📰 HEADLINES

  • 🏈 Top 10 Snapshot

  • 🏀 Three Points with … Taylor County girls coach Maze Stallworth

  • 🏈 Thursday’s schedule

  • 🔗 Links

🗣️ A NEW WAY TO FOLLOW KY HS SPORTS

Kentucky High School Daily is a newsletter dedicated to Kentucky high school basketball (boys and girls) and football, with a sprinkling of other sports mixed in.

Beginning on Nov. 2, it will publish at least 5x a week, including 1 free issue a week for every subscriber, through the end of Kentucky’s high school basketball season. (In future years, daily publishing will begin the first week of August.)

This is a free preview of the coverage I’ll provide; beginning in November, only premium subscribers will receive access to every issue. Click here to see subscription options.

Kentucky High School Daily is owned and written by Joshua Moore, a Lexington-based sportswriter and author with almost two decades of experience.

🏈 TOP 10 SNAPSHOT

The Kentucky high school football media poll for Week 9 came out Wednesday. Here’s a brief on all 61 teams (yes, that’s correct) currently ranked in the six top 10 polls.

❝

Games between top 10 teams in bold; this week’s games scheduled for Friday, Oct. 16 unless noted; all records entering week; x-tie

Class A

  1. Pikeville (6-1). Last week: Off. This week: at Paintsville (8-0)

    Panthers have won 10 straight in the series.

  2. Sayre (7-0). LW: Off; 1-0 forfeit win vs. Berea (0-7). TW: vs. Frankfort (1-6)
    Frankfort is 1-4 in the series, hasn’t scored in the last two meetings

  3. Raceland (5-2). LW: 57-0 win at Fairview (4-4). TW: at Paris (2-5)
    Rams have now scored at least 50 points in each of the last six meetings vs. Fairview.

  4. Middlesboro (7-0). LW: 42-6 win vs. Pineville (2-6). TW: at Williamsburg (5-1)
    Since M’boro dropped to Class A in 2022, its split four meetings with W’Burg

  5. Paintsville (8-0). LW: 38-14 win at Hazard (2-6). TW: vs. Pikeville (6-1)
    Paintsville’s last win vs. Pikeville was 28-0 in 2017.

  6. Bethlehem (7-0). LW: Off. TW: vs. Kentucky Country Day (5-2)

    Eagles have eclipsed their win total from each of the last 3 seasons.

  7. Kentucky Country Day (5-2). LW: 35-7 win at Louisville Holy Cross (5-2). TW: at Bethlehem (7-0)

    Reigning Class A champs are 4-0 vs Bethlehem since a loss in 2021 playoffs

  8. Louisville Holy Cross (5-2). LW: 35-7 loss to Kentucky Country Day (5-2). TW: at Campbellsville (3-4)

    Cougars were 5-0 before consecutive losses to the last 2 state champs (Sayre, KCD)

  9. Dayton (7-0). LW: 42-6 win at Bellevue (1-5). TW: vs. Newport Central Catholic (2-5)

    Greendevils haven’t beaten NewCath since 1998

  10. Eminence (6-1). LW: 43-6 win vs. Frankfort (1-6). TW: at Berea (0-7).

    First-year head coach Garry McPeek said this game is still scheduled to be played as of Wednesday night

Class 2A

  1. Beechwood (7-0). Last week: 62-0 win at St. Henry (4-3). This week: vs. Gallatin County (0-7)

    Nathan Pabst has scored 20 touchdowns for the Tigers this season.

  2. Owensboro Catholic (7-1). LW: 68-0 win vs. Fort Knox (1-7). This week: Off.

    12 different players have caught a TD pass from Dre’Mail Carothers this year.

  3. Lexington Christian Academy (5-2). LW: 49-14 win at Shawnee (2-5). This week: at Danville (8-0)

    LCA’s losses were to the undefeated No. 1 teams in 3A and 5A

  4. Mayfield (6-1). LW: Off. TW: vs. Trigg County (2-5)

    Haven’t met often, but Trigg County’s last win in the series came in 2004 (41-27).

  5. Belfry (6-1). LW: Off. TW: vs. Betsy Layne (2-5)

    Pirates haven’t loss a district game since 2022.

  6. Danville (8-0). LW: 23-22 win at W.E.B. DuBois (5-3). TW: vs. Lexington Christian Academy (5-2)

    Admirals’ last win in this series came in the 2017 playoffs en route to a state title

  7. Somerset (6-1). LW: Off. TW: at Monroe County (5-2)

    Briar Jumpers HC Clay Clevenger was the man who coached that 2017 Danville team

  8. Breathitt County (6-1). LW: 48-0 win vs. Morgan County (1-6). TW: vs. West Carter (2-5)

    Bobcats are 2-0 in the 21st Century series, which started with a playoff win in 2022

  9. Prestonsburg (6-1). LW: 54-14 win at Floyd Central (2-5). TW: at Leslie County (3-5)

    Alexander Johnson is averaging 157.6 rushing yards per game for P’burg

  10. Caldwell County (6-1). LW: Off. TW: Off; 1-0 forfeit win vs. Todd County Central (0-7)

    The forfeiture ensures the Tigers exceed their win total from last season.

