Kentucky

KFCA names top players, linemen, coaches for each of state’s 48 football districts

Published

5 months ago

November 11, 2025

KFCA names top players, linemen, coaches for each of state’s 48 football districts

The Kentucky Football Coaches Association has named its Players of the Year, Linemen of the Year and Coaches of the Year for all 48 districts, eight in each class.

Players of the Year, Linemen of the Year and Coaches of the Year for all six classes will be named during the state finals Dec. 5-6 at the University of Kentucky’s Kroger Field in Lexington. The KFCA Mr. Football and statewide Coach Haywood Lineman of the Year and Jimmie Reed Coach of the Year awards will be announced in mid-December.

Louisville-area Player of the Year winners are Christian Academy’s Ja’Hyde Brown, North Oldham’s Colin Daniels, Spencer County’s Keyon Davis, Atherton’s Garyon Hobbs, Bullitt Central’s A.J. Lee, Manual’s Gerian Traynor, Male’s Steron Davidson and Trinity’s Zane Johnson.

Louisville-area Lineman of the Year winners are Kentucky Country Day’s Kris Mandy, Christian Academy’s Kellan Hall, Valley’s Josh Vaughan, Spencer County’s Richard Gilbert, Iroquois’ Jeremiah Jackson, Fairdale’s Chaz Tutt, Male’s Christian White and Trinity’s Nate Shields.

Louisville-area Coach of the Year winners are Christian Academy’s Hunter Cantwell, Butler’s Gary Wheeler, Fairdale’s Louis Dover, St. Xavier’s Kevin Wallace, Male’s Chris Wolfe and Oldham County’s Jamie Reed.

Here are the award winners for each district, with Player of the Year listed first and followed by Lineman of the Year and Coach of the Year.

District One – Zayden Kinney (Fulton County), Drake Thorpe (Fulton County), James Bridges (Fulton County); Two – Kace Eastridge (Campbellsville), Kris Mandy (Kentucky Country Day), Dale Estes (Campbellsville); Three – Eddie Bivens (Newport Central Catholic), Will Sandfoss (Newport Central Catholic), Steve Lickert (Newport Central Catholic); Four – Charles Oglesby (Covington Holy Cross), Beckett Meersman (Bishop Brossart), Curt Spencer (Covington Holy Cross); Five – Caden Jones (Sayre), Wyatt Moore (Sayre), Chad Pennington (Sayre); Six – Landen Stiltner (Raceland), Jacob Litteral (Raceland), Michael Salmons (Raceland); Seven – Deakon Partin (Middlesboro), Christian Davis (Middlesboro), Larry French (Middlesboro); Eight – William Shoptaw (Hazard), Caden Thacker (Pikeville), Brian Melvin (Paintsville).
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District One – Caden Howard (Crittenden County), Ashton Rodgers (Mayfield), Cliff Dew (Mayfield); Two – Miles Edge (Owensboro Catholic), Caden Conkright (Owensboro Catholic), Robert Eubanks (Hancock County); Three – Kris Hughes (Somerset), Andrew Houk (Green County), John Petett (Monroe County); Four – Tyler King (Lexington Christian), Sasha Wade (Danville), Lawrence Smith (Washington County); Five – Tyler Fryman (Beechwood), Lucas Tillery (Owen County), Steve Tarter (Bracken County); Six – Waylon Abner (Breathitt County), Waylon Abner (Breathitt County), Mark Easterling (Morgan County); Seven – Devan Maynard (Martin County), Preston Shepherd (Knott County Central), Randall Mullins (Knott County Central); Eight – Jonah Bartley (Shelby Valley), Bo Wolford (Belfry), Matt Varney (Belfry).

District One – Wyatt Robbins (Murray), Ryan Walls (Murray), Melvin Cunningham (Murray); Two – Hudson Gumm (Glasgow), Matt Stephens (LaRue County), Josh Robins (Butler County); Three – Ja’Hyde Brown (Christian Academy), Kellan Hall (Christian Academy), Hunter Cantwell (Christian Academy); Four – R.J. Blair (Garrard County), Mark Hosinski (Lexington Catholic), David Clark (Lexington Catholic); Five – Kaleb Evans (Lloyd Memorial), King Lee (Bourbon County), Kyle Niederman (Lloyd Memorial); Six – Jayden Frasure (Russell), Zach Brown (Russell), T.J. Maynard (Russell); Seven – Blake Burnett (Bell County), Spencer Phipps (Bell County), Dudley Hilton (Bell County); Eight – Luke Fetherolf (Lawrence County), Ty Brooks (Lawrence County), Alan Short (Lawrence County).

