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It’s almost football time in the Bluegrass. With the 2025 Kentucky high school football season set to begin on August 22nd, KSR will preview all 48 districts and all six classes. We’ve already covered Class 1A, Class 2A, Class 3A and Class 4A. Up next is Class 5A, home to the Bowling Green Purples, the defending 5A […]

2025 Kentucky High School Football Preview: Class 5A graphic by KSR

Class 5A | District 1

Apollo (2024: 5-6), Graves County (2024: 9-3), Madisonville-North Hopkins (2024: 7-4), Marshall County (2024: 3-7), Muhlenberg County (2024: 2-8), #24Owensboro (2024: 8-4)

Heading into 2025, Owensboro will be led by first-year head coach Damarcus Ganaway Sr. Last seaosn, the Red Devils went 8-4, starting the year off 1-3 before catching fire toward the end of the season. In fairness, however, those three losses to start the year came to CAL, Bowling Green and Owensboro Catholic — very tough opponents to say the least.

They’ll face CAL and Owensboro Catholic yet again this season, but instead of playing Bowling Green, the Red Devils open their season against St. Xavier on the road.

Ganaway, however, will have one of the best players in the state at his disposal, senior running back Evan Hampton. As a junior, Hampton recorded 1,549 yards and 20 touchdowns on the ground, while also tallying 107 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 15 catches. Expect the Red Devils to not only finish atop District 1, but to make a deep run in the postseason. Maybe they can get back to the state championship game after doing so in 2020.

Class 5A | District 2

#4 Bowling Green (2024: 13-2), Greenwood (2024: 5-6), Ohio County (2024: 0-11), Barren County (2024: 10-3), Grayson County (2024: 9-3), Warren Central (2024: 3-8)

Speaking of getting back to the state championship game, that’s the goal for the Bowling Green Purples in 2025.

Since head coach Mark Spader took over the program in 2018, Bowling Green has become the premier program in Class 5A. It took him just three years to win a title there, and now, the Purples have gone back-to-back. Of course, the last two years have been in large part because of quarterback Deuce Bailey, who is now at Missouri State. So, that’s a big piece they’ll be without this year.

Jaxen Smith, who tallied a team-best 522 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground and 700 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns through the air, will be back for his senior season. Additionally, the Purples’ leading receiver from a year ago, Trevy Barber, will return in 2025 for his senior campaign. In 2024, he caught 79 passes for 1,327 yards and 22 touchdowns, all team-highs.

Class 5A | District 3

Atherton (2024: 10-3), Butler (2024: 2-9), Iroquois (2024: 2-9), Seneca (2024: 5-6)

Atherton was one of the most interesting teams in the state last season when you just look at the stat sheet. For starters, they truly had a two-quarterback operation. Not QB1 and QB2, but QB1-A and QB1-B. Senior Deairus Smith, who will back in 2025, threw 87 passes en route to 860 passing yards and 12 touchdowns. QuaShawn Thompson threw 82 passes for 798 yards and eight touchdowns. Pretty evenly split.

Smith also gets his leading receiver from a year ago, Alden Wilson, back for his junior season. In 2024, he posted 608 receiving yards and three touchdowns.

Head coach Keith May went 0-11 in his first year coaching at Iroquois in 2023, but managed to go 2-9 last season. While it’s not a major leap by any means, it’s a move in the right direction. Those two wins were actually the most wins the Raiders have had in a season since they also went 2-9 back in 2019. Hopefully, May and Iroquois continue to trend upward in 2025.

Class 5A | District 4

Bullitt Central (2024: 2-8), Moore (2024: 7-5), North Bullitt (2024: 7-6), Fairdale (2024: 2-8), Jeffersontown (2024: 5-6)

Moore and North Bullitt were two of the top teams in District 4 last season, and it was pretty much an even split in determining which team was truly better. On October 25th, Moore squeezed out a narrow victory over the Eagles, winning 31-27.

