Breaking down the Alice Lloyd College Mountain Top 10 after Week 5, heading into Week 6

HAZARD, Ky. (WYMT) - Another week of games are in the books. Let’s take a look back at last week’s contest as we also fast forward to this week’s tilts.

1. Corbin (5-0)

Last Week: defeated Somerset 52-6

Next Game: vs. Simon Kenton

Corbin continues their reign at the top of the rankings as the Redhounds’ potency was on display once again against the Briar Jumpers. Tom Greer’s squad is now the only undefeated team remaining in 4A. Corbin was effective on the offensive side of the ball with 379 total yards of offense. Quarterback Cameron Combs had his best game of the season against Somerset as the junior went 12 for 15 for 220 yards and four touchdowns. Senior Seth Mills failed to run for more than 100 yards for the second time this season but the former WYMT Player of the Week did have a 79-yard touchdown reception and a pick-six. Seth Huff had three total touchdowns as the senior ran for two and caught another. Junior Dakota Patterson had five receptions for 71 yards and a score. Sophomore Zander Curry also had a TD reception. Defensively, Corbin had three takeaways.

Corbin is idle this week as they will play host to the Simon Kenton Pioneers in their next matchup on Friday, October 1st.

2. Pikeville (4-0)

Last Week: defeated Belfry 29-0

This Week: at Lexington Christian

The Panthers were magnificent on Pond Creek last Friday as they defeated the Pirates for the third straight time. Pikeville had not won three consecutive contests against Belfry since 1998-00. This is also the first time that the Panthers have pitched a shutout against the Pirates since 1956. Senior Isaac McNamee threw for 173 yards and three scores as he broke the school’s record in career touchdown passes with 67, surpassing Matt Branham’s previous mark of 66. Junior Blake Birchfield had another strong performance with 142 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Senior Zac Lockhart was Pikeville’s leading receiver with eight snags for 92 yards and a score. Junior Wade Hensley caught three passes for 72 yards and two TDs. The Panthers held Belfry to just 139 yards on the ground and recorded nine tackles for loss.

Chris McNamee’s crew will now make the two-and-a-half-hour drive to Lexington as they faceoff with the Eagles of Lexington Christian on Friday. The Panthers lost last season’s matchup against LCA, 35-13.

3. North Laurel (4-0)

Last Week: defeated Barren County 34-7

This Week: vs. South Laurel

The Jaguars rolled the Trojans En route to their first 4-0 start since 2017. Sophomore Quarterback Tucker Warren recorded 205 yards and two scores through the air while rushing for another 65 yards and a TD. Senior Jacob Bowman paced North Laurel in rushing with 81 yards and a touchdown. Senior Jayce Hacker also tallied his second rushing touchdown of the season in the 27-point victory. Junior Keaton Bowling caught two passes for 86 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore Austin Johnson wreaked havoc all night for the Jaguars as he tallied three sacks and forced a fumble that ended up being recovered by sophomore Elijah Miller.

Chris Larkey’s team will now get ready for crosstown rival South Laurel on Thursday in the Appalachian Wireless Game of the Week. The Jaguars have won the last two meetings against the Cardinals including last year’s 47-14 victory at South Laurel.

4. Southwestern (3-1)

Last Week: lost to Mercer County 22-21

This Week: at Lincoln County

After cruising past the opposition in their first three games, the Warriors finally came back down to earth against the Titans. Jason Foley’s ballclub was held to less than 400 yards on the ground for the first time this season but still produced 310 rushing yards. Christian Walden bell-cowed the Warriors on the ground with 130 yards and a score on just nine carries. Senior Giddeon Brainard amassed 88 yards and a score while junior Tanner Wright pitched in with 73 yards and a touchdown.

The Warriors will play the second leg of back-to-back road contests on Friday as they travel about 30 miles north to Stanford to take on Lincoln County.

5. Letcher Central (3-1)

Last Game: defeated Hazard 36-0

Next Game: vs. Perry Central

Junior Matthews’ team was not in action last week as the Cougars come into this week with the fourth-highest RPI in 4A. Quarterback Carson Adams has thrown for 565 yards and four touchdowns so far this season. The junior has also tallied 347 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. Junior Keaton Day’s 10.2 tackles per game slots him into eighth in class in that category. Letcher Central is just outside the top ten in scoring as they are averaging 29.8 PPG, good enough for 11th in class. The Cougars are giving up about 132 rushing yards per game, making them the 12th best team in 4A in that category.

