Beating Ryle has been the goal since Joe Wynn arrived at Simon Kenton. On Friday night in Independence, the Pioneers checked that box.
In a game defined by defensive stops, turnovers and hard-earned yards, Simon Kenton held off Ryle 14-7 to snap a losing streak against the Raiders dating to 2022. With Campbell County’s 27-16 victory over Great Crossing, the Pioneers also secured the outright Class 6A, District 6 championship, their first district title since 2022.
It was a different kind of victory for a program accustomed to shootouts over the years.
It’s a new brand of Simon Kenton football.
The Pioneers lean on their defense.
“If you watched our defense play for the last couple weeks, I mean, it’s been lights out,” Wynn said. “We just got to get out of our own way sometimes on offense. But we expect to lean on our defense a little bit. Our guys got challenged, and how did they respond? I thought they responded pretty well for a win.”
PHOTOS: Slideshow provided by Marc Figgins
The Pioneers’ defense answered that challenge after Ryle struck first, settling into the game and gradually taking away the Raiders’ most reliable offensive weapon.
After a scoreless first quarter, Ryle took a 7-0 lead on the opening play of the second when Cruze Sauley broke through for a 10-yard touchdown run. Sauley had rushed for 463 yards over his previous three games, but the Pioneers made sure that early score did not become a sign of things to come.
Simon Kenton limited Sauley to just 16 yards on 12 carries on the night, forcing Ryle to work for every opportunity. The Raiders found little room to operate as the Pioneers tightened up against the run, generated pressure and made it increasingly difficult to sustain drives.
“They’ve struggled with other teams compared with opponents up front, and so I thought if we could just settle in and play football, we’d be okay,” Wynn said. “After the first drive, they went empty, did some of that stuff. We settled in and played football, and then don’t break. Make them drive 80 yards, and that’s what we did consistently.”
The defense’s ability to recover after the opening score gave Simon Kenton time to find its footing offensively.
After a pair of punts, Grant Webb connected with Sam Hughes for a 32-yard touchdown, pulling the Pioneers within a point. The extra point was missed, leaving Ryle ahead 7-6 at halftime.
From there, the game became a test of which defense would blink first. Neither gave much ground, but Simon Kenton made the decisive play in the third quarter.
The turning point came after a botched Ryle punt snap gave the Pioneers possession at the Raiders’ 25-yard line. Simon Kenton immediately gave the ball back when Peyton Testerman fumbled on the first play from scrimmage. Testerman, however, made up for the mistake on the very next play, intercepting a Ryle pass to return possession to the Pioneers.
Four plays and 46 yards later, Webb ran for a 12-yard touchdown, giving Simon Kenton a 14-7 lead with 4:54 remaining in the third quarter. It proved to be the game-winning score.
Testerman, who returned Friday after missing the previous two games with a shoulder injury, said he had to put the fumble behind him and stay ready for the next opportunity.
“It’s demotivating to fumble the ball, but I know I gotta give it my 100% every play,” Testerman said. “You gotta have short memory in this game. You can’t focus on the hard things that happen. You gotta keep playing.”
That response captured the night for the Pioneers. Mistakes and missed opportunities threatened to swing momentum, but Simon Kenton consistently found a way to recover.
Ryle had their chances, including a missed 39-yard field goal and several drives that reached Simon Kenton territory without producing points. With 3:42 remaining, the Raiders final squashed opportunity was the nail in the coffin when Brody Smith fumbled at the Simon Kenton 36-yard line.
The Pioneers’ defense had delivered another critical stop, and the offense took it from there.
Facing third-and-5 with 1:40 to play, Webb ran for six yards to secure the first down and effectively end Ryle’s chances. With the Raiders out of timeouts, Simon Kenton took a knee in victory formation.
“We needed five yards, I think it was, and I got it,” Webb said. “I mean, I was so excited.”
For Wynn, the victory carried significance beyond the district standings. Since taking over at Simon Kenton in 2024, beating Ryle had been a point of emphasis throughout the program’s offseason preparation and daily work.
“Everything we’ve done since I’ve been here is beat Ryle,” Wynn said. “It’s leaving the field. Beat Ryle. Everything we’ve done is beat Ryle.”
The Pioneers accomplished that goal Friday while also securing the district championship and the No. 1 seed. The title guarantees Simon Kenton two home playoff games if it advances through the first two rounds, giving the team a path toward its next objective: a regional championship.
“It’s always, can you win district? You guarantee yourself two home playoff games, and then play for a regional championship,” Wynn said. “Go win the first two playoff games to give them a chance to win a regional championship, and after that, anything is house money for us.”
Ryle still earned a home playoff game as the district’s No. 2 seed. Based on Friday’s results, Simon Kenton will host Southern in the first round Nov. 6, while Ryle is projected to host Fern Creek. Campbell County earned the No. 3 seed with its win over Great Crossing and is projected to play at Male, while Great Crossing is projected to travel to Bullitt East.
PIONEERS 14, RAIDERS 7
RYLE — 0-7-0-0 — 7
SIMON KENTON — 0-6-8-0 — 14
Scoring Plays
2nd Quarter
(R) Sauley 10-yard run (11:55) Basinger kick
(SK) Webb 32-yard pass to Hughes (4:43) kick failed
3rd Quarter
(SK) Webb 12-yard run (4:54) Testerman run
Records: Ryle (4-5, 2-1), Simon Kenton (5-4, 2-1)
