Best Bets: N. Kentucky – Week 9

It’s the final week of district play in Northern Kentucky, and many teams look to secure their seeds before the playoffs begin.

Friday’s slate includes the much-anticipated Ryle-Simon Kenton matchup, as the Pioneers look to cement their top ranking south of the river.

Indiana begins its postseason this week, so TriStateFootball concentrates on the Best Bets in Northern Kentucky for Week 9.

Bellevue (3-5) at Ludlow (5-4), 7 p.m. – Bellevue finally broke out of its five-game losing streak and four-game scoring funk last week with a 31-0 win over Dayton. Cameron Chase has rolled up 658 ground yards and eight touchdowns on a Tigers offense that has had almost no success passing. Ludlow actually has a bye the final week, so it wraps up its regular season with this game. After a 4-1 start, the Panthers have dropped three of four. QB Justin Blackburn needs just 45 rushing yards to reach 1,000 for the season, and he has thrown for 1,155. These teams are both 1-1 in district play, so the winner will receive the No. 2 seed and home-field advantage for the first round of the playoffs.

Boone County (0-8) at Campbell County (0-8), 7 p.m. – Here’s how badly the KHSAA has botched the playoff system, which was one of the best in the country with four conferences: One of these teams will actually host a playoff game. No disrespect to either, but winless teams have no right even making the playoffs, much less vying for a home game in the postseason. To Boone County’s credit, it has played a brutal schedule. The Rebels are averaging just 11.0 points and allowing 44.9. It has gone downhill for Campbell County since its three-point loss to East Central to open its season, as the Camels have lost by at least 20 in all but one game since. But this could actually be a close game, and someone has to win, right?

Cooper (7-2) at Conner (6-2), Saturday, 7 p.m. – Cooper can win Class 6A outright with a win, otherwise the district will end in a three-way tie at 1-1. The Jaguars have rolled off four straight wins and are allowing just 13.0 points per game. Nathan Brown has 1,579 passing yards, 15 TDs and just four interceptions, and receiver Dante Hendrix has caught 41 passes for 942 yards and 10 scores. This is Cooper’s regular season finale. Conner’s five-game winning streak was snapped by Ryle last week, but the Cougars held their own, losing by just 12. QB Kyler Padgett also has an excellent TDs-to-picks ratio of 15-to-2 with 1,186 passing yards. He also leads the team in rushing with 561 ground yards.

Covington Catholic (2-6) at Dixie Heights (2-6), 7:30 p.m. – Even in a 3-5 season, Highlands managed to wrap up the district title, so this game will be for the No. 2 seed and home-field advantage for the first round. CovCath’s resume is bizarre: 0-3 vs. Ohio teams, 2-3 vs. Kentucky teams, with losses by seven, one and four points, and a 20-point win at Beechwood. Dixie Heights barely beat Grant County last week, and its only other win is against winless Boone County. Despite having matching records, the Colonels are definitely the favorite in this one.

Holy Cross (4-4) at Lloyd (5-3), 7 p.m. – Both teams are 1-1 in Class 2A play, and with NewCath at 2-0 with just Newport left on its district schedule, this game will be for home-field advantage in the first round of the postseason. RB Xavier Abernathy and QB Hamilton Scott continue to be the offensive leaders for the Indians, rushing for over 600 yards each. Holy Cross’ only in-state losses are to Beechwood, Scott and NewCath (by seven). Lloyd lost to the Thoroughbreds by four last week, likely ending its district championship aspirations, but except for a 26-point loss to Beechwood in Week 1, its only other losses were to Conner by six and its nail-biter vs. NewCath. Charles Gaines continues to roll up the receiving yards for the Juggernauts, catching 35 passes for 614 yards and nine touchdowns.

Simon Kenton RB Dillon Powell (Michael Collins/TSF).

Ryle (7-1) at Simon Kenton (8-0), 7 p.m. – This game means nothing in terms of playoff implications, with the teams for whatever reason being in separate districts, but it provides Simon Kenton one last major hurdle en route to an unbeaten regular season. Ryle’s lone blemish is a six-point loss to Cooper on Oct. 9, and the Raiders bounced back by beating Conner, 46-34 last week. Tanner Morgan has thrown for 1,679 yards, and seven receivers have at least 100 yards for Ryle. The Pioneers’ closest game was a 19-point win over Cooper on Sept. 18, and they are allowing just 7.5 points per game in their last six. Dillon Powell has now rushed for 1,251 yards and 17 TDs on an offense that is averaging 301 rushing yards per game and an average of 44.6 points.

Scott (7-1) at Holmes (3-5), 7 p.m. – So Scott scheduled more difficult opponents this year, but most ended up having down years. The Eagles’ only loss was by one to Conner, and they are averaging 46.0 points in their four wins since. Roberto London is averging eight yards per carry, gaining 872 yards and scoring 12 touchdowns, and Deondre Pleasant has a 12 yards-per-carry average with 10 TDs. Holmes has had trouble scoring, posting more than 20 points just once. Andrew Arnold is the team’s leading rusher with over 700 ground yards and double-digits in touchdowns. Scott can wrap up the top seed in Class 4A with a win, and the Bulldogs are looking to move out of the fourth spot as they shoot for a .500 season, having Newport left of their season slate.

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