This year, Moore should continue to improve. They return senior Maddox Knuckles, who ran for 930 yards and seven touchdowns last season. Additionally, Javis Wallace is back in 2025 after getting some snaps behind center last year. As a sophomore, he threw for 345 yards and seven touchdowns, but he also recorded 572 yards and five touchdowns from scrimmage in 2024.

As for North Bullitt, they return senior quarterback Caden Dorsey, who threw for 863 yards and 12 touchdowns last season. They’ll need him to take that next step this season considering the fact that their top three rushers from a year ago are no longer on the team.

Class 5A | District 5

Boone County (2024: 2-8), Conner (2024: 7-4), #8Cooper (2024: 14-1), Dixie Heights (2024: 3-8), Scott (2024: 2-8)

Cooper looked like the best team in Class 5A for their first 14 games last season. Up until they made it to the state championship game, the Jaguars were everyone’s pick to win it all in 2024. But then, they ran into Bowling Green.

If they want to avenge their shortcomings from the 2024 season, then they’ll need senior quarterback Cam O’Hara to continue to play at an elite level. As a junior, O’Hara recorded 3,617 passing yards and an insane 52 touchdowns to just three interceptions. He should almost certainly be the best quarterback in the state in 2025.

Additionally, Cooper’s leading rusher from 2024, Keagan Maher, returns in 2025 for one last season. He ran for 1,433 yards and 22 touchdowns last season. O’Hara will be without his top three receivers from a year ago, so head coach Randy Borchers may have to lean a tad bit more on the run game this year.

Class 5A | District 6

Anderson County (2024: 3-7), Collins (2024: 5-6), Scott County (2024: 6-6), South Oldham (2024: 7-4), #21 Woodford County (2024: 10-2)

Woodford County is one of the more underrated squads in Class 5A. Last season, the Yellow Jackets went 10-2, with their only loss in the regular season coming to a formidable South Oldham team on the road.

They’ll be tasked with replacing quarterback Justus Wertzler, who threw for 2,852 yards and 32 touchdowns in 2024. Junior Lemmie Coons will most likely be the starter this season after playing second-string a year ago. Making appearances in seven games, Coons threw for 173 yards and three touchdowns on 17 pass attempts.

As for South Oldham, they started last season 6-1, with their only loss in that span coming to Anderson (OH) in the season opener. The Dragons lose a ton of production from their 2024 squad, however, so it’ll be interesting to see how they fare in 2025.

Class 5A | District 7

East Jessamine (2024: 4-7), Madison Southern (2024: 5-7), Montgomery County (2024: 5-5), West Jessamine (2024: 3-8)

District 7 is home to maybe some of the most mediocre football in Class 5A. Is it harsh to say that? Probably, but it’s also just plain fact. Every team in District 7 combined for one playoff win last season. One. Across four teams that all made the postseason. So, shoutout to Madison Southern.

Gabe Beard returns for his junior season after throwing for 1,517 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2024. Additionally, he gets senior wideout Brayden Hall back, who caught 18 passes for 350 yards and three touchdowns last season. The Eagles could take a step forward this season, but how much of a step is the question.

Class 5A | District 8

North Laurel (2024: 5-7), Pulaski County (2024: 8-5), South Laurel (2024: 6-4), Southwestern (2024: 7-6)

Pulaski County caught a lot of folks by surprise last season when they took Beechwood down to the wire in Week 1. In what was a back and forth affair the whole way, the Tigers escaped with a 28-27 win. However, the Maroons proved that they can hang with the best of the best, and that proved true through the rest of the season.

An 8-5 record sounds alright compared to a lot of teams, but those losses came to Beechwood, Woodford County, Madison Central, Corbin and Highlands — all of which were among the best teams in the state last year. The Maroons have a tough schedule yet again, set to face opponents like Bryan Station, Corbin, Johnson Central and South Warren in 2025.

Junior tailback Kasen Brock will be a force to be reckoned with this year after posting 1,444 yards and 21 touchdowns on the ground and 417 yards and five touchdowns via the pass last season. Senior quarterback Zak Anderson will also be back in 2025 after recording 1,897 yards and 22 touchdowns last season. Consider the Maroons a sleeper in Class 5A.