DANVILLE, Ky. (FOX 56) – Nine state championships clearly wasn’t enough for the Boyle County high school football team last season, reeling off a 14-1 record on its way to the Class 4A state championship and the 10th in program history.
After winning in 2020 and 2021, the program begins its quest for a three-peat. The KHSAA dead period ended on Sunday and the Rebels hit the practice field for the first time in July, running a helmets-only practice as laid out by the high school athletics guidelines.
The Rebels begin to replace the production they lost from their graduating seniors, headlined by quarterback Jagger Gillis and receiver Cole Lanter, who is now a walk-on at Kentucky. Junior Sage Dawson takes over the starting quarterback role after playing defensive back last season.
Junior running back Avery Bodner also returns along with a number of other skill position players and offensive/defensive lineman that helped Boyle County reign over Class 4A as they look to add another banner to this program’s winning history.
“When you come here, and we talk to our kids about it all the time, the only way you’re remembered here is if your name’s on that stadium and that scoreboard,” Boyle County head football coach Justin Haddix said, who has won two state titles. “You gotta win a state championship to be remembered here and if you want to live forever you gotta do it and you gotta come together and do this.”
“My school isn’t up there on that board yet you know what I’m saying so I still gotta get that for my class so that’s my challenge I’m saying yeah we won those in the past but I’m saying now is now you know what I’m saying that was last year,” Boyle County senior defensive end Tommy Ziesmer said, who committed to Kentucky last month.
The Rebels begin the season on the road in the Rebel Bowl on Saturday, August 20.
