The road to the Class 2A Region 1 football title always goes through Mayfield. Since the KHSAA expanded the playoffs to four teams from each district making the postseason in 1991, the Cardinals have won a region championship in 23 of the 27 seasons. The Cardinals have more playoff wins (130) than most schools have playoff games played.
After two straight runner-up finishes in Class 2A, the Cardinals appear poised to return the state championship trophy to Mayfield for the 12th time overall and the first time since 2015.
Mayfield rolled through the regular season with a perfect 10-0 record and didn’t lose to anyone by fewer than 16 points. They will open with Hancock County (5-5) Friday in the first round. Mayfield has not lost a first round game since 1975 (Green County).
A 27-20 loss to Todd County Central on Sept. 21 is the difference Hancock County faces in traveling to Mayfield instead of Murray in the first round. Mayfield is 7-1 all-time against the Hornets in the playoffs, including a 52-16 win in the second round last year.
The other first round game in the top bracket features two teams that couldn’t be any further apart in offensive philosophies as pass-happy Ballard Memorial (3-7) travels to play ground-oriented McLean County (7-3).
The Bombers have thrown the football 394 times and do not have a running back with more than 75 carries. Ballard averages 193 passing yards a game and 66 on the ground.
McLean County, who averages 327 yards on the ground each game, has three backs with 75 or more carries and average 48 attempts as a team. They have thrown 42 passes all season.
One of these teams will end a first round playoff drought Friday. Ballard Memorial last won a first round game in 2014, while McLean County has lost 16 straight postseason games dating back to a 1993 win over Caldwell County.
Owensboro Catholic (7-3) is the top seed in the bottom bracket. The Aces have not won a region title since losing in the Class 2A state championship game in 2010. They lost to Murray four straight seasons and have seen their season end in the third round to Mayfield each of the last three seasons.
The Aces will play Webster County in the first round for the fourth straight year. OCath is 6-1 against the Trojans all-time in the postseason.
Webster County (1-9) has lost 11 straight playoff games dating back to their win over OCath in the 2002 region title game.
Todd County Central (5-5) travels to Ty Holland Stadium to play Murray (6-4) Friday. Todd County Central is making their 22nd playoff appearance. They have six postseason wins but none since 1996 when they beat Murray and Crittenden County before losing the Mayfield in the region title game. The Rebels are 1-3 all-time against Murray in the postseason. Friday will be their first meeting since 2010.
Murray, who has not lost a first-round playoff game since a 42-15 loss to Trigg County in 2007, is making their 39th playoff appearance. Their career postseason record of 50-35-1.