The field is set for the 2018 KHSAA Class 2A Playoffs and the first round kicks off Friday night.
Danville finished as undefeated state champions and produced Kentucky’s Mr. Football in 2017, but don’t expect the Admirals (4-6) to successfully defend their title this season.
Here’s a look at the bracket:
Our thoughts:
We believe there will be a new champion in 2018 and a group of three teams have separated themselves from the pack.
In the top half of the bracket, we are going to with Mayfield to make a return trip to Lexington. The Cardinals are 10-0 and haven’t been seriously challenged this season. Their resume includes an impressive 45-21 win over 3A powerhouse Corbin. Glasgow will offer competition, but we expect Mayfield to advance.
The bottom half of the bracket is loaded is talented teams and traditional powerhouses. We are going to pick Christian Academy of Louisville (10-0) to advance to Kroger Field, because they likely have the most dynamic player in the class in Milton Wright. That being said, the expected quarterfinal battle between CAL and DeSales could be one of the best games in 2A this season. It wouldn’t be a shocker to see the Colts (9-1) advance.
Even with Danville having a tough regular season, we don’t think District 7 will go down easily. We expect a much-anticipated rematch between Danville and Somerset in the second round. The Briar Jumpers (8-2) will be favored to win, but there’s something about the Danville Admirals in the playoffs. We are picking Danville to avenge the regular season loss to Somerset, then knock off LCA and find their way to the state semifinals.
Championship prediction: Mayfield vs. CAL
Champions: Mayfield
