If a proposed realignment is approved by the Kentucky High School Athletic Association Board of Control at its meeting Oct. 18-19, the
Russellville Panthers and Logan County Cougars will face dramatically different opponents in the future.
RHS would drop back down to its proper position as a Class A school from the Class 3A district which the Panthers have dominated the last four
seasons. LCHS, whose enrollment continues to grow, would be in Class 5A, the second largest among the KHSAA pecking order.
Russellville, which has been allowed to “play up” two classes in a move to save travel expenses and face better competition, would be in Class 1A,
District 1 along with Fulton City, Fulton County and always competitive Mayfield.
Logan County is moving up from Class 4A to 5A. The Cougars would be in one of the state’s most powerful brackets in any class. Joining them would
be Bowling Green, Warren Central, Greenwood and Barren County.
Russellville is the 23rd smallest football school in the state with an average of 166 boys the past two years. Logan is the 59 th largest school among those playing football with an average of 583 boys enrolled the past two years.
One bright spot for the Panthers is that Fort Campbell, which has been dominating Class 2A, will be in 3A and would have been in the same region
as RHS. Edmonson County, Adair County and Hart County will remain in the Panthers’ current district, and are being joined by South Warren and Monroe
County.
Logan’s ascension in classes is not the only change in the Cougars’ 4A district. Franklin-Simpson, Allen County-Scottsville and Warren East are
staying put, but Breckinridge County will move into Logan’s slot while Russell County heads east to be in a district with Clay County, Knox Central and
Rockcastle County.
The cutoff point between Class 1A and 2A is 200 boys. RHS almost avoided having to compete with Mayfield, which averaged 199. Logan had 59 too
many boys to stay in Class 4A. In fact, Logan is bigger than both Bowling Green and Warren Central.
In its third year of existence, Muhlenberg County will have to play in Class 6A next year. A combination of Muhlenberg North and South, the school
is the 20th largest in the state with an average of 730 boys; the dividing between 5A and 6A line was 700.
Butler County, which has been playing in Russellville’s 3A district, moves to 2A with a 302 average. Todd Central is also in 2A with an average of
268 boys.
For the record, Louisville St. Xavier is the largest of the 222 football-playing schools with an average of 1,453 boys. Archrival Louisville
Trinity is second at 1,357. Other schools with more than a thousand boys, in descending order, are Scott County, Lexington Henry Clay, Louisville
Eastern, Lexington Dunbar and Henderson County.
Two of the five smallest football schools in Kentucky are in Russellville’s new district. They are Fulton City (73 boys) and Fulton County (103).
RHS, a three-time Class A state champion and a six-time state finalist, is the 200th largest football-playing school.
The Board of Controls will review the standings in two years, the midpoint of the upcoming alignment.
Russellville is going to be in the playoffs again in Class 3A and has dominated its district. The Panthers have won at least two playoff games
their first three years of playing up, losing to the state champions in two of those years.