MIKE MARSEE

Contributing writer

The Danville Admirals are exactly where they want to be.

Or at least they will be Friday, when they take the field at Admiral Stadium to play for a district championship.

Danville will host Lexington Christian in its final regular-season home game in a game that will decide the District 2A-4 title.

“It’s senior night, and a lot of seniors don’t get a chance in their high school careers to say they’re playing in a district championship game,” Danville coach Mark Peach said.

Danville (4-4, 2-0 district) hasn’t won a district title since 2017, and LCA (4-4, 2-0) has won three straight and was the preseason favorite to win another.

The Eagles won the Class 2A championship in 2020 and were runners-up last season. Three of their four losses this season have been to teams that are currently ranked No. 1 in their class — Christian Academy, Lexington Catholic and Pikeville — and the fourth was to a 6A team.

“We certainly respect what they’ve done, particularly the last two years, but we feel like we’re playing pretty good football right now,” Peach said.

The Admirals won district games over Somerset and Washington County by a combined score of 88-21, while LCA beat the same two teams by a combined 99-21.

LCA features a star quarterback in junior Cutter Boley, who has thrown for 2,531 yards and 20 touchdowns in seven games and who has more than a dozen Power Five scholarship offers in his pocket.

“He can just make all the throws,” Peach said. “He’s a tall kid with a nice arm, and he’s got a good touch on the ball.”

But Peach said this is a more balanced LCA team than a year ago, with a handful of receiving and rushing threats.

“They’re a very good football team. It will take our best effort to put ourselves in position to win,” Peach said.

Peach was pleased with the Admirals’ effort in their win over Washington County last week.

Danville’s defense got four sacks and held Washington, which had been averaging 206 passing yards, to 48 yards in the air.

“(Assistant) coach (Lucas) Shouse does a great job with our defense,” Peach said. “He mixed it up and brought some pressure, and we were effective with it.”

Peach also praised the improved play of DyiRon Moody, Clifton Yocum, Chris Grier, Paul McClure and Sam Shearer on the offensive line, which opened holes for Demauriah Brown and Braidin Baughman to rush for 138 and 107 yards, respectively.

“They’ve certainly gotten some seasoning and some experience this year,” Peach said. “And Braidin had a great game offensively.”