This is the week of unbeaten teams facing difficult competition on the road.
In Kentucky, Beechwood, Ryle and Simon Kenton all face quality opponents as they try to remain perfect. In Indiana, Batesville and Lawrenceburg – both 4-0 – travel to 3-1 opponents.
NORTHERN KENTUCKY
Beechwood (3-0) at Covington Catholic (3-1), 7 p.m. – Beechwood has had no fear of facing – and beating – much bigger schools in the past, and the Tigers have already won easily against a pair of 2A teams and 4A Franklin County (Ky.). Beechwood is allowing just 9.3 points per game. CovCath has won by one point each of the past two weeks and topped Oak Hills by eight in Week 1. A.J. Mayer has thrown for 926 yards and seven TDs to pace the Colonels.
Ryle (4-0) at Campbell County (2-2), 7 p.m. – Ryle is scoring 39.3 points per game, largely thanks to QB Tanner Morgan, who is 68-for-100 (68 percent) for 939 yards, seven TDs and no picks. Bryce Ashley has caught 25 passes for 238 yards and three scores. Campbell County is allowing an average of 28.5 points, and the Camels’ first three opponents averaged over 180 ground yards. The Raiders won, 52-7 when these teams met last year.
Simon Kenton (4-0) at Cooper (3-1), 7 p.m. – Simon Kenton is scoring 43.3 points per game and its average margin of victory is nearly 28 points. The Pioneers are utilizing both Cameron Racke and Matt Shearer under center, and Shearer had the better numbers last week, going 7-9-133 with a touchdown and no picks. Cooper has scored at least 40 points in each contest, averaging 45.7 per game, thanks largely to the Jarod Lonaker-to-Dante Hendrix connection. Lonaker has thrown for 1,190 yards and 12 TDs and Hendrix has 19 catches for 393 yards and six scores – all team highs.
Holy Cross (2-1) at Scott (1-3), 7 p.m. – Holy Cross outscored its first two in-state opponents, 86-7 before losing to rejuvenated Taft last week. Derrick Barnes has averaged 10 yards per carry, gaining 351 yards on the ground and scoring seven touchdowns. Last season was a historic one for Scott, which went 10-3 and advanced to the state quarterfinals for the first time in its history, but the Eagles have been outmatched against bigger schools, as they have been outscored, 141-36. Their only win was against struggling Newport.
INDIANA
Batesville (4-0) at East Central (3-1), 7 p.m. – East Central topped Batesville by 17 in 2015 and has won 24 of the last 30 meetings between these teams. The Bulldogs have allowed just 11.5 points per game, but their opponents have a combined 2-14 record. The Trojans have only faced one Indiana opponent – Franklin County – and won that game, 44-24.
Lawrenceburg (4-0) at Franklin County (3-1), 7 p.m. – Lawrenceburg has been an offensive juggernaut, averaging 47.3 points per game while winning all of its games by at least 21 points. Franklin County is no slouch offensively, scoring an average of 37.5 points, and its lone loss was to East Central, 44-24 last week. The Tigers won, 47-20 when these teams played last year and hold a 14-13 advantage the past 30 years in this rivalry.
