Hometown Wireless Elizabethtown | Kentucky’s high school football spotlight is locked on Friday night, as 24 teams across six classes battle in state semifinal showdowns for a ticket to Kroger Field and the UK HealthCare Sports Medicine State Football Finals next weekend. From Louisville’s private-school heavyweights to small-school powers in the mountains and along the river, the entire commonwealth is represented on one of the biggest nights of the year.
Class 6A: Louisville showdown and Ryle’s road test
The marquee matchup of the night is in Louisville, where Trinity hosts archrival St. Xavier in a playoff edition of the Shamrocks–Tigers rivalry, with kickoff set for 5pm in the Class 6A semifinals. Trinity enters at 11-2 and St X at 10-3, with both teams riding dominant playoff performances into a winner-take-all battle for a spot in the 6A championship game.
On the other side of the Class 6A bracket, unbeaten South Warren (12-0) welcomes Ryle (10-3) to Bowling Green for a 6pm semifinal. South Warren has rolled through its schedule, while Ryle looks to play spoiler and earn a shot at the Trinity–St. X winner at Kroger Field.
Class 5A: Atherton’s historic run and a west–central clash
Atherton’s breakout season continues with a 5A semifinal trip to Pulaski County, with the Ravens visiting the Maroons at 7pm Atherton (12-1) has already made school history by reaching the semifinals and now must go on the road against an 11-2 Pulaski squad with a strong playoff résumé.
The other 5A semifinal has Woodford County traveling to Owensboro for a 6pm kickoff. Woodford County (12-1) and Owensboro (11-2) bring explosive offenses into what projects as a high-scoring clash, with the winner advancing to the 5A title game scheduled for Saturday night, December 6, at Kroger Field.
Class 4A: Boyle County’s test and a Paducah trip to Franklin
In Class 4A, two tradition-rich programs meet when Corbin hits the road to face Boyle County at 730pm Boyle County (12-1) continues another deep playoff run, while Corbin (10-3) arrives battle-tested after knocking off Highlands in the quarterfinals to earn this semifinal shot.
The other 4A semifinal sends Paducah Tilghman (12-1) east to take on undefeated Franklin County at 730pm Franklin County (13-0) has been one of the state’s most consistent teams this fall, and Tilghman’s explosive playmakers give this game plenty of big-play potential with a title berth on the line.
Class 3A: CAL’s home stand and a perfect-pairing at Lloyd
Class 3A features a Louisville-versus-mountains showdown as Bell County travels to Christian Academy-Louisville for a 7pm semifinal. CAL (13-0) has dominated on both sides of the ball, while Bell County (12-1) brings its physical, run-heavy style on the road in search of an upset.
Across the bracket, two undefeated programs collide when Murray visits Lloyd Memorial at 7pm Both Murray and Lloyd come in at 13-0, turning this semifinal into a true clash of unbeatens for a spot in Saturday’s noon 3A championship game at Kroger Field.
Class 2A: Beechwood’s trip west and a Lexington test for Belfry
In Class 2A, one semifinal will be played on a neutral field as Owensboro Catholic hosts Beechwood at Steele Stadium on the campus of Kentucky Wesleyan College, with kickoff at 7pm Owensboro Catholic (12-1) has lit up the scoreboard all season, while Beechwood (11-1) brings championship pedigree and a defense built for November football.
The other 2A semifinal has Belfry traveling to face Lexington Christian at 730pm Belfry (12-1) has powered through the bracket behind its signature run game, and Lexington Christian (10-3) counters with a wide-open offense that will test the Pirates’ secondary under the lights.
Class 1A: Heavyweight rematches across the state
In Class 1A, Campbellsville heads to Kentucky Country Day for a 730pm semifinal in Louisville. Campbellsville (11-1) and KCD (11-1) mirror each other with efficient offenses and opportunistic defenses, making field position and special teams key in a game with little margin for error.
The opposite side of the 1A bracket features another powerhouse matchup as Pikeville travels to Raceland for a 730pm kickoff. Pikeville (10-3) and Raceland (11-1) are no strangers to deep November runs, and the winner earns the right to play for the 1A state title at Kroger Field on Friday, December 5, at noon.
What the RPI says about each matchup:
The RPI numbers frame almost every semifinal as a favorite-versus-underdog situation, but none of the four matchups look like complete mismatches on paper. The margins between the top teams in each class are small enough that playoff execution, not just rating, should decide who ends up at Kroger Field.
