On several occasions, football coach Kyle Niederman has stood on the recently installed synthetic turf at Cecil Dees Field and marveled at the changes Lloyd Memorial High School has made. From the front entrance of the stadium to the back row of the bleachers, all is bright and shiny and state-of-the-art.
“The turf field. The track. The goal posts. The concrete. The bleachers. Everything is new. That’s been huge for us,” Niederman said of the $3.3 million upgrade. “We’re now right along with everybody else when it comes to facilities.”
Lloyd has an exciting football team to match.
For the first time in nine years, the Juggernauts have put together a 4-0 start to the season, propelling them to a No. 5 ranking in the latest Class 3A statewide media poll.
The Juggernauts dominated state-ranked perennial small-school power Newport Central Catholic 24-7 in the season opener for just their second win in 35 years over the Thoroughbreds. NewCath was a Class A state semifinalist last year and had not lost to Lloyd since 2017. The Juggernauts punched above their weight against Class 5A Boone County and knocked down the Rebels, 47-14. Similarly, they routed Class 4A Holmes, 47-8. They shut out a state-ranked Class A Bethlehem squad averaging nearly 40 points per game. Bethlehem had eight wins a year ago and advanced to the state semifinals two years ago, but they were dismantled by the Juggernauts, 27-0, last week.
The last time Lloyd started 4-0 was in 2014. To put that into perspective consider the movie Guardians of the Galaxy was the domestic box office leader. The No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 was Meghan Trainor’s “All About That Bass.” Lloyd tri-captain Avander Abrams and most of the rest of his fellow seniors were seven or eight years old.
Fast forward back to 2023 and it’s all about the Lloyd defense. The Juggernauts are surrendering a paltry 7.2 points per game, ranking seventh in Kentucky in scoring defense. They are giving up a scant 56 rushing yards per game, ranking 16th in Kentucky and fourth in Class 3A. The Juggernauts rank first in the state in sacks with a monstrous total of 25 for an incredible average of 6.2 per game. They had 39 sacks all of last year. At their current pace, the Juggernauts will surpass last season’s total in this season’s seventh game.
The sack-happy Juggernauts are a state anomaly. They lead the Kentucky sack race by eight over second-place Dixie Heights (17). Third-place South Warren (16) trails by nine. Among Class 3A programs, Lloyd has just as many sacks as second-place Christian Academy-Louisville (14) and third-place Franklin-Simpson (11) combined.
Four of the top 11 sackers in Class 3A play defense for Lloyd: TJ Jackson (6.5), Avander Abrams (5), Jonah Purnell (3.5) and Elijah Westwood (3). Jackson ranks fifth in the state and first in Class 3A. Abrams ranks ninth statewide and second in Class 3A. If all keep their current paces and the Juggernauts play at least 14 games again this season, each can expect to finish with at least 10 sacks. It’s not known if Lloyd has ever had four players with double-digit sack totals in a single season. At this rate, maybe somebody should look into it. Lloyd all-time sack records may be falling like opposing quarterbacks in the coming months.
Helping force all those sacks has been a blanketing Juggernauts secondary featuring cornerbacks Isaiah Sebastian and Amari Griffin and safeties John Crim and Ty Copeland. Sebastian has one interception. Copeland is third on the team in tackles. Linebacker Seth Moran has a sack and an interception to go with a team-leading 26 tackles. It’s a highly communicative back end of the defense with discipline which helps cut down on confusion and blown coverages.
“We know we’re a decent team,” said Abrams, a two-way force who shares captain status with fellow linemen Jackson and Thomas Plymesser. “But we want to get a lot better, and we’ll work hard to get better.”
If last season’s results are any indication, Lloyd isn’t through being a juggernaut. Lloyd plays at Bishop Brossart next on Friday in pursuit of a 5-0 start. Lloyd takes on Newport at home the following week. The Juggernauts defeated Bishop Brossart 40-3 last season. They beat Newport, 44-22, two weeks later. A 6-0 start looms, but nobody at Lloyd is taking anything for granted. The Juggernauts would have started 7-0 last season but wound up 5-2 out the gate because of one-point losses to Dixie Heights and Clarksville Providence from Indiana. Three-time defending Class 2A state champ Beechwood was the only team that handled the Juggernauts last year, beating them twice.
So far this season, it’s Lloyd doing the manhandling.
“It feels great, no doubt, to be 4-0. There are great vibes at school. What also feels great is previous players and coaches celebrating us,” said Niederman, who estimates he’s received at least two dozen congratulatory emails, text messages and phone calls following the fast start. “That group last year set the foundation for what to expect. We were in the state semifinals.”
The plan this time around is returning to the state semifinals, taking an extra step and competing for the state championship in Lloyd’s first year in Class 3A. The Juggernauts made the jump from 2A following KHSAA realignment. They finished 10-4 last season for their first 10-win season in 27 years.
With so much being new to the Juggernauts, Abrams is banking on something a little more time-honored.
“We have a new stadium but I feel like we’re pretty old-school,” said Abrams, one of 17 seniors on the largest Lloyd football roster in years with 53 players. “We ground and pound the football. We’re telling you what we’re going to do and we still go out and do it.”
Running the football in the hybrid offense behind a stout offensive line while stopping opponents with an aggressive attacking 4-3 defense has been a boon for the Juggernauts and a recipe for disaster for their foes. But Lloyd has no choice. The Juggernauts’ starting quarterback, sophomore Kaleb Evans (broken collarbone), has yet to throw a pass this season. Even so, the Juggernauts are one of nine unbeaten teams remaining in Class 3A after four weeks of play.
“Without Kaleb in there, we’re going to run the ball, we’re going to block and we’re going to play defense,” Niederman said. “The better we run it, the longer the defense can stay off the field and be stronger. When Kaleb comes back, we’ll open up the offense.”
Until then, Isaiah Sebastian, a multi-purpose back on offense, will be under center. He completed eight of his first 14 passes for 132 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. He’s been a much bigger threat on the ground, where he gives Lloyd two runners capable of rushing for 10 yards per carry and 100 yards per game. He’s been a nightmare for opponents on punt returns, taking two for touchdowns.
Sebastian ran for 368 yards on just 31 carries with four touchdowns in the first four games for a whopping 11.8 yards per carry. He ranked 14th in rushing in Class 3A. The main man out of the backfield is junior Yurii Collins Comer. He’s rushed for 660 yards, ranking seventh in the state and second in Class 3A, on 62 carries with nine touchdowns. He’s averaging 10.6 yards per carry and 165 yards per game. The Juggernauts rank 14th in the state and seventh in Class 3A with 274 rushing yards per game.
“They both are very good runners, and it all starts up front. We have a great line,” Niederman said.
The starting offensive line features Plymesser at left tackle, left guard Mo Lafi, center Sam Stamper, Jackson at right guard, right tackle Kylon Carter and Westwood at
tight end. Abrams is the blocking back.
“They are workhorses,” Niederman said. “They show up at practice every day ready to give each other a great look.”
All of this has added up to some big statistical improvements for the Juggernauts. Last season, their average scoring margin was plus-12 points. This season, it’s plus-29, ranking 11th in the state. Last season, the total yards differential was 48 per game. This season, it’s 155 yards per game. Rushing yards per game are up 47%. Total offensive yards per game are up 13%. Yards allowed per game are down 39%. Rushing yards allowed are down 55%.
“Everybody’s ready to play. Guys have stepped up,” Abrams said. “We want this to be a great year.”