Class 3A

  1. Christian Academy of Louisville (8-0). Last week: 49-7 win vs. Central (2-5). This week: at Western (0-6)

    Central was the last team to beat CAL (48-28 on Oct. 18, 2024).

  2. Lexington Catholic (5-2). LW: 45-0 win at Mercer County (1-6). TW: vs. Bardstown (6-2)

    Knights haven’t lost a district game since 2021

  3. Murray (6-1). LW: Off. TW: vs. Union County (3-4)

    Tigers have won two straight since losing three straight in the series.

  4. Glasgow (7-0). LW: Off. TW: at LaRue County (7-0)

    Scotties have scored 40+ in six straight contests.

  5. Rockcastle County (7-0). LW: Off. TW: at McCreary Central (4-4)

    Rockets are 7-0 for the first time since 2011 (went 2-3 from there).

  6. Lloyd Memorial (7-1). LW: 14-7 win at Henry County (3-4). TW: Off.

    Lloyd has three wins in two years over Henry County, whom before last season it hadn’t played since 2006.

  7. Lawrence County (5-1). LW: 41-0 win vs. Powell County (2-5). TW: at Estill County (6-1)

    Bulldogs were the last team to beat Rockcastle County, 32-26 in the second round of last season’s 3A playoffs

  8. LaRue County (7-0). LW: Off. TW: vs. Glasgow (7-0)

    Hawks last entered October without a loss in 2017 (7-0 before falling at E’town)

  9. Bourbon County (6-1). LW: Off. TW: at Carroll County (5-1)

    Julius Gregory’s stats aren’t eye-popping but the QB seems very much a dual-threat on paper (848 yards/10 TD passes/60% completion; 233 yards/6 TDs/32 carries)

  10. Bardstown (6-2). LW: 37-12 win vs. Garrard County. TW: at Lexington Catholic (5-2)

    Lucas Wilcher has 12.5 sacks on the year for the Tigers.

Class 4A

  1. Highlands (6-2). Last week: 30-27 loss vs. Elder, Ohio (6-2). This week: vs. Mason County (5-2)

    Bluebirds haven’t beaten a team from outside Kentucky since 2013 (47-17 vs. University Christian, Fla.)

  2. Boyle County (6-1). LW: 49-0 vs. Russell County (0-7). TW: at Lincoln County (1-6)

    Bluebirds did hand the Rebels their only loss back on Sept. 11.

  3. Paducah Tilghman (7-0). LW: Off. TW: vs. Warren East (6-1)

    Blue Tornado are 4-0 this decade against the Raiders

  4. Ashland Blazer (8-0). LW: 42-7 win vs. Boyd County. (4-3). TW: Off.

    Boyd County last beat Ashland on Oct. 31, 2003 (34-14). The Tomcats have won every meeting since a playoff rematch that same year on Nov. 14.

  5. Corbin (5-2). LW: 55-8 win vs. Harlan County (3-4). TW: at Whitley County (0-7)

    Redhounds are the only team whose media ranking matches their 4A RPI standing.

  6. Covington Catholic (4-4). LW: 28-20 loss at Cathedral, Ind. (5-3). TW: at Harrison County (0-7)

    Cathedral flipped the script after CovCath took a 17-10 decision last year.

  7. North Oldham (7-1). LW: 49-6 win at Valley (3-4-1). TW: at Waggener (3-4)
    Mustangs’ only loss came in the opener at Lafayette (7-1).

  8. Logan County (5-2). LW: Off. TW: vs. Franklin-Simpson (2-5)

    Cougars had won four straight coming off a 434-43 OT loss at McCracken County before falling 37-7 vs. Paducah Tilghman on Oct. 2.

  9. Spencer County (6-2). LW: 42-7 win vs. Shelby County (2-6). TW: Off.

    Both of Spencer’s losses were by a single point: 42-41 vs. KCD and 35-34 in OT vs. Fairdale (5-1).

  10. Johnson Central (3-5). LW: 49-15 win vs. Rowan County (4-3). TW: vs. Greenup County (5-2)

    All of Johnson Central’s losses were to teams ranked in the top five of their respective classes (Belfry, Coribn, Madison Central, Pikeville, Pulaski County).

