Friday nights in Kentucky aren’t just about sports. They’re basically a cultural ritual. If you grew up here, you know the smell of concession stand popcorn and the sound of a marching band tuning up is the real start of the weekend. But keeping up with kentucky high school football scores has become a bit of a full-time job lately, especially with the way the RPI (Ratings Percentage Index) system shakes things up every week.
Honestly, the 2025 season was one for the history books. We saw dynasties continue, sure, but we also saw some massive upsets that nobody—and I mean nobody—saw coming when the brackets were first released in November.
The Night the Giants Walked at Kroger Field
If you weren't at Kroger Field in Lexington this past December, you missed some of the most intense football played in the Commonwealth in a decade. The KHSAA state finals are always a grind, but 2025 felt different.
Take Class 3A, for example. Christian Academy-Louisville (CAL) didn't just win; they put on a clinic. They took down a previously undefeated Murray team 42-7. It was CAL's fourth straight title. That kind of dominance is rare. Jackson Burke, who took home the MVP, looked like he was playing at a different speed than everyone else on that turf.
But then you look at Class 1A. That was a nail-biter. Kentucky Country Day (KCD) managed to edge out Raceland 20-16. If you follow Raceland, you know how much that loss stung. They’ve been right on the cusp for so long. KCD’s defense just held firm when it mattered most in the fourth quarter.
2025 State Championship Results (The Big Games)
The scoreboard at the end of the weekend told some wild stories across the six classes:
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- Class 6A: Trinity 28, South Warren 14
- Class 5A: Owensboro 35, Pulaski County 7
- Class 4A: Boyle County 34, Franklin County 0
- Class 2A: Lexington Christian 33, Owensboro Catholic 27 (OT)
That 2A game? Unreal. It went into overtime after a back-and-forth fourth quarter that had the stands shaking. LCA's ability to pull that off against an Owensboro Catholic team that had been averaging nearly 45 points a game was the defensive performance of the year.
Why Tracking These Scores Is Kinda Complicated Now
You’ve probably noticed that just looking at a win-loss record doesn't tell you who is actually the best team in the state anymore. The KHSAA relies heavily on the RPI.
Basically, the RPI calculates your winning percentage, your opponents' winning percentage, and your opponents' opponents' winning percentage. It sounds like a math headache—because it is—but it's designed to keep teams from padding their schedules with easy wins. This is why you might see a 7-3 team ranked higher than a 9-1 team.
If you’re hunting for live kentucky high school football scores on a Friday night in 2026, you’ve got a few solid options:
- The KHSAA/Riherds Scoreboard: This is the "official" source. It’s a bit old-school in its web design, but it’s the most accurate because coaches are literally required by law (well, bylaw) to report their scores there.
- KY ScoreFeed: This app has become a lifesaver for fans. It uses fan-sourced scoring, so you often get updates faster than the official site.
- MaxPreps: Great for stats and national context, though sometimes their "live" scores lag by a few minutes compared to local sources.
The Powerhouse Programs That Refuse to Rebuild
We have to talk about Trinity and Boyle County. It feels like every year we ask, "Is this the year they finally take a step back?" And every year, the answer is a resounding no.
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Trinity's 28-14 win over South Warren in 6A proved that their "reloading" phase is better than most teams' peak years. They finished the season 13-2, with those two losses coming against out-of-state powerhouses. When they play Kentucky teams, they are a different beast.
Boyle County is even more terrifying in Class 4A. A 34-0 shutout in a state title game? Against a Franklin County team that was 14-0 going into that night? That’s not just a win; that’s a statement. The Rebels have created a culture in Danville that's hard to replicate. They finished 2025 with a 14-1 record and a composite ranking that puts them in the top five of the entire state, regardless of class.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Scores
A common mistake fans make is ignoring the "strength of schedule" factor when looking at those lopsided Friday night scores.
If a team in Class 2A like Beechwood loses a close game to a 6A powerhouse like Male or St. Xavier, their RPI actually benefits more than if they had blown out a struggling 1A school 50-0. Coaches in Kentucky are getting smarter. They're scheduling "loss-leader" games—tough matchups they might lose—just to prep their kids for the playoffs and boost their ranking.
Leading Stat Performers from the 2025 Season
Numbers don't lie, and some of the individual performances we saw last year were staggering:
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- Dremail Carothers (Owensboro Catholic): Threw for over 4,000 yards and 49 touchdowns. Losing the state final in OT doesn't take away from the fact that he was the most prolific passer in the state.
- Kain Patton (Prestonsburg): This kid was a human highlight reel, averaging 13 yards per carry. He finished with nearly 2,000 yards on the ground.
- Jackson Burke (CAL): The 3A MVP who basically controlled the tempo of every game he played in.
How to Prepare for the 2026 Season
If you're already looking ahead to the next set of kentucky high school football scores, you need to keep an eye on the realignment. The KHSAA frequently adjusts districts based on school enrollment. A team that dominated 2A for years might suddenly find themselves fighting for their lives in 3A.
Also, watch the coaching carousel. We've seen a lot of "coaching chaos" lately with legendary names retiring and younger, tech-savvy coaches taking over. This changes the style of play—we're seeing way more "spread" offenses and less of the traditional "three yards and a cloud of dust" football that defined Kentucky for decades.
Your Friday Night Game Plan
To stay ahead of the curve next season, here’s what you should actually do:
- Download the ScoreFeed app now: Don't wait until the first kickoff in August. Set up your "Favorite Teams" list so you get push notifications.
- Bookmark the KHSAA RPI page: Check it on Tuesday mornings. That's when the weekend's scores are fully baked into the rankings.
- Follow local beat reporters on X (formerly Twitter): Guys like Jared Peck or the KSR crew are often standing on the sidelines giving play-by-play updates that you won't find on a scoreboard app.
- Look past the record: When you see a score like 42-21, look at the "Quarterly" breakdown. A team that scores 21 points in the 4th quarter against second-stringers is a lot different than a team that dominates from the first whistle.
High school football in this state is a marathon, not a sprint. The scores you see in August often look nothing like the ones you see in December. But that’s the beauty of it. Whether it's a muddy field in the mountains or the turf at a private school in Louisville, the heart is the same.
Stay tuned to the RPI updates as the 2026 schedules are finalized this spring. Those early-season non-district matchups will tell us everything we need to know about who's actually ready to make a run at Kroger Field.