NationalHSFootball.com
– Dallas Jackson, NationalHSFootball.com
Louisville (Kent.) Trinity is entering its third season removed from its HSFB100 National Championship but its run to the top of the mountain has made finding opponents more difficult.
Pending approvals, Trinity has its schedule finalized.
Matt Whickman on Flickr
2014 Projected Schedule
August 22 at Ensworth (TN)
August 29 Carmel (IN)
September 5 Imhotep Charter (PA)
September 12 at Colerain (OH)
September 19 Cocoa (FL)
September 26 at Cathedral (IN)
October 3 St. Xavier
October 10 at Manual
October 17 Male
October 31 at Moeller (OH)
According to sources close to the situation the final two spots in the schedule have been filled and for Shamrock fans they will get to see their team at home for both contests.
Philadelphia (Pa.) Imhotep Charter is slated to travel into Harry Jansing Field at Marshall Stadium for a contest on Sept. 5 and Cocoa (Fla.) High will come to Derby City for a game on Sept. 19. Both are believed to be one-year agreements.
Contracts for the Cocoa game are not finalized and will not be until the Cocoa School Board meeting grants final approval in March.
Based on its history of travel there is very little concern that approval will not be met.
Cocoa was working towards national relevance when it kicked down the door as a Class 2A program in Florida defeating defending Texas 5A Division I champion, Abilene High in 2010.
It has since added wins against Oradell (N.J.) Bergen Catholic, Olive Branch (Miss.) High, and Jefferson Hills (Pa.) Thomas Jefferson as well as suffered defeats against Cincinnati (Ohio) Colerain, West Monroe (La.), and Dallas (Texas) Skyline.
Cocoa coach John Wilkinson said that his program has benefitted with the games but added that he keeps getting them because they are an affordable, quality opponent.
“We are a cheap date,” he said. “We travel light with so few kids and coaches that it makes it affordable to get us in those games. Plus I believe it is a reward for the hard work the kids put in and gives them an opportunity to see things they otherwise wouldn’t.”
Cocoa had its biggest roster in the program history last year as its expanded to 35 players in the state playoffs. It returns the majority of its starters and will have a second-year starting quarterback.
It finished the year at No. 21 in the state of Florida and figures to start in that same range next season.
Imhotep Charter was the Pennsylvania Class Double A runner-up in 2013 and finished No. 15 in the final state rankings.
The program made its first venture into legitimate out-of-state competition this season as it defeated Youngstown (Ohio) Cardinal Mooney but fell to Elkton (Md.) Eastern Christian. It had played a game against Lambertville (N.J.) South Hunterdon nearly a decade ago but had been known as a basketball school in the decade since.
Cocoa has agreed to a contest on Sept. 19.
Cocoa and Imhotep were added as games to replace Indianapolis (Ind.) Lawrence Central and an open date. Chicago (Ill.) Marist was rumored to have been one partner but that game fell though.
The rest of its already set schedule is no less forgiving.
Two of the three District 4 opponents were ranked inside the final Top 10 for Kentucky this year.
Cathedral won another Class 5A state title in Indiana and was ranked No. 6 in its state with a similar level of expectations for next year.
Moeller won its second straight Ohio state title and was ranked No. 1 in the state with Colerain just behind it at No. 5.
Ensworth finished No. 3 in Tennessee and won the Division II AA state title this year. It will be the favorite to make it to the final four of its division again in 2014.
Trinity finished 6-6 in 2013 and No. 4 in the state. It is looking to rebound but may have difficulty with what is lining up in front of it.
Both games are being tied to Hercules Sports Management which has an on-going relationship with Cocoa as well as Trinity.
Sources have said that Paragon Marketing Group is still in discussions with the school about broadcasting a game this year. It aired the contest between Trinity and Ensworth in 2013 and found the facilities and atmosphere to make for a good television product.
SOUND OFF: Do you like the Cocoa and Imhotep Charter games for Trinity?
