with plenty of upside. The Tomcats will miss Cameron Davis but they have plenty returning to compete with most teams at its level of competition.
E-Town, 8-4; The Panthers lost to Logan County in round two. Well, it’s not the Mark Brown days but E-Town is starting to look a lot more like E-Town coming off an eight (8) win season in 2025. Ethan Shelton (’28) was a weapon under center but needs to limit the INTs. With 10-rushing TDs, Shelton is a weapon with his feet as well as his arm. Antonio Kiner and Darian Bryant, both ’28s, are a one/two, downhill punch in the backfield rushing the football; and, with 29-TFLs and 7.5-sacks, Bryant is pretty dad-burn good on defense too. Jace Hagy (’28) caught 53-balls for 970-yards and eight (8) TDs. With all the rising junior talent, the team may be a year away; but, be looking for the Panthers to begin asserting themselves into contention discussions this coming season (2026).
Dark Horse:
Calloway County, 6-5 in 2025; The Lakers have a great and proven head man in Coby Lewis. Matthew Briedwell (’27) is back under center. Riley Hudson is a weapon at PKer (33-PATs and 100% on FGs). Brayden Winchester is among the best defenders and multi-phase guys (TE on offense with a pair of TDs receiving) on the western end of KY (’27, 8-TFLs, 14.5-sacks in 2025). Things are looking up for this up and coming program.
This is Friday Night Fletch, reporting for KPGFootball, reminding you to PLAY THROUGH THE WHISTLE!
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