The Kentucky Football Coaches Association has announced its 2026 district awards, with players and coaches from across Northern Kentucky earning recognition. Each district winner is eligible for the corresponding statewide award in their class.
Highlands and Holy Cross swept their respective districts’ honors. Bluebirds quarterback Bryce Armstrong accounted for 2,470 yards of total offense and 34 touchdowns in the statistics accompanying the selections, while Charles Oglesby paced the Indians with 813 rushing yards and added 71 tackles.
Beechwood’s Tyler Fryman repeated as Class 2A, District 5 Player of the Year after combining for 1,049 rushing and receiving yards with 17 offensive touchdowns. Cooper’s Corey Freihofer also topped 1,000 rushing yards, adding four interceptions on defense.
The coaching selections included Dayton’s Jesse Herbst, who guided the Greendevils to an 8-3 finish, and Cooper’s Adam Begley, who led the Jaguars to a district championship in his first season.
Here are the local honorees:
Class 1A, District 3
Player of the Year: Van Hundemer, Newport Central Catholic
Coach of the Year: Jesse Herbst, Dayton
Lineman of the Year: Will Meyer, Newport Central Catholic
Class 1A, District 4
Player of the Year: Charles Oglesby, Holy Cross
Coach of the Year: Curt Spencer, Holy Cross
Lineman of the Year: Garrett Frederick, Holy Cross
Class 2A, District 5
Player of the Year: Tyler Fryman, Beechwood
Coach of the Year: Gary Pence, Walton-Verona
Lineman of the Year: Kingston Brockett, Beechwood
Class 4A, District 5
Player of the Year: Bryce Armstrong, Highlands
Coach of the Year: Bob Sphire, Highlands
Lineman of the Year: Cooper Benke, Highlands
Class 5A, District 5
Player of the Year: Corey Freihofer, Cooper
Coach of the Year: Adam Begley, Cooper
Lineman of the Year: Malachi Snapp, Scott
Class 6A, District 6
Player of the Year: Grant Webb, Simon Kenton
Coach of the Year: Joe Wynn, Simon Kenton
Lineman of the Year: Max Parsons, Ryle
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