Class 5A

  1. Pulaski County (7-0). Last week: 66-31 win at South Laurel (6-2). This week: vs. North Laurel (3-3)

    The bottom would have to fall out for Pulaski to be unseated as the No. 1 RPI team; Maroons are almost 10 full points ahead of No. 2 West Jessamine.

  2. Scott County (7-1). LW: 55-18 win vs. South Oldham (1-7). TW: vs. Woodford County (6-1)

    Teams combined for 107 points in last year’s meeting.

  3. Woodford County (6-1). LW: 56-34 win vs. Collins (5-3). TW: at Scott County (7-1)

    Yellow Jackets claimed that one, 57-50, at home.

  4. Owensboro (5-2). LW: Off. TW: at Muhlenberg County (5-2)

    O’boro is 8-0 in the series, which dates back to 2019.

  5. Atherton (6-1). LW: 49-0 win at Butler (2-5). TW: Thursday at Seneca (4-3)

    Ravens’ season so far is almost a carbon copy of last year — except they’re scoring a lot more points.

  6. Cooper (5-2). LW: Off. TW: vs. Scott (2-5)

    Might be underrated — Jaguars nearly beat No. 3 Manual (6-0 loss).

  7. West Jessamine (7-0). LW: Off. TW: at East Jessamine (3-4).

    Colts enter the week with more wins against Lexington schools (2) than any Lexington school has over another Lexington school.

  8. Madisonville (7-1), LW: 60-14 win at Apollo. TW: Off.

    Only Scott County’s Timmy Emongo (22) has more rushing TDs than Ryder Sandidge (21) in the entire state.

  9. Bowling Green (3-4). LW: Off. TW: at Greenwood (2-5)

    Purples’ loss resume is akin to that of 4A’s Johnson Central (CAL, St. Xavier, Scott County, South Warren)

  10. Collins (5-3). LW: 56-34 loss at Woodford County (6-1). TW: at Anderson County (3-3)

    Titans would likely win most other districts in 5A but are on track to finish third in theirs.

Class 6A

  1. Trinity (7-1). Last week: 73-0 win vs. Ballard (1-6). This week: at Eastern (5-2)

    It’d been five years since Trinity put 70 points on the board (76-0 vs. Marshall County in the first round of 6A playoffs in 2021)

  2. Frederick Douglass (7-0). LW: 21-14 win at Madison Central (6-1). TW: vs. Bryan Station (4-3)

    Broncos have yet to lose to another team from Lexington since the school opened in 2017.

  3. Manual (6-1). LW: 36-10 win at St. Xavier. TW: vs. Pleasure Ridge Park (2-5)

    Jeremy Presley crossed 1,000 yards rushing in the win over St. X.

  4. South Warren (5-2). LW: Off. TW: vs. Central Hardin (0-7)

    10 different Spartans have recorded a sack this season, led by Cole Kuzma (5) and Clay Helton (4)

  5. Madison Central (6-1). LW: 21-14 loss vs. Frederick Douglass. TW: vs. George Rogers Clark (5-3)

    Indians had at least one 100-yard rusher in every regulation-length game before last week, but Corinthian Barnes nearly kept the streak alive (83).

  6. St. Xavier (2-5). LW: 36-10 loss vs. Manual. TW: at North Hardin (4-2-1)

    Tigers won at North Hardin, 16-9, in their last meeting in the 6A region finals on Dec. 4, 2020. That’s one of only two previous meetings this century; the other was a 28-15 win in the same round of the 2004 playoffs.

  7. Male (4-3). LW: 43-0 win vs. Southern. TW: vs. Fern Creek (1-6)

    Since a regular series began in 2019, Male is 10-0 against the Tigers.

  8. Bryan Station (4-3). LW: 24-20 win at George Rogers Clark. TW: at Frederick Douglass (7-0)

    Defenders have made a habit of dropping several games out of the gate against stout foes — Boyle County, Corbin and South Warren this year — before rallying.

  9. Bullitt East (5-2). LW: 52-12 win at Fern Creek. TW: at Southern (1-6)
    The KHSAA RPI also ranks Bullitt East ninth but likes it more than St. X (15th), Male (16th) and Bryan Station (11th).

  10. x-George Rogers Clark (5-3). LW: 24-20 loss vs. Bryan Station. TW: at Madison Central (6-1)

    Carter Muzic’s on the verge of crossing 2,000 yards through the air (1,917 and 21 TDs)

    x-McCracken County (5-2). LW: Off. TW: at Christian County (2-5)

    Nobody’s living on the edge like the Mustangs: aside from a thrashing at Paducah Tilghman to start the year (64-36) and a rout of Union County (43-7), every other game has finished within a single-possession margin and three have been decided by one point.

