The Christian County Colonels struggled through a winless 2019, culminating in a 37-6 first-round playoff loss to Bowling Green. It was a perfect storm of sorts for the Colonels, with a roster ravaged by the loss of 48 seniors over the previous two seasons, coupled with a schedule made more challenging by a move from the 1st to the 2nd District.
Coach Steve Lovelace has 16 seniors to replace coming into 2020, with Cameron Coleman, Niko Bussell, Tyquez Douglas, Stephen Bussell, and KT Pollard being the most glaring losses. The Colonels also lose some size in the trenches, including All-WKC selection Omarion Taylor.
Coleman was second on the Colonels with 28 catches for 431 yards and a touchdown and was also chosen as All-WKC, while Douglas’ 33 receptions led the team, and Pollard made 11 catches for 184 yards in only 7 games. Niko Bussell and Stephen Bussell both excelled on the defensive side for the Colonels.
Week 1 – Caldwell County (8-3)
The Colonels will open the season hosting Caldwell County in the Toyota of Hopkinsville Jerry Claiborne Bowl, after falling 19-14 in Princeton last season. The Colonels held the prolific combo of junior QB Russ Beshear and RB DeEric Hollowell somewhat in check, limiting Beshear to only 61 yards passing with a touchdown and two interceptions. While Hollowell only managed 51 yards against the Colonels, he graduates after posting team highs of 1.304 yards on 156 carries with 22 touchdowns and earning All-WKC honors. The Tigers only graduate 5 other seniors, with All-WKC Ben Holt needing to be replaced after leading the Tigers with 116 tackles, 22 for loss, and 3 sacks. Playmakers remain in Princeton, with Tripp Branch, Barren Wells, and Tate VanHooser returning after each posted at least 27 catches and 350 yards last season. VanHooser led the receiving corps with 6 touchdowns, followed by Branch with 5.
Week 2 – @ Christian Academy of Louisville (7-5)
The Colonels were shutout in week two last season, with the visiting Centurions using 3 TD throws from Anthony Sabatino to win 36-0. Sabatino graduates after throwing for over 2,000 yards and 24 touchdowns, as does CAL’s leading receiver Luke Leeper. The Centurions also lose their top threat out of the backfield, with Harrison Zimmerer capping his career with 122 carries for 757 yards and 6 scores during his senior season. Junior RB Brandt Babin returns after racking up 572 yards on 97 rushes with 7 TDs in 2019.
Week 3 – Henderson County (8-4)
In last season’s battle of the Colonels, Henderson got big games from a pair of seniors to knock off Christian County 26-14 and move to 3-0. QB Sam Elliott needed only 8 completions to post 204 yards and 3 TDs, while Logan Green ran wild to the tune of 194 yards and a score on 27 carries. Henderson would fall in the second week of the playoffs to McCracken County, and will look to a pair of juniors to lead the attack in 2020. Edmund Brooks had a couple of catches for 127 yards and a TD in the win over Christian County and finished the season with 38 receptions for 828 yards and 7 scores. Ben Dalton had a fumble recovery and an interception in last season’s game but may be in line to take over under center as a senior. Dalton appeared in 10 games at QB last year, connecting on 22/52 passes for 327 yards and 3 TDs.
Week 4 – @ Madisonville-North Hopkins (11-3)
The Colonels had some success through the air against the Maroons, with junior QB Donta Abren throwing for 114 yards and a score and junior WR L’Ray Coleman had two catches for 73 yards and a TD, but Madisonville running back Jeriah Hightower was too much for the Colonels. He rolled up 264 yards on 33 carries with a couple of TDs, helping the Maroons to a 25-15 victory.
The Colonels will encounter a significantly different Maroon team from the one that ended the season with a semifinal loss to eventual champion Johnson Central, with 20 seniors leaving the roster. QB Hayden Reynolds threw for a couple of scores against Christian County, on the way to over 2,000 yards and 28 touchdowns on the year. He also ran for just under 400 yards with 6 TDs, second on the team behind Hightower’s monster year. Hightower broke 3,000 yards for the season, while finding the endzone 33 times. They Maroons also lose their top two receivers, with Deljuan Johnson making 38 catches for 888 yards and 14 TDs, followed by Marquise Parker with 46 catches for 757 yards and 11 scores. On the defensive side, in addition to Parker’s team-high 4 interceptions, leading tacklers Krey Cunningham and Blake Moody graduate. Cunningham’s 152 total tackles and 78 solo were tops on the team, with Moody following with 100 total tackles, 70 solo, with 23 tackles for loss and 5 sacks.
Week 5 – @ Hopkinsville (8-4)
Up next for the Colonels is the annual slugfest with Hopkinsville. The Tigers claimed their first win over the Colonels since 2014 in last season’s meeting, with senior QB Jay Bland throwing for a school record 6 touchdowns. Bland, who threw for almost 2,500 yards with 28 touchdowns last season, spread the wealth around in the win, hitting Tyrell Gray-Lewis, Reece Jesse, Lane Rushing, and Ryan Myers for scoring strikes. Gray-Lewis, an All-WKC selection, is the only senior of the group, with Jesse leading the team with 67 catches and 1,184 yards and 15 TDs during his junior season. Jesse was named 2nd Team All-State, while Rushing’s 33 catches for 400 yards and 5 scored earned him All-WKC recognition.
