article Class 4A Notebook (9/5): THE Upset

It had been almost three years since South Warren had suffered a regular season loss.

On October 4th, 2013, South Warren traveled to Daviess County with a perfect 6-0 record. In a stunning turn, a team that would not fail to score at least 35 points in 10 of its first 12 games posted a mere three points against a Daviess County team they were expected to dominate. The 8-3 loss was their only blemish of the regular season, and the only regular season loss they had taken from October 4th, 2012 until last week. Until last week.

The defending state champion South Warren Spartans entered their game against Greenwood on a 17 game winning streak. In three prior meetings with the Gators, the Spartans had never failed to score at least 35 points, and had never given up more than 7. Before the end of the first quarter, they were already down 10-0. A minute into the second quarter, it was a 17 point deficit to match their winning streak. The vaunted, but inexperienced defensive unit held firm from there, but the deficit was too great to overcome. Despite scoring 16 unanswered, a two point conversion attempt for the win with just over two minutes left failed, and South Warren fell 17-16 to a surging Greenwood program. After the immediate shock the state felt about the result, the questions then turned to what we can expect in 4A this season. That question, will have to play out, but for now, it appears that several teams may suddenly be in the mix for a state title that prior to the year, most had simply accorded as South Warren’s to lose.

One of those teams is Johnson Central, the presumptive #1 team after the Spartan loss. The Golden Eagles notched the most impressive win for 4A last week, with a 54-27 drubbing of Lexington Catholic. As always, the majority of Johnson Central’s damage was done on the ground, racking up a staggering 417 yards rushing. Joe Jackson led the way, netting 168 yards on 19 carries and a pair of scores, a healthy 8.8 YPC average. They dominated the time of possession, holding the ball for just over three quarters of the game, and forcing six turnovers. Just a huge statement win, and a signal that they perhaps are ready to finally bring home the crown they’ve sought for so long. Of course, they knocked off LexCath by 14 last season as well, so we shouldn’t hand it to them just yet.

Behind Johnson Central, the trio of Wayne County (2-1), Franklin-Simpson (3-0), and Hopkinsville (3-0) kept up their impressive efforts, each winning by over 41 points in their matchups. They’ll each be a threat to move up in the ranks. Further down Shelby County continued to re-establish after the opening loss with a 45-6 beatdown of Shelby County, and Collins gained revenge for a 49-44 loss to Eastern last year with a road 28-21 victory over the 6A squad, fueled by JR Lucas’s 283 yards passing and 4 TD completions. Lucas also accounted for 82 rushing yards in the contest.

Out of the ranks, two results to notice were Spencer County’s 28-27 win over East Jessamine and Allen County-Scottsville’s 44-14 beatdown of Monroe County. East Jessamine trailed 13-0 at the half and 28-14 entering the fourth quarter, but rallied to draw within 28-27 with 16 seconds left. But much like South Warren, they elected to go for the win, and were stuffed on the two point conversion. Both teams are on the fringe of the 4A top ten, and it’s a sign that both are solid teams that would be ready and able to move in if a team ahead of them stumbled. Meanwhile Allen County-Scottsville notched their largest margin of victory ever in their series with Monroe County, punctuated by the most points they’ve ever laid on the Falcons. ACS could easily be 3-0 at this point, but turnovers cost them in both the Daviess County game (five turnovers, lost 20-12) and the Greenwood game (pick six when going in for two score lead). The 35-27 loss to Greenwood looks especially impressive now, and the Patriots are staking their claim that there’s a third team in District 2 worthy of consideration.

Game of the week this week is unquestionably Franklin-Simpson visiting 5A Greenwood. The Gators had the aforementioned stunner over South Warren, and have shot up the 5A ranks. Last season the Gators made a statement in a fairly dominating 35-21 victory at Franklin-Simpson, snapping a two game skid against the Wildcats. However, Franklin-Simpson has enjoyed the advantage in games at Greenwood, winning their last three meetings there, including a 24-6 win two years ago. You have to go back to 2003 to find the lone time Greenwood has emerged victorious in the swamp. Franklin-Simpson will want to use this game to show where they stand in regards to their district rival South Warren. A Wildcat win could foreshadow a breakthrough two weeks later when the Spartans travel to Franklin.

