Week 6 preview: Douglass heads to Scott County for district clash; LCA visits Pikeville

Here’s a look at some of the best high school football games of Week 6. All games are on Friday and all times are local to the home team. Rankings are by Dave Cantrall.

Games of the Week

▪ No. 3 Frederick Douglass (5-0) at No. 16 Scott County (4-0), 7:30 p.m. The Broncos have dominated this district matchup the last five times out, but Douglass Coach Nathan McPeek takes nothing for granted against a Scott County team that looks much improved from last season.

“They’re better and their quarterback is more experienced,” McPeek said. “He hides the ball better than he did last year and they’re throwing it more. They’re throwing quick screens and off of play action. … We’ve got to be alert for that.”

Scott County is known for its deceptive wing-T offense, a multiple-option run attack that puts the ball in the hands of any number of running backs and catches defenses off guard with occasional deep passes seemingly out of nowhere.

Sophomore Kayne Garrett rushed for 151 yards and two scores last week, but the Cards have also been led in rushing by junior fullback Jacob Fryman, who had 100-plus yard games against Franklin County and Bryan Station.

Meanwhile, Scott County sophomore quarterback Andrew Hickey has thrown for 435 yards and two scores, already more than half his total yardage in 11 games last year.

Douglass counters with one of Class 5A’s most dominating defenses. The Broncos gave up 81 total yards to Henry Clay last week and only 23 total yards to Paul Laurence Dunbar, a number that included a -7 rushing total.

“It’s going to be a very physical football game,” McPeek said. “You’ve got to be very physical and very disciplined with what they do. I think our guys will be ready.”

Douglass’s defense features Jamarrion Harkless, a 6-foot-4, 290-pound lineman who recently announced his commitment to Auburn after a visit there. Harkless decommited from Illinois in August and officially visited Auburn and Ole Miss since.

“It seems like he’s relaxed a bit,” McPeek said. “Media has picked up a little bit for him the last couple of days, not only in Auburn, but here, locally, so, he’s been pretty busy today at practice. We’re just trying to keep him focused on the task at hand.”

Offensively, Douglass has been averaging better than 50 points per game with solid QB play from Cole Carpenter (470 yards, six TDs) and a running back by committee that has rushed for 672 yards and 19 TDs led by Ball State commit TJ Horton (223 yards, seven TDs).

Douglass also began making a Mr. Football push on social media this week for multi-purpose two-way Kentucky commit, Ty Bryant, who plays first as a defensive back, but is also used as an offensive weapon and special teams return man, who has twice run back punt returns for TDs.

“I think he’s one of the more talented guys in the state,” McPeek said. “I don’t think there are too many guys like him that can run the ball, play safety and be a great tackler.”

The push for Bryant is similar to the campaign Douglass coaches made for Dane Key last year. Key did not win Mr. Football, but he has since become a standout wide receiver for UK.

▪ No. 17 Lexington Christian (2-3) at No. 15 Pikeville (2-2), 7:30 p.m. Both ranked in the Cantrall top 25 despite multiple losses, the Eagles and Panthers are indeed contenders.

Even if LCA quarterback Cutter Boley returns from an ankle injury that sidelined him last week, the Eagles will have their hands full with a Pikeville team whose two losses have come to bigger-school powerhouses — No. 7 Covington Catholic and No. 10 Corbin. Pikeville running back Blake Birchfield already has 467 yards and eight TDs in four games behind a powerful offensive line.

LCA won this matchup in Lexington last year, 31-14, so revenge could be a factor as well.

Rivalries of the Week

▪ Trinity (3-2) vs. No. 1 St. Xavier (3-1), 8 p.m. A rivalry so large they rent out Louisville’s Cardinal Stadium to contain it, the Rocks boast 23 state titles to the Tigers’ 13, but St. X holds the most recent crown. After a close loss to Male last week, Trinity can reestablish itself as a Class 6A favorite with a win here.

▪ West Jessamine (2-3) at East Jessamine (0-5), 7:30 p.m. No longer the extreme clash of styles it once was since the Jaguars have evolved away from the wing-T run game, this East-West district clash still features the run-and-shoot Colts and West Jessamine quarterback Jacob Jones who put up 63 points in a loss last week.

▪ Also of note: Newport vs. Newport Central Catholic, 7 p.m., Ballard at Manual, 7:30 p.m.

Other Lexington games

▪ Lafayette (0-5) at Bryan Station (1-3), 6:30 p.m. The Defenders’ redemption tour continues against a young Generals team. They get Henry Clay next week before plowing through a district schedule that includes resurgent Clark County and the defending district and region champs, Madison Central.

▪ Sayre (3-1) at Harlan (3-1), 7:30 p.m. The Spartans face a solid Green Dragons team that has two rushers going for around 100 yards per game in Jayden Ward and Darius Akal. Harlan took Class 2A Middlesboro to the wire in a 21-20 loss last week.

▪ Paul Laurence Dunbar (1-4) at Russell (0-5), 7:30 p.m. The Bulldogs will look to make this week the turning point in their season, but a trip all the way to Flatwoods won’t be easy, regardless of the Red Devils’ record.

▪ No. 9 Lexington Catholic (4-1) at Tates Creek (1-4), 7:30 p.m. The Knights face a trap game against the Commodores if they look too far ahead to next week’s district matchup with No. 4 Boyle County.

▪ Bye week: Henry Clay (2-3).

Should be a good one

▪ North Hardin at No. 4 Boyle County, 7:30 p.m.

▪ Taylor County at Casey County, 7:30 p.m.

▪ Ashland Blazer at Hazard, 7:30 p.m.

▪ Hopkinsville at Logan County, 7 p.m.

▪ No. 6 Christian Academy-Louisville at Mercer County, 7:30 p.m.

▪ Henderson County at Paducah Tilghman, 7 p.m.

▪ Central at No. 2 South Warren, 7:30 p.m.