SCHEDULE
Aug. 28 BELFRY, 1 p.m.
Sept. 4 COVINGTON CATHOLIC
Sept. 10 at Conner
Sept. 17 at Lexington Henry Clay
Sept. 24 LEXINGTON BRYAN STATION
Oct. 1 SIMON KENTON
Oct. 8 at Franklin County
Oct. 15 SCOTT COUNTY
Oct. 22 at Boone County
Oct. 29 at Campbell County
(All games at 7:30 unless noted)
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Coach: Kyle Hockman (first season at Ryle; 2-8 overall)
Outlook: New coach, new class, new questions. Ryle's season is the hardest in Northern Kentucky to predict.
Hockman, 32, is a Cincinnati native who will begin just his second season as a high school coach. He went 2-8 at Lima (Ohio) Perry in 1993, then spent the past five years as an assistant at Millersville University, a Division II power in Lancaster, Pa.
His dad, Ken Hockman, coached Louisville Waggener to the Class AAA title game last year, then retired. Now he's here, assisting Kyle as a receivers coach.
Ryle's move to Class AAAA won't be absent growing pains. Hockman will try to gradually implement a two-platoon system, which most AAAA teams employ.
''The jump to AAAA will be tougher than many believe,'' he said. ''To get deep in the playoffs will be much tougher than in AAA. But I think we'll be competitive in our district.''
He'll groom a new QB in senior Justin Parr, who played linebacker last year. And he'll change the run-heavy offense for which Ryle was known to a passintensive attack. Despite the changes, enough talent is here for a strong season.