Good work, DF!

I'm anxious to see three things:

1. How does South Warren respond to the loss?

2. How does Franklin-Simpson matchup with Greenwood?

3. South Warren vs. Franklin-Simpson in a few weeks

I thought last year was going to be the year that Johnson Central finally got over the hump with Highlands and CovCath out of the way, but they dissappointed me. JC has always suffered from a schedule that tended to the lightweight side, which bit them hard in the playoffs. Hard to say if they've changed things because two of the first three games are against West Virginia teams, and I know nothing about West Virginia football. They put the expected whipping on LexCath, but I'm not sold on LexCath this year.

they beat LC by the same score as last year and LC may not be as good as last year.

they beat LC by the same score as last year and LC may not be as good as last year.

They beat them by twice as much. (54-27, 42-28)

If JC can win this week they will hold the top spot until Belfry. SW will probably take a few more Ls with the injuries they are facing. That will leave Franklin Simpson and Wayne County both have huge district foes, but I could see one being at the top spot at the end of the season.

The score was 47-13 in the 4th. LexCath's next two offensive possessions went something like; Fagot 2-2 passing, 150 yds and 2 TDs. Congratulations, the gap was closed against most of the boys that are playing in a Freshmen game tonight. Personally I believe LexCath is better overall this year but until they can stop the run they are going to be in a lot of nailbiters.

Capital has played in 9 of the previous 13 WV 3A State Championships. They won it in 2014 and was runner-up last year after drubbing Midland, a team that took Belfry to the woodshed, in the playoffs. South Charleston is typically a pretty good team and was ranked #8 in the preseason 3A polls.

Say what you will about how the season ended for us last year but when you remove a Bryce Workman from the field after he tore his PCL on the last play of the Ashland game then both sides of the ball have a drastically different look. Him being out hurt us more so on the defensive side than offensive but from that point on the ability to have him stretch the D by keeping it around the end was gone.

Now that we are potentially 1 week away from sweeping our first 3 opponents to the start of the season that many said was highly doubtful, out come the naysayers to cast doubt but the ones that said it was a much improved schedule before the first snap was taken.

I still say Franklin Simpson has the top spot over JC. They will prove their worth with a victory over greenwood.

@Tommy2tone Why would you put FS over JC?

I think Franklin had more kids coming back and deserved a higher preseason ranking. They have done nothing to deserve dropping them in polls.

Just my opinion.

I think Franklin had more kids coming back and deserved a higher preseason ranking. They have done nothing to deserve dropping them in polls.

Just my opinion.

Except play a schedule that doesn't remotely compare to Johnson Central so far.

All F-S can hang their hat on thusfar is playing Caldwell for a Half. Portland, TN and Metcalfe County are two teams that are not in the same hemisphere as Lexington Catholic and Capital, WV

F-S may not have done anything to merit "dropping" them in ranking..but JC has done more to merit "raising" their ranking by dismantling two good teams.

Except play a schedule that doesn't remotely compare to Johnson Central so far.

 

All F-S can hang their hat on thusfar is playing Caldwell for a Half. Portland, TN and Metcalfe County are two teams that are not in the same hemisphere as Lexington Catholic and Capital, WV

 

F-S may not have done anything to merit "dropping" them in ranking..but JC has done more to merit "raising" their ranking by dismantling two good teams.

FS schedule gets a lot harder from here on out. Their district is tougher and then you can add Greenwood, and Russellville.

FS schedule gets a lot harder from here on out. Their district is tougher and then you can add Greenwood, and Russellville.

Don't disagree... but I was only taking the sample of what each team has done thusfar