It’s championship weekend for the 2023 UK HealthCare Sports activities Drugs State Soccer Finals. Right here’s a have a look at Saturday’s Class 5A state title recreation at Kroger Subject.
Bowling Inexperienced (11-3) vs. Cooper (12-2)
Kickoff: 8 p.m. Saturday.
RPI Rankings: No. 4 Bowling Inexperienced (.62076); No. 9 Cooper (.59263).
Cantrall Rankings: No. 1 Bowling Inexperienced (89.1); No. 2 Cooper (87).
Championship recreation historical past: Bowling Inexperienced — Seven state titles (the final in 2020) in 12 finals appearances (final 12 months’s runner-up); Cooper — one finals look (2012).
Fast hits
Class 5A offense ranks: No. 1 Bowling Inexperienced (44.8 ppg); No. 8 Cooper (36.3 ppg).
Class 5A protection ranks: No. 4 Cooper (14.9 ppg); No. 5 Bowling Inexperienced (16.6 ppg).
▪ When Cooper made the 2012 Class 5A finals, it misplaced 34-20 to Bowling Inexperienced. Cooper has additionally made one Boys Candy 16 championship recreation in its historical past. Its opponent? Bowling Inexperienced, who gained 67-56.
▪ Cooper junior linebacker/tight finish Austin Alexander charges as a four-star recruit and Kentucky’s No. 1 school prospect for the category of 2025. He has presents from at the least 21 schools, together with Kentucky, Louisville, Notre Dame and Tennessee. His 18 sacks this season are tops within the class and rank second within the state general. His 1,045 yards and 18 TDs receiving additionally put him among the many prime receivers within the state.
▪ Bowling Inexperienced quarterback Deuce Bailey and Cooper quarterback Cam O’Hara are two of the state’s most prolific passers, every averaging greater than 220 passing yards per recreation. O’Hara has 45 passing TDs to Bailey’s 40.
▪ Cooper was based in 2008 because the fourth Boone County public highschool, and Randy Borchers has been their solely soccer coach. He acquired his a centesimal profession victory within the Jags’ first-round win over Collins on Nov. 3.
▪ Within the years after Cooper’s run to the 2012 state finals, Cooper struggled by 4 straight dropping seasons earlier than starting to show issues round in 2021. Borchers credited “a really supportive administration” for sticking with him through the lean years.
▪ Borchers and Covington Catholic head coach Eddie Eviston had been highschool teammates at Newport Central Catholic.
▪ That is the third finals look in three years and second in a row for coach Mark Spader’s Bowling Inexperienced Purples. They returned 12 starters from final 12 months’s runners-up, eight on offense, together with Bailey at quarterback.
▪ Bailey can be one in all Bowling Inexperienced’s prime basketball gamers. He averaged 10.8 factors per recreation final season.
▪ Cooper’s O’Hara and 1,000-yard rusher Keagan Maher are each sophomores. The Jags’ two 1,000-yard receivers Isaiah Johnson and Alexander are each juniors. Bowling Inexperienced’s prime skill-position gamers are additionally underclassmen — Bailey (junior), wideout Trevy Barber (junior) and operating backs Jaxen Smith and Montravion Graham (sophomores).
Standing out
Cooper: Cam O’Hara, So. QB (3,141 yards, 45 TDs passing; 97 yards, 1 TD dashing); Keagan MaherSo. RB (1,181 yards, 18 TDs dashing; 307 yards, 4 TDs receiving); Isaiah JohnsonJr. WR (1,304 yards, 20 TDs receiving); Austin AlexanderJr. TE/LB (1,045 yards, 18 TDs receiving; 75 tackles, 18 sacks) Jack LonakerSr. LB (156 tackles, 4 sacks, 1 interception, 2 fumbles compelled and a pair of recovered).
Bowling Inexperienced: Deuce BaileyJr. QB (3,316 yards, 40 TDs passing; 134 yards, 8 TDs dashing); Trevy Barber Jr. WR (1,075 yards, 15 TDs receiving); Jaxen SmithSo. RB (451 yards, 9 TDs dashing; 244 yards, 5 TDs receiving); Montravion GrahamSo. RB (371 yards, 9 TDs dashing; 220 yards, 3 TDs receiving); Jayden AxsonJr. LB (91 tackles, 3 sacks).
@HLpreps decide
Cooper 35, Bowling Inexperienced 24.
State championships
At Kroger Subject in Lexington
Tickets: Accessible by advance sale digitally at KHSAAtickets.org. No walk-up paper tickets bought.
Streaming broadcasts: Subscription required for stay video stream at KHSAA.television. Pay-per-view stay video at Go.PrepSpin.com. Free audio stream at KHSAA.web.
FRIDAY’S GAMES
Class A: Raceland (11-3) vs. Pikeville (11-2), Midday
Class 2A: Owensboro Catholic (14-0) vs. Mayfield (12-1), 4 p.m.
Class 4A: Covington Catholic (14-0) vs. Boyle County (14-0), 8 p.m.
SATURDAY’S GAMES
Class 3A: Christian Academy-Louisville (13-1) vs. Bell County (13-1), Midday
Class 6A: Bryan Station (11-3) vs. Trinity (11-3), 4 p.m.
Class 5A: Cooper (12-2) vs. Bowling Inexperienced (11-3), 8 p.m.
Do Kroger Subject’s slim goalposts change recreation at Kentucky’s soccer state championships?
Class A soccer state championship preview: Pikeville vs. Raceland
Class 2A soccer state championship preview: Owensboro Catholic vs. Mayfield
Class 3A soccer state championship preview: Bell County vs. Christian Academy-Louisville
Class 4A soccer state championship preview: Boyle County vs. Covington Catholic
Class 6A soccer state championship preview: Bryan Station vs. Trinity
