Football leftovers ... Week 1

No one who knows the two teams well expected Mayfield to push Fort Campbell to the limit, but the Falcons' 50-7 win in the Jackson Purchase Alliance Bowl at Marshall County was a jolt to area high school football fans.

A lot were left asking ... is Fort Campbell that good? Or is Mayfield that down?

Mayfield has some questions right now with some young players in critical roles, but let's be honest ... Fort Campbell is that good. The Falcons return 11 starters and several key reserves from last year's Class 2A state championship team and ran roughshod over decent competition (Warren Central and two Clarksville schools that were a combined 18-5 a year ago) by a total score of 96-3 in its preseason scrimmages.

Little doubt remains that Fort Campbell is the best small-school team west of Louisville, and only Bowling Green or Christian County looks to be comparable on this side of the state.

It was Mayfield's worst loss since the 2004 season, when a beat-up bunch of Cardinals were ripped 63-10 at Evansville (Ind.) North but still managed to make it to the semifinals.

• Calloway County football coach Josh McKeel may have felt his team got a little more of a scare than it should have against archrival Murray, but McKeel is realistic and looking at the big picture. The Lakers were down two key two-way starters — Grant Williams and Logan Burks, both offensive linemen and a defensive end and linebacker, respectively that would have made Calloway's run defense a little stouter.

And, of course, quarterback Casey Brockman was a little off his best game after missing most of preseason practice with a broken left (non-throwing) hand.

"We didn't look as sharp on offense," McKeel said. "Part of that is missing two linemen and part of it is Casey just coming back. Our passing game wasn't as crisp as it usually is. A lot of the timing is missing between Casey and our receivers."

Which side of the ball did the Lakers miss Williams and Burks the most? Both are expected back within two or three weeks, although there is a slight chance that Williams could be cleared to practice this week.

"That's a good question," McKeel said. "I'd like to say the offense, but it hurts on defense, too. Hopefully we won't have to answer that question much longer."

• Paducah Tilghman coach Randy Wyatt has some reinforcements coming in the form of three potential impact transfers, two of them have already been cleared to play but must participate in the mandatory 10 full-contact practices per Kentucky High School Athletic Association rules.

Wyatt expects Blaze Copeland, a transfer from Reidland, to see time at linebacker and wide receiver. DeAndre Foulks, a move-in from Texas, could help at receiver and defensive end. Tilghman is still awaiting an eligibility ruling on DeAndre Motton, who came in from Missouri at the start of school. He could help at receiver and in the secondary.

Tilghman already puts more speed on the field than any Class 3A team, with the possible exception of defending state champion Louisville Central. The additions could also make the Tornado as deep as any team in 3A.

• Surprise teams ... Murray will be a legitimate threat to win the Class 2A district race. The Tigers are solid up front, one area where district rivals Trigg County and Caldwell County are vulnerable, have a couple of playmakers and are ultra-enthusiastic under new coach Steve Duncan, the former defensive coordinator at Lone Oak. Some in Murray are already wondering how long they can hold on to Duncan.

Crittenden County's rout of Lake County in the Alliance Bowl was a mild shock. Lake County had beaten Trenton Peabody (10-4 and a Class 2A semifinalist last fall) in its first game. The Rockets did virtually all of the damage on the ground — running back Rodney Robertson rambled for 256 yards and five touchdowns, and Crittenden had 425 rushing yards. The Rockets next meet Lone Oak in Caldwell County's Trice Hughes Bowl, a matchup that looks more interesting now than it did a few days ago.

Hopkinsville, which beat Trigg in the Jerry Claiborne Bowl, has improved quite a bit and figures to be part of an interesting three-team race in the Class 5A district. Receiver Victor Moulden is a gamebreaker and the Tigers have more speed and athleticism than they had a year ago. Christian County and Owensboro, who knocked off perennial Indiana power Evansville Reitz 18-14 on opening night, will make this a race to watch.

Owensboro is coached by former Mayfield star lineman Joe Prince, who had successful stints at Ohio County, Union County and Louisville Eastern before becoming a Red Devil. Under Prince's tenure, Owensboro is customarily vanilla on offense but lethal with its defense and special-teams play.