By MIKE MARSEE

Contributing Writer

It’s a milestone more than 60 years in the making.

Boyle County’s next victory will be the 500th win in school history, and it’s likely to come Friday when the Rebels play at Russell County in their first game following an open date.

Boyle will reach 500 wins in its 61st football season, and its win total has increased exponentially over the past three decades during its ascent to become one of the top programs in Kentucky.

“Just the consistency to win that many games … that is impressive,” Boyle coach Justin Haddix said.

Boyle will be among what is certainly a very small number of consolidated schools in Kentucky to reach 500 wins. No comprehensive records are available, but most of the state’s winningest programs are at independent or parochial schools that have been open much longer.

Victory No. 1 for Boyle was a 27-0 road win over Greensburg on Sept. 13, 1963 in the school’s first game. The Rebels won all nine of their games that season and had winning records in each of their first three years;

This year’s team has already clinched the program’s 16th consecutive winning season and its 27th in the past 29 years. Boyle has amassed 335 wins since that run began in 1994, and it has 11 state championships in the past 24 seasons.

“I’d like to see the winning percentage from 1999 to 2023. It’s got to be one of the highest in the state,” Haddix said.

Haddix and his players worked through the bye week to ensure that winning percentage continues to rise. The Rebels are happy to be where they are – undefeated and ranked No. 1 in Class 4A – but not content with how they’re playing as they enter the final weeks of the regular season and look toward the postseason.

“We’re self-scouting, looking at what we’re doing. What tendencies do we have? What do we need to fix?” Haddix said.

Haddix said some of the things they’re trying to fix include limiting opponents’ big plays with their defense and becoming more consistent in their running game.

He said one thing that will help the Rebels get better is the competition that takes place daily in practice.

“That’s something that you’ve got to nurture and work on every day,” he said.

The Rebels worked on that last week with some scrimmages pitting the first team of one unit against second-teamers from the other.

“I was calling (plays) against (defensive coordinator Travis) Burns. Seeing them perform good on good is going to make you a lot better,” Haddix said.

Boyle (6-0, 1-0 District 4A-7), one of seven unbeaten teams in Class 4A, returns to district play Friday against struggling Russell (1-6, 0-2). The Lakers have only four wins over the past three seasons, and they defeated East Jessamine two weeks ago for their lone win this year.

The Rebels have won the last six meetings between the teams, who last played in 2014.