Can Christian Academy-Louisville Win a Fifth Straight Kentucky Title?

Record-setting quarterback Jackson Burke and a veteran offense return as the Centurions pursue a fifth consecutive Kentucky Class 3A state championship.

Christian Academy of Louisville's Jackson Burke (7) passed for 316 yards and five touchdowns as the Centurions win their fourth consecutive state title at the KHSAA class 3A football state final at Kroger Field in Lexington Saturday, December 6, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Four straight Kentucky state football championships. A quarterback coming off one of the most accurate passing seasons in high school football history. A veteran offense loaded with returning playmakers.

Christian Academy-Louisville enters the 2026 season with every reason to believe it can make another championship run. But coach Hunter Cantwell says the Centurions' foundation has never been built solely on wins and titles.

Christian Academy-Louisville (3A)
Head Coach: Hunter Cantwell
2025: 15-0 state champions

Christian-Academy, which will be vying for a fifth consecutive state title in 2026, the truth of God’s word is the “ghost” in the Centurion football machine.

Built on Faith and Purpose

Each move, an opportunity to move closer to Christ.

“We hope to use the sport of football to point to God's word and Biblical truths that we believe run parallel with some of the truths of football, and just using all the things that are at our disposal to point young men to a closer relationship with Jesus Christ,” explained CAL coach Hunter Cantwell.

On the flip side, the CAL coach also expressed the faith vs. football dichotomy in a profound way and in relationship to high school student athletes beginning to identify themselves through the sport.

“We like to tell our guys all the time, ‘Hey, football's a great sport, but it's a terrible God, right?’ And yeah, if you take nothing else away from our program, football will let you down. And if you are defining yourself through this sport and you're finding your value and your worth through this sport, it's going to come crashing down real quick.”

Love also plays a role in the dynamics of CAL football; love as a symbiotic relationship that possesses an expiration date.

“We like to tell our guys, in high school, the game still loves you, right? This is a really special time in a young man's life. When you're out on that field, you know your coaches care about you. You know that all the fans, family and friends in the stands care about you. You know the school community cares about you. The game still loves you. And as you move away from that, as you move into college, and maybe for some of our guys even beyond that, it becomes more of a business, and the game no longer loves you.”

Though football success is a construct of unreliability, there is a season to play…and perhaps a championship to secure.

“We’re really excited about our team,” Cantwell said. "I think we've got a really special group coming back, just a really special group. They're just good young men. They're not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but they're team-first guys.”

Veteran Offense Returns

Quarterback Jackson Burke will guide the offense. The junior player posted crazy numbers in 2025, throwing 53 touchdowns against one interception and recording 3,526 passing yards, or 235 yards per game.

“We bring back the national record holder for completion percentage in a season, in our quarterback,” Cantwell said.  Burke garnered a record 83.3 percentage in the Centurions undefeated season.

Burke throws to a pair of superstar receivers in JaHyde Brown and Gaines Howard. Brown had nearly 100 receptions last year with 24 TDs and 1,566 yards. Howard grabbed 60 passes with 14 scores and 1,014 receiving yards.

“Offensively, it's a veteran group,” Cantwell said. “There shouldn't be a lot of teaching. Just kind of let's polish this thing up and go.”

Defense Reloads

On defense, CAL will be the strongest in the secondary, returning a couple of ballhawks. On the line, the Eagles lost some experience but bring back imposing linemen Micah Newsome (140 tackles, 19.5 TFL and three sacks) and Kellan Hall (53 tackles, 17.5 TFL and eight sacks). Cantwell said there are question marks in the linebacker group.

“Definitely offense is going to have to carry us early while that defensive box gets squared away.”

Key Games

vs. Owensboro-8/28

@ Lexington Christian-9/4

vs. Ryle-9/11