District One – Avery Thompson (Paducah Tilghman), Ben Myers (Paducah Tilghman), Coby Lewis (Calloway County); Two – Cavalli Pittman (John Hardin), Bryten Close (Taylor County), Josh Boston (Nelson County); Three – Colin Daniels (North Oldham), Josh Vaughan (Valley), Brock Roberts (North Oldham); Four – Keyon Davis (Spencer County), Richard Gilbert (Spencer County), Eddie James (Franklin County); Five – Tayden Lorenzen (Highlands), Max Merz (Highlands), Bob Sphire (Highlands); Six – Logan Music (Johnson Central), Drew Ferguson (Johnson Central), Jesse Peck (Johnson Central); Seven – Seneca Driver (Boyle County), Trashaun Bryant (Wayne County), Justin Haddix (Boyle County); Eight – Cole Stevens (Corbin), Malachi Brown (Corbin), Jacob Saylor (Harlan County).

District One – Markezz Hightower (Madisonville-North Hopkins), J.W. Muster (Owensboro), John Edge (Apollo); Two – Davis Chaney (Greenwood), Zach Jordan (Bowling Green), William Howard (Greenwood); Three – Garyon Hobbs (Atherton), Jeremiah Jackson (Iroquois), Gary Wheeler (Butler); Four – A.J. Lee (Bullitt Central), Chaz Tutt (Fairdale), Louis Dover (Fairdale); Five – Cam O’Hara (Cooper), Noah Reichel (Cooper), Randy Borchers (Cooper); Six – Timmy Emongo (Scott County), Justyn Perez (Woodford County), Dennis Johnson (Woodford County); Seven – Cooper Swaim (West Jessamine), Isaiah Wilkinson (West Jessamine), Scott Marsh (West Jessamine); Eight – Mason Griffin (South Laurel), Brady Hull (Pulaski County), Steve Nelson (North Laurel).
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District One – James Bradley (Hopkinsville), Foster Jackson (Hopkinsville), Tyler Brooks (McCracken County); Two – Kayden York (South Warren), Malik Butler (South Warren), Brandon Smith (South Warren); Three – Gerian Traynor (Manual), Josiah Hope (North Hardin), Kevin Wallace (St. Xavier); Four – Steron Davidson (Male), Christian White (Male), Chris Wolfe (Male); Five – Zane Johnson (Trinity), Nate Shields (Trinity), Jamie Reed (Oldham County); Six – Jacob Savage (Ryle), Bo Gay (Ryle), Mike Engler (Ryle); Seven – Darnell Burnside (Tates Creek), Josiah Hernandez (Paul Dunbar), Jon Lawson (Lafayette); Eight – Dakari Talbert (Frederick Douglass), Camden Burke (Madison Central), William Blair (Madison Central).
More high school football: Check out the Louisville-area all-district selections
Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com; Follow on X @kyhighs.

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Kentucky

Roadway in Northern Kentucky could be designated ‘Charlie Kirk Memorial Highway’

Published

18 hours ago

April 2, 2026

Press Room

Roadway in Northern Kentucky could be designated ‘Charlie Kirk Memorial Highway’

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WKRC) – A measure that includes naming a highway in Northern Kentucky after conservative activist Charlie Kirk is awaiting action from the governor.

Senate Joint Resolution 139, an omnibus bill designating honorary names for roads and bridges across the state, was delivered to the governor Thursday after clearing both chambers of the Kentucky General Assembly.

Among its provisions is the designation of a portion of Kentucky Route 18 in Boone County as the “Charlie Kirk Memorial Highway.”

The resolution passed the Senate 36-0 in March and later cleared the House 86-4 on April 1 before final concurrence in the Senate.

Lawmakers considered removing the Kirk designation during debate. A House floor amendment that would have deleted the “Charlie Kirk Memorial Highway” provision was defeated.

The measure includes several other highway and bridge designations statewide, including memorials for fallen service members and local leaders.

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If signed, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet would be directed to install signage marking the honorary highway names.

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Kentucky

Lexington veteran’s remains found in Indiana park

Published

1 day ago

April 2, 2026

Press Room

Lexington veteran’s remains found in Indiana park

CLARKSVILLE, In. (WKYT) — The remains of a Kentucky veteran who was the subject of a Green Alert were found in a park.

