LouLife

The high school football postseason begins Friday night in Kentucky, so this week will be the final edition of Louisville.com’s Jefferson County High School Football Power Rankings for the regular season. But before we go, in addition to delivering our last rankings of the season, we’ll also give our predictions for how far each of our Top 10 teams will go in the state playoffs. 



Here’s a quick look at our final Top 10 of this season: 


1. Male (10-0) - The 6-A Bulldogs closed out their unbeaten regular season (their first since 2006) with a 28-7 triumph at 2-A Christian Academy of Louisville last Friday night. This Friday they’ll host Marshall County (2-8) in the first-round of the playoffs. Playoff prediction: Male will win its seventh state championship on Dec. 6 in Bowling Green.  


2. CAL (9-1) - Top-ranked Male handed the Centurions their first loss of the season, 28-7, last Friday night. CAL has a bye this week before hosting the winner between Bardstown and Metcalfe County next week. Playoff prediction: The Centurions should have no trouble in their first game, but will likely receive a stiff test from DeSales in the third round. The Colts beat them 34-0 in last year’s quarterfinals on their way to a state title, but CAL shutout DeSales 17-0 earlier this season. We believe CAL will survive the Colts’ challenge, as well its two subsequent opponents, on the way to its first state title. 


3. St. Xavier (6-4) - The Tigers closed out their regular season with a 24-6 loss at Cincinnati St. X last Friday. They host Daviess County (4-6) on Friday night in the first round of the playoffs. Playoff prediction: The Tigers should blow out the Panthers, then slip past Manual in the second round before losing to Male in the third round. 


4. Trinity (5-5) - The Shamrocks closed out their regular season with a 17-14 loss at Cincinnati Moeller last Friday. Trinity gets Henderson County (5-5) this Friday night in a first-round playoff game. Playoff prediction: The Shamrocks should have no problem with the Colonels, however, a second-round showdown with Male looms. Trinity suffered a double-overtime loss to Male on Oct. 17, and we believe the Bulldogs will top the Shamrocks in the rematch too.


5. Manual (7-3) - The Crimsons closed out their regular season with a 48-13 win over Eastern last Friday. They play at McCracken County (9-1) Friday night in a big first-round playoff game. Playoff prediction: We like the Crimsons to knock off the once-beaten Mustangs before falling to St. X in the second round. 


6. DeSales (9-1) - The Colts, the reigning 2-A state champs, closed out their regular season with a 35-0 shutout of 6-A Southern last Friday night. They get Green County (2-7) in a first-round game this Friday night. Playoff prediction: DeSales should easily win its first two postseason games, but we think CAL will avenge last year’s playoff loss by beating the Colts in the third round. 


7. Iroquois (9-1) - The Raiders closed out their regular season with a 43-0 shutout of Atherton last Friday night. Iroquois plays Shelby County (3-7) in a first-round 5-A playoff game Friday night. Playoff prediction: The Raiders should be able to down the Rockets, but we like Bullitt Central to knock them off in the second round. 


8. Central (6-4) - The 3-A Yellowjackets closed out their regular season with a 42-7 loss (their fourth to a 6-A school) at Pleasure Ridge Park last Friday. They host Casey County (5-5) this Friday night in a first-round playoff game. Playoff prediction: Central should easily handle the Rebels, but a second-round matchup with Bell County looms. The Yellowjackets edged the Bobcats 14-11 last year in the second round. We think Bell will be another good game, which Central will win, before Corbin clips the Yellowjackets in the third round. 


9. Butler (7-2) - The Bears, whose only losses have been to No. 1 Male and No. 5 Manual, closed out their regular season with a 47-8 victory over Valley last Friday. They host Eastern (2-8) in their first-round playoff game this Friday night. Playoff prediction: The Bears should easily handle the Eagles, then outlast Fern Creek before beating Ballard in the third round. They’ll likely lose, though, to Dixie Heights in the state semifinals. 


10. Ballard (7-3) - The Bruins, whose losses have come to No. 1 Male, No. 3 St. X and No. 5 Manual, closed out their regular season with a 35-25 win at Bryan Station last Friday. They host Southern (2-8) in this Friday night’s first round 6-A playoff game. Playoff prediction: The Bruins should top the Trojans, then edge PRP in the second round before falling to Butler, in what should be a very good game, in the state quarterfinals.