Home Team Friday Week 6 “Power 10”

HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) – Each week, the Tri-State shows off some of the most talented high school football teams in their respective states. But how do fans know who is the best of the best when the lights turn on Friday night? That's where the Home Team Friday "Power 10" comes into play.

Our expert sports team is constantly studying dozens of teams each week to create a top-10. Wins, losses, injuries, strength of schedule and margin of victory/defeat are all factors in the decision-making process.

Here are the Week 5 "Power 10" rankings:

Just like the weather on Friday night, it took the Aces some time to get right. Bardstown went 70 yards on the opening drive. Then scored again following a 45-minute lighting delay. Friday night was also a reminder that the Aces star Dre'Mail Carothers is human as he threw two interceptions against the Tigers. But despite all of that, O Cath stayed calm and climbed back for a 12-0 deficit and scored 49 unanswered points as they rolled past Bardstown 49-12. Obviously, a slow start wasn't what the Aces wanted, but they didn't blink when adversity came which speaks to the maturity of this group. The defense looked good once again giving up 12 points or fewer for the second straight week. Owensboro Catholic stays at the top and will remain there as long as they keep winning in dominant fashion. Next for them is a battle vs Meade Co. at home on Friday.

Weather was a problem all around the tri-state and no one was impacted by it more than the Tigers. Memorial's matchup vs Harrison at Romain Stadium didn't kick off till nearly 9 p.m. The long delay didn't cause any performance issues for the Tigers though as they crushed the Warriors 52-20. The Tigers offense got hot from the opening possession as they scored on the opening drive. Then it was the defenses turn as senior LB Grayson Carter ran home a pick-6 which made it a 14-0 first quarter start for Memorial. Gene Aimone was the standout player for the Tigers as he finished the contest with 8 carries, 109 rushing yards and one score. Like they usually do, the Tigers handled business and didn't play down to a Warriors team they were expected to beat easily. The unbeaten record stays intact as Memorial prepared for a home game vs Bosse on Friday.

This should come as a surprise to no one; the Titans topped 30 points again for in week five and kept the streak alive. Peyton Johnson also recorded his fifth straight game with over 100 receiving yards (9 receptions, 144 receiving yards, 1TD). The week four Home Team Friday MVP has been simply unstoppable this season along with his buddy Caden Rochleau (279 passing yards, 3TD's). The senior duo is arguably the best in the entire tri-state area, and they have their Titans playing incredible football going into week six. In case you were wondering what they final score was, they beat Southridge 43-21. The only question that remains for this team is their defenses ability to limit points against the good teams. That will be tested in week six as they face a very good Heritage Hills team in Lincoln City.

The Red Devils needed some positives after a tough road loss to Owensboro Catholic and they got that as they throttled Graves Co. in Rash Stadium. Owensboro's defense reminded everyone that they are still among the best in Kentucky as they held the Eagles to just 7 points on their way to a 49-7 win. With some injuries still lingering for the team, big stars are needed and no one played better than their star LB Ty Ashley. The senior had two rushing and one passing touchdown on offense and contributed a handful of tackles on defense as well. The Red Devils have been in this situation before with a 3-2 record entering week six last season, and they won it all. So it isn't crazy to think this team can still find themselves at the top at years end. In other great news, this team is also nearing the return timeline of QB Damaracus Ganaway Jr. Owensboro is still unbeaten at home this season and they look keep that streak alive against Apollo on Friday.

There is a 1A and 1B in the Southern Indiana Athletic Conference, and it's Memorial and Reitz. The Panthers proved once again that they deserve to be talked about as one of the conferences best as they easily beat Central 61-13. RB Amyr Wilford was talked about in high regard this offseason, but I don't think anyone could have predicted this level of excellence from sophomore. On Friday he passed his freshman year mark of 13 rush touchdowns... in just five games. Wilford went for 267 rushing yards and 5 TD scores in just the first half and now has 14 touchdowns on the season. It is safe to say he has put himself on the map as one of Indiana's best running backs. The Panthers welcome a very good Castle team to the Reitz Bowl on Friday.

The Vikings stay perfect and beat Pike Central by a lot 58-0. North Posey's defense was the highlight of the night as they pitched their first shutout of the season. It is hard to imagine a 5-0 team ranked #6 in the "Power 10" but it just proves how stacked the talent pool is in the tri-state. Regardless of the ranking; just know that the Vikings are a great team and look like a threat to anyone they play. Their red-hot offense rolls into South Spencer on Friday as they look to stay perfect.

Just like the Red Devils, this Apollo team is a very good 3-2 team and their offense is one of the best in the "Power 10." A long ride to Muhlenberg Co. didn't stop QB Max Johnson from continuing his hot streak either. The senior now has over one thousand passing yards to go along with 20 pass touchdowns and just one interception this year. There is a reason why he will be a D1 quarterback next fall. Last Friday also served as a needed momentum boost for this Apollo defense which allowed their few points on season so far in a 34-7 victory. Week six will be another great one in Owensboro as they Eagles take on the Red Devils.

In case anyone was wondering, the Pats are still a very.. very good team and remain a strong force in the tri-state football scene. Coach Kevin Temple has this team firing on all cylinders as Heritage Hills walked to a 59-0 road win over Washington. The offense has scored 40 points or more in four out of five weeks and the defense has been phenomenal as well. The Patriots have scored 169 points in the last three weeks and given up 0. That is getting it done. Everyone talked about the expected drop off of this team going into the year, which was expected with their key departures, but the Pats have proven that they aren't going anywhere. Their biggest test of the season comes this week as they face a great Gibson Southern squad in Lincoln City.

The head coaching job of Cody Hess in year two has been flat out impressive as the young Wildcats stretch their record to three games over .500. A slow start to the season hurt Mater Dei last year, but that hasn't happened in 2026. Mater Dei is clearly a strong football team and one of the SIAC's best, which carries some weight when you look at the strength of the conference. Their 16-13 road win over Jasper proved yet again that the Wildcats can win games in a multitude of ways as their defense played great all night. Mater Dei has yet to give up more than 20 points in games they have won this year. It is no time to rest though, and their head coach will tell you that, because another test awaits them Friday as they play North on the road.

The Knights have now run off three wins in a row since their week two loss to Mater Dei. It is beginning to feel like Castle will be a very good team that hangs it this season and could be capable of beating anyone on a Friday night. Statements were made as they ran over Boonville 34-6 last Friday and looked awesome on offense. Javion Aunspach played his way into a week 5 HTF MVP nomination with 8 receptions, 112 receiving yards, and 1 TD. Senior WR Ben Quach, who is recently back from injury, got in on the scoring as well with a long TD reception in the first quarter. Brodie Farmer continues to lead these Knights with his 10 tackles against the Pioneers. Injuries hindered the Knights in a big way last season, but that hasn't been an issue yet in 2026 and Castle is thriving because of it. Week six is a huge test as they take on Reitz.

Just missed the cut: Mt. Carmel (Mount Carmel, Il), Madisonville-North Hopkins (Madisonville, Ky) Boonville (Boonville, Ind.)

A new ranking will be released at the beginning of each week throughout football season until the playoffs begin