Class 1A: Raceland vs. Pikeville
Raceland enters as the #1 RPI team in 1A at .80038, slightly ahead of Kentucky Country Day and clearly in front of Pikeville’s .72068. That gap says the Rams have played and beaten a stronger overall schedule, but Pikeville’s top‑four RPI and 10‑3 record reinforce this as a heavyweight matchup rather than a true upset bid on paper.
Class 1A: Kentucky Country Day vs. Campbellsville
Kentucky Country Day’s .79424 RPI sits just behind Raceland for second in 1A, while Campbellsville checks in fourth at .76223. The numbers suggest KCD has a small edge in schedule strength and consistency, yet Campbellsville’s nearly identical record and top‑four RPI make this feel like a coin‑flip game between two elite small‑school programs.
Class 2A: Owensboro Catholic vs. Beechwood
Owensboro Catholic owns the top RPI in 2A at .80209, reflecting a high‑octane 12‑1 season against quality opposition. Beechwood, however, is third in RPI at .70149 and has allowed just 87 points all year, so the index labels the Aces as favorites but still respects Beechwood as a clear championship‑level contender.
Class 2A: Lexington Christian vs. Belfry
Lexington Christian sits #2 in the 2A RPI at .73312, with Belfry right behind in a virtual tie for third at .71826. That slim separation shows LCA with a slight edge in schedule strength, but the Pirates’ 12‑1 mark and scoring margin keep the RPI from painting either side as a heavy favorite.
Class 3A: Christian Academy-Louisville vs. Bell County
CAL is the clear #1 in 3A RPI at .80921 and one of the highest‑rated teams in the entire state, boosted by a 13‑0 record and dominant point differential. Bell County ranks fourth at .70603, which underscores how strong the Bobcats have been, but the RPI still frames this as CAL’s game to lose against a very good challenger.
Class 3A: Lloyd Memorial vs. Murray
Lloyd Memorial and Murray are neck‑and‑neck in the RPI, with Lloyd second at .73951 and Murray third at .73450. Both unbeaten at 13‑0, their nearly identical ratings back up the idea that this is a true toss‑up, with no clear numerical favorite despite Lloyd’s tiny RPI edge.
Class 4A: Boyle County vs. Corbin
Boyle County’s .78711 RPI leads Class 4A and reflects a schedule and performance profile that has them viewed statewide as a premier program. Corbin’s .64069 places the Redhounds eighth in the class, so the index labels Boyle as the stronger side, though Corbin’s top‑10 standing shows this is still a high‑level semifinal, not a mismatch.
Class 4A: Franklin County vs. Paducah Tilghman
Franklin County ranks third in 4A with a .73016 RPI, while Paducah Tilghman is fifth at .69423. The difference is modest enough that the system gives Franklin a slight nod, but also signals that Tilghman’s schedule and production belong in the same tier and make an upset statistically plausible.
Class 5A: Pulaski County vs. Atherton
Pulaski County holds the top RPI among remaining 5A teams at .69662, compared to Atherton’s .61779. The index credits Pulaski with stronger opposition and overall résumé, but Atherton’s 12‑1 record and top‑10 RPI indicate the Ravens have clearly outperformed a typical lower‑seed and are not a long‑shot underdog by the numbers.
Class 5A: Owensboro vs. Woodford County
Owensboro (.67931) and Woodford County (.67196) sit back‑to‑back in the 5A RPI table, ranking second and third respectively. That near‑deadlock reinforces how evenly matched this semifinal is on paper, with RPI giving the Red Devils only the slightest numerical advantage over another explosive, high‑scoring side.
Class 6A: South Warren vs. Ryle
South Warren owns the top RPI in 6A at .70730 and is the lone unbeaten in the class, which makes the Spartans the statistical favorite. Ryle’s .60461 sits several spots lower in the rankings, but still within the top tier of 6A, suggesting a tough road test for the Raiders rather than a mismatch.
Class 6A: St Xavier vs. Trinity
St Xavier’s .64290 RPI ranks ahead of Trinity’s .62050, even though the Shamrocks have a slightly better record and gaudier point margin. That spread shows RPI favoring St X’s overall schedule strength by a small margin, but with both programs in the upper tier of 6A, the numbers read this rivalry game as a true top‑end semifinal more than a clear‑cut seed vs. underdog matchup.
