Scott County and Cooper will meet Friday night in the Class 5A football playoffs for the fourth consecutive year.

Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. on the Cooper campus at 2855 Longbranch Road in Union.

This is the third year in a row that SC and Cooper have collided in the second round, and the Cardinals look to avenge back-to-back losses to the Jaguars.

Cooper won 49-21 (2023) in Georgetown and 45-20 (2024) on its home field a year ago, answering Scott County’s 56-20 first-round rout in 2022.

All indications are the most even match-up to date.

Scott County (8-3) is ranked No. 21 according to MaxPreps, with losses only to No. 8 Highlands, No. 13 Woodford County and No. 22 Madison Central.

Cooper (8-3) checks in at No. 24, tasting defeat against Highlands, No. 6 DuPont Manual, and Cincinnati Anderson, which weighs in No. 2 in Ohio.

The Jaguars had a tougher time in the opening round of the playoffs, setting aside South Oldham, 28-14. The Cardinals cruised to a 48-7 victory over Conner.

To advance, Scott County must slow down one of the state’s most prolific quarterback/running back tandems of recent vintage.

Senior year numbers don’t jump off the page for Cam O’Hara, who has completed 116 of 201 passes for 1,966 yards and 22 touchdowns against five interceptions.

The Western Kentucky University commit stands second all-time in KHSAA history, however, with 142 touchdown passes. He needs two to tie and three to break the mark owned by Elijah Sindelar of Caldwell County.

O’Hara moved into the runner-up spot late in the regular season, leapfrogging UK great Tim Couch (Leslie County) and Great Crossing coach Ricky Bowling (South Laurel), who were tied with 133.

He also is only 34 yards away from 11,000 for his career, sixth behind only Zach Lewis (Clay County), Sindelar, Bowling, Couch and Beau Allen (Lexington Catholic).

Largely due to graduation losses in the receiving corps, O’Hara’s touchdown total has dipped from 47 as a sophomore and 52 his junior year.

Cooper reached the 5A state final in both of those campaigns, falling to Bowling Green.

If O’Hara doesn’t get you, fellow senior Keagan Maher usually will. The three-year starter hurdled the 4,000-yard threshold for his career in the South Oldham win.

Maher has rushed for 1,390 yards and 21 touchdowns this season.

It isn’t an empty house in the receiving room, either. It’s simply more of a one-man show with Ryker Campbell (39 catches, 1,011 yards, 12 TD) leading the way.

Drew Hartman and Corey Friehofer each have 14 receptions for Cooper.

On the defensive side, Dax Bolen (108) and Max Wethington (101) both have triple-digit tackles. Carson Clark leads the Jaguars with 4½ sacks.

Campbell’s three interceptions headline 13 takeaways for Cooper.

Scott County’s defense has produced an even 20 changes of possessions, a total embellished by four interceptions and a fumble recovery against Conner.

Timmy Emongo scooped and returned that fumble for a touchdown. He also made an interception in the end zone.

Asher Brewer, Ju Ju Harmon and Aiden Norton rounded out the pick parade in the Cardinals’ opening-round romp.

Brewer leads Scott County in both tackles (71) and interceptions (four). Harmon has 62 stops and three interceptions. 

Red Owens averaged a tackle for loss per game during the regular season.

SC’s defense received a boost last week when defensive end Caleb Florence returned from injury.

The Cardinals hang their hat on a high-powered offense, of course, and they’re as balanced as ever in sophomore quarterback Charlie Ellison’s first year as a starter.

Ellison recently joined Josh Davis and Andrew Hickey as 1,000-yard passers in the run-heavy offense over the past decade. In addition to his 15 TD passes and only three interceptions, Ellison has rushed for eight scores.

Emongo (87 rushes, 826 yards) leads Scott County with 13 touchdown rushes. Fullback Skyler Way (137 carries, 1,067 yards, 9 TD) tops the yardage column. Halfback Jayden Garrett (47 rushes, 639 yards, 4 TD) averages more than 13 yards per attempt.

In addition to his excellence at corner back, halfback and in the return game, Emongo is Ellison’s favorite target with 17 catches, 531 yards and 9 touchdowns. Owens (13 receptions, 322 yards, 5 TD) also is a deep threat.

Eight district champions after Friday night will be reseeded according to KHSAA’s RPI rankings for regional finals next week.

This week’s complete playoff schedule, including the participants’ current RPI ranking:

No. 5 Scott County (8-3) at No. 9 Cooper (8-3)

No. 12 West Jessamine (8-3) at No. 4 North Laurel (9-2)

No. 10 South Laurel (9-2) at No. 1 Pulaski County (9-2)

No. 8 Collins (8-3) at No. 1 Woodford County (10-1)

No. 17 Greenwood (7-4) at No. 2 Owensboro (9-2)

No. 30 Jeffersontown (6-5) at No. 6 Atherton (10-1)

No. 13 Apollo (6-5) at No. 14 Bowling Green (5-6)

No. 23 Butler (5-6) at No. 18 Fairdale (7-4)