Letcher Central begins the district portion of their schedule on Friday as they welcome Perry Central to town.

6. Johnson Central (2-1)

Last Week: lost to Rock Creek (MD) 22-14

Next Game: vs. Clay County

The Golden Eagles fell to Rock Creek Academy out of Maryland last week, snapping a streak of 28 consecutive victories in the regular season. Before that, Johnson Central had not lost a regular season contest since August of 2018. The Golden Eagles did not eclipse the 200-yard rushing mark for the first time since 2019. Sophomore Carter Conley had 80 yards on 18 rushing attempts while junior Chase Price produced 61 yards and a score. Quarterback Grant Rice had the team’s other touchdown.

Johnson Central is on a bye week this week as they will now get ready for district play, starting with Clay County on Friday, October 1st.

7. Middlesboro (4-0)

Last Week: defeated Harlan 42-6

This Week: vs. Breathitt County

The Yellow Jackets discarded the Green Dragons with ease as they moved to 4-0 for the first time since 2013. Caden Grigsby was effective as a dual threat as the sophomore distributed the football for 172 yards and a touchdown. The signal caller also called his own number for 101 yards and a touchdown on just six carries. Senior Caleb Bogonko eclipsed the 100-yard barrier once again as the Running Back led the Yellow Jackets in rushing with 114 yards and a score on only seven rushes. Sophomore Kam Wilson led Middlesboro in receiving with three catches for 72 yards and two touchdowns. Senior Logan Daniels also got into the scoring column on a 57-yard touchdown reception. The Yellow Jackets lived up to their name on the defensive side of the ball as they swarmed Harlan, holding them to only 128 total yards of offense and had 16 tackles for loss.

Larry French’s team now enters district play as they play host to Breathitt County on Friday. The Yellow Jackets will be looking for payback against the Bobcats as they dropped last season’s tilt in Jackson, 35-20.

8. Lawrence County (4-0)

Last Week: defeated Magoffin County 43-14

This Week: vs. East Carter

The Bulldogs ascend one spot in this week’s poll as Lawrence County is off to their best start since 2014. That season, Lawrence County started off 5-0 before losing their first game of the season at home against Raceland. Alan Short’s squad knocked off Magoffin County for the seventh straight time and surpassed 40 points in a game for the second time this season in the process. Lawrence County did what it does best and that is rushing the football as they tallied 250 yards on the ground against the Hornets. Senior Blue Fletcher had a team-high 110 rushing yards and two touchdowns while senior Douglas Hall amassed 60 yards and two touchdowns.

Lawrence County will play their third home game in a row on Friday as they go toe-to-toe with the East Carter Raiders.

9. Pulaski County (2-3)

Last Week: defeated Madison Southern 41-14

This Week: at Whitley County

The Maroons defeated the Eagles for the fourth straight time and snapped its three-game losing streak as well. Starting Quarterback Drew Polston was back in the fold against Madison Southern and had a tremendous performance as the senior threw for 309 yards and had as many incompletions as he did touchdown passes (four) in 25 attempts. Cade Sullivan had a good outing for the Maroons as the junior tallied 83 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Junior Chandler Godby had a team-high seven receptions for a whopping 189 yards and three scores. Senior Braden Gipson had three snags for 66 yards and a score.

Pulaski County is on the road this week as they head to Williamsburg to take on the Whitley County Colonels on Friday.

10. Williamsburg (2-1)

Last Game: defeated Leslie County 62-14

This Week: vs. Somerset

The Yellow Jackets enjoyed their second consecutive bye week last week. Williamsburg is averaging 46.7 PPG, good enough for fourth best in 1A. Only Bethlehem, Eminence and Betsy Layne are scoring at a higher clip than Jerry Herron, Jr.’s squad.

Williamsburg takes the field for the first time in three weeks on Friday as Somerset comes calling. The Yellow Jackets lost last season’s clash against the Briar Jumpers, 48-13