The remains of Jyronna Dione Parker, 54, were found March 22 by officers from the Clarksville Police Department. His body was found in Ashland Park on the river’s shoreline.

Jyronna Dione Parker, 54.(Lexington Police Dept.)

In late 2025, a Green Alert was issued for Parker. This alert was cancelled by the Lexington Police department after they determined he was not at risk.

Despite the cancellation of the alert, Parker had been reported missing from Lexington since Oct 17.

What is a Green Alert?

Under Kentucky law, a Green Alert is issued when a veteran at risk goes missing. It’s designed to help first responders and the public locate missing veterans who may be in danger by quickly notifying emergency management agencies, search and rescue teams, and local media outlets.

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Kentucky

Kentucky legislature passes bill shrinking JCPS board to 5 members

Published

2 days ago

April 1, 2026

Press Room

Kentucky legislature passes bill shrinking JCPS board to 5 members

FRANKFORT, Ky. — A revamped bill unveiled late on the final day to pass legislation in the 2026 Kentucky General Assembly with the ability to later override a veto would significantly alter the makeup of Louisville’s public school board.

The new Senate Bill 4 would cut the number of seats on the Jefferson County Board of Education from seven to five. It includes an emergency clause, meaning it would go into effect immediately if passed — Rep. Jason Nemes, R-Middletown, who introduced the new bill in the House, said the legislation includes new district maps to be used when voters head to the ballot box this year but added JCPS would be able to redraw its own maps after that.

The bill passed in the House on a 72-21 vote mostly along party lines, with three Republicans (Rep. Vanessa Grossl, R-Georgetown, Rep. Patrick Flannery, R-Olive Hill, and Rep. Kim Holloway, R-Mayfield) joining Democrats in opposition.

It quickly passed 25-7 in the Senate a few minutes later, with Sen. Brandon Smith, R-Hazard, and Sen. Robin Webb, R-Grayson, joining Democrats in voting no.

A copy of the bill was not immediately available.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Stephen West, R-Paris, originally aimed to create a principal leadership and mentorship program. But after changes in the House, new provisions were added that would affect the makeup of boards for large school districts, including Jefferson County Public Schools and Fayette County Public Schools.

SB 4 is one of many education bills introduced this session, several of which have specifically targeted JCPS. Senate Bill 1, also passed on April 1, gives more power to JCPS’s superintendent while requiring the board to focus on long-term strategies.

The bills come as JCPS navigates an ongoing financial crisis, with a $188 million shortfall expected in the next budget. Prior to the revisions, the SB 4 would have required two new members with “expertise in finance” to be appointed by the state treasurer, Republican Mark Metcalf. That provision was removed during deliberations between the House and Senate.

In an interview after the votes, board Vice-Chair James Craig told The Courier Journal a five-member board “has made sense to me for a number of reasons.” It’s in line with every other district in the state, he said, and it can be difficult to find qualified candidates who have the bandwidth in their lives to devote enough effort to do the job right.

“I think given the realities of what the legislature could have done, how other districts are governed and the challenges that we’ve faced, Senate Bill 4 reflects a compromise that should be workable,” Craig said. “… But I have significant concerns about Senate Bill 1 and the way it interacts with Senate Bill 4.”

Lawmakers have listened to concerns he and other education advocates have raised, he said, removing some of the “problematic provisions” that had been floated as ones that could be included in SB 1. But the bill takes power from the elected board, he noted, and gives it to an unelected superintendent — in Louisville’s case, he added, someone who is “new to the city of Louisville in the last year.” JCPS Superintendent Brian Yearwood testified against SB 1 earlier this session in Frankfort.

“In my opinion, voters in the city of Louisville do not want a super-empowered superintendent. They want a democratically elected Board of Education that is accountable to them,” Craig added.

Board members will have a discussion with their attorney about potentially challenging SB 1 in court, he said. A similar bill passed in 2022 was struck down late last year by the state Supreme Court after previously being upheld by the high court.

JCPS leaders and board members have raised concerns about the earlier iteration of SB 4 and the removal of two board positions. Three members of JCPS board — Craig, Chair Corrie Shull and Linda Duncan — are scheduled to be up for reelection in November.

Craig does not plan to run again this year, he added.

“Eight years of intense, uncompensated public service have been fulfilling,” he wrote in a text message. “It is time for me to return to the full time practice of law.”

This story will be updated.

Reach Lucas Aulbach at laulbach@courier-journal.com. Reach reporter Keely Doll at kdoll@courierjournal.com or follow her on X at @keely_doll.

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