The Tigers also lose All-WKC defensive standouts Denarius “Red” Barnes, Hayden and Conner Lackey, and JeVon Leavell. The graduation of Erick Grubbs leaves a defensive hole as well, while Keane Mumford also graduates after an All-WKC season in the trenches.
Jayden Dillard returns in the backfield after a sophomore season with almost 800 yards on the ground and 7 TDs, while All-WKC and 1st Team All-State DB Daisjuan Mercer leads the returnees on the defensive side. Mercer recorded a school record 9 interceptions during his freshman season.
Week 6 – Pope John Paul II (6-4)
Christian County’s trip south of the border last season to face the Knights did not go well, with the Colonels only getting on the scoreboard in the final seconds of a 56-8 loss. With some of the main architects of that defeat returning, things will not be much easier at the Stadium of Champions in 2020. Junior RB Antwan Roberts, a 3-star Wisconsin commit, scored twice in last season’s meeting, while QB Sawyer Watts will also return under center. Watts, ranked as the 6th-best prospect in the state in his class, threw for 6 touchdowns against the Colonels.
Week 7 – @ Greenwood (5-6)
The Colonels go on the road to face Greenwood on October 4, looking to avenge a 20-14 district loss to the Gators in 2019. Neither team lit up the scoreboard, although Abren enjoyed a solid game with 11 completions on 17 attempts for 134 yards and a score. Cam Coleman was his favorite target with 85 yards and a TD on 5 catches, but Christian County only generated 57 yards rushing in the loss.
Senior Reed Slone did it all for the Gators in 2019, including 100 yards on 10 carries with a touchdown in the victory over the Colonels. For the season he led the team with 840 yards rushing and 8 TDs, while also making a team-high 24 catches for 342 yards and 5 scores. David Odom will be the top returning player on the offensive side, after a junior season that saw him post over 700 yards rushing with 5 TDs. He was also second on the team with 20 catches for 206 yards, making him the second favorite target of junior QB John Morrison. Morrison only attempted 189 passes, completing 75, with 6 touchdown throws and 13 interceptions.
Week 9 – Bowling Green (9-4)
After a week off, the Colonels return to action with a visit from 2019 state semifinalist Bowling Green. Christian County was blanked 49-0 in last season’s meeting, also falling to the Purples in the first round of the playoffs. JR QB Conner Cooper will be a thorn in the Colonels’ side again this season, after going 28/38 with almost 350 yards passing with 5 TDs over the two meetings. Cooper’s two favorite targets will also be back, with TE Jordan Dingle and WR Dezmond Wilson combining for almost 1,000 yards receiving with 10 TDs. The Purples’ top threat out of the backfield, Javeius Bunton, returns as well. Bunton led the team with 764 yards on 118 carries and found the endzone 10 times.
In addition to 22 other seniors, Bowling Green will need to replace CB DeVito Tisdale, who will be patrolling the secondary for the University of Kentucky in the Fall.
Week 10 – @ South Warren (10-2)
Another district matchup follows on October 23, with the Colonels looking to avenge a 36-0 loss to Spartans last season. South Warren returns a loaded roster, including the return from injury of 6’5” signal caller Caden Veltkamp. Veltkamp’s sophomore season was cut short after an outstanding start that included 76 completions for 1,007 yards and 16 touchdowns in 6 games. Kobe Martin will also be back after his sophomore season yielded 1,167 yards on the ground with 15 TDs, with top receiver Jantzen Dunn also back for his senior campaign. The Purples bring back their top statistical leaders on defense too, with Luke Burton and Jake Jackson combining for just under 80 solo tackles. Burton added 12 tackles for loss and 5 sacks, while Jackson led the team with 23 tackles for loss and 8 sacks.
Week 11 – McCracken County (9-4)
Christian County closes the regular season with a visit from McCracken County. L’Ray Coleman had a big game for the Colonels in last season’s meeting, running for 177 yards and making 3 catches for 41 yards and 2 touchdowns. However, it was not enough to overcome 3 touchdown throws from McCracken senior QB Elijah Wheat. The Colonels will not have to deal with the Mustang’s top receiver either, with Franklin Hayes moving on after senior season totals of 69 catches for 1,556 yards and 26 TDs.
Hunter Bradley leads the returnees on offense after pacing the team with 1,669 yards rushing and 22 touchdowns as a junior. Sophomore Jeremiah Hughes ran for almost 500 yards and 7 scores, while junior Zander Mayes recorded 36 catches for 586 yards and 4 TDs.
On the defensive side, Kolton Reeves leaves big shoes to fill after racking up 104 tackles, 88 solo, with 3 interceptions during his senior season. LeAndre Bolen returns to the defensive line after posting 68 tackles, 52 solo, with 14 sacks as a sophomore.