    Please spread the word about KHSD in your community!

🏀 THREE POINTS …

… with Taylor County girls coach Maze Stallworth

For the last two seasons, Maze Stallworth was the boys basketball coach at Thomas Nelson (27-34). He resigned in May and soon after was announced as the new girls coach at Taylor County, where he coached the boys team to a 5th Region title in 2017 (the Cardinals fell to Ballard in the Sweet 16’s first round). Taylor County’s girls finished 29-7 last year after making their deepest run ever at the Sweet 16, bowing out to Assumption in the semifinals. It was their second straight trip to the state tournament.

(Questions and answers lightly edited for clarity and flow.)

1. The last time I covered one of your teams, you were the boys coach at Taylor County. Almost a decade has passed since then; how’d you get here?

Stallworth: I loved my previous time at Taylor County, I’ll always think it’s a special place and it’s somewhere you can win at. There’s great talent each and every year. And a lot of people don’t know, but I have three daughters and that was kind of my push into girls basketball. I had a daughter that started playing, so I kind of got my eyes opened to what girls basketball really was cause, y’know, I didn't really watch it before, because it wasn't my life. I kind of jumped into it, doing some middle school stuff with her and I fell in love with it. …

I just had to jump at the opportunity. Our head athletic director Chris Goodn and Greg Oliver, who’s the assistant AD here, they were both my assistants here when we won in 2017. Having those two guys running the ship up here, that was definitely a perk for me, they’re guys I trust and have the same goals as me. At Thomas Nelson, I loved it but understood the limitations. They hadn’t won in a couple years and we overachieved by making the region tournament. (Note: Before last season, Thomas Nelson’s boys had made the 5th Region tournament just one other time in over a decade.)

I wanted an opportunity to get back to Rupp Arena and a chance to win a state title. With the players Taylor was returning and all the excitement? I’d have been crazy not to jump into it.

2. What’s jumped out to you about coaching girls versus boys?

Stallworth: I love the purity in it. With girls, it’s more about fundamentals and structure with them, you’re generally not worried about having crazy talent or someone who can jump the highest. It’s basketball and I love this side of it. … Every guy I know who’s jumped over to girls basketball has loved it and never came back. I have a good friend (George Rogers Clark head coach) Robbie Graham, he was one of the guys who convinced me, “you need to do this.” He’s praised about it and preaches a lot of the same things I preach, I think you’ll see similarities between how he does things to the way I’m going to do things. I’m a big fan of (head coach) Ginger Calvin here at Campbellsville University too, I’ve always watched her teams. The purity of the basketball and the teaching of it, it just feels like there’s more of it on the girls side than the boys.

3. Sophomore Kennedy Deener is already among the biggest names in the state. (She was Kentucky Gatorade POTY as a freshman). How does a player like her make your job easier?

Stallworth: One of the biggest things I want people to understand like is that all the things that she has achieved is cause she works at it. I'm not joking, Josh, last week, we had a tough week as far as conditioning, workouts, we lifted in seventh period, our whole team. And then we immediately practiced right afterward or work out right afterward. And earlier that day we ran like 100 some sprints on that morning, at like 6 a.m. Um, and I mean, it was a tough workout. It just was. And it was a Friday, and we release early on Fridays, at 1 o’clock. And I swear, come 1:15 I'm walking into the gym and she's in there already in a full out sweat. You know, she's in there just working out by herself, on the gun, just going hard. Like, just, I mean, and I'm telling you, like, she's ate up with it.

I’ve had a lot of very talented kids either from coaching high school or coaching AAU. I’ve seen high-major kids. I’ve had kids go to Louisville. I’ve seen ’em all. And I’ve never seen anybody with her type of mind frame and mindset what she has mentally. Whatever you want to challenge her with, she’s gonna overcome it or she’s gonna try her damndest to overcome it. I’m very proud of what I see out of her work, because anybody can be good, but are you really putting work into it? And she does. Whether it's her just shooting around with her dad getting her rebounds, or her wearing out our assistant coaches and making sure she gets in the gym four or five times a week. I mean, it's just all those little things. To be blessed with having a player like that? You asked “does it make my job easier?” You’re darn right it does.

I’ll have more about Taylor County and the 5th Region as a whole in the Nov. 11 edition of Kentucky High School Daily. That’ll be a premium issue. Subscribe today so you don’t miss it!

🏈 THURSDAY’S GAMES

❝

All times p.m. and local to site

Atherton at Seneca, 7
Bracken County at St. Henry, 7
Breckinridge County vs. Doss at Meade County, 6:30

🔗 LINKS

Sites may require subscription.

Keep Reading

View more
caret-right
background
© 2026 Kentucky High School Daily.
beehiivPowered by beehiiv