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2A Game of the Week: 2A #6 Somerset at 1A #5 Raceland


DevilMayCare

Who gets the win?  

15 members have voted

  1. 1. Who gets the win?

    • Somerset Briar Jumpers
    • Raceland Rams


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Challenging yourself with a difficult schedule year in and year out is a big part of the foundation for elevating bad programs to good, good programs to great, and great programs to champions. Beating up on cupcakes week after week will result in short term gratification, but often leads to postseason disappointment when you run into an opponent of equal or superior talent. The idea is to ensure that the team is as well prepared as possible for anything they might encounter during the rigors of a deep playoff run, even if it means taking some losses along the way.

 

By that logic, Somerset (4-2) is doing everything they can to return their program to prominence. By the time it's all said and done, the Jumper's schedule will feature nine games against teams that were ranked at some point during the season. Somerset has already done battle with currently (or formerly) ranked opponents Rockcastle County (12-6 win), North Laurel (16-14 win), and Bourbon County (29-36 loss). Aside from those bigger schools, there's the 1A gauntlet they've run so far… Beechwood (0-7 loss), Hazard (20-9 win), and Williamsburg (25-8 win). Now you can add the Raceland Rams to that list.

 

By adding Somerset this year, Raceland (4-2) has made a statement that they aren't afraid to venture far outside of NEKY to beef up their schedule. The Rams have held steady as contenders in 1A for several years, but just haven't been able to get over the hump in the playoffs. Games like this one against Somerset could go a long way toward helping Raceland clear the hurdles that they've stumbled over in years past.

 

Judd Adkins, Dalton Adkins, Damon Black, Hunter Lacks, and Cam Webb are some of the names that you're sure to hear plenty of on Friday night at Ram Stadium for the home team. J. Adkins and Lacks make a formidable 1-2 punch out of the backfield, combining for 700 yards and 12 TDs on the ground. Damon Black is an athletic QB with a big arm, who's been very crisp and accurate on the short to intermediate throws so far this year. Webb and D. Adkins have been his favorite targets at WR along with J. Adkins out of the backfield. Webb is a quick footed and versatile WR that can beat you deep or, along with Adkins, move the chains with quick catch-and-runs on hitches and bubble routes. Gunnur Lewis is a speedy sophomore who's only caught 5 balls this year, but he's averaging 31 yards a pop, and is someone that can hurt you over the top if you key on Webb and D. Adkins too much. Defensively, Justin Fairchild and Tyus Ferguson anchor the D-line with Nolan Smith and Justin Whitmoyer at LBer. Webb, Lewis, Jacob Gedeon and the Adkins’ star in the secondary. The “Orange Crush” defense is surrendering 11 ppg.

 

Somerset relies on the three headed rushing attack of RBs Ty Tevis and Alex Miller, and QB Mason Reese. That trio has combined for over 800 yards on the season. Reese has added another 723 yards and 5 TDs through the air. WR/CB Josh Cornett might be one of the 2 or 3 best all around football players that Raceland sees all year. He's a tremendous talent on both sides of the ball with 362 yards receiving and 2 INTs on defense. DE Collin Hartmann, along linebackers Peyton Hatcher and Adam Hembree, anchor the front seven. Hartmann provides an imposing presence coming off the edge at 6’5” and 250 lbs. Tevis, Treavor Brock, and Chance Stayton join Cornett to form a strong nucleus in the secondary. Since allowing 36 points to Bourbon County in Week 0, the Jumpers have only given up 8.8 ppg since.

 

All signs point toward this being a defensive battle with each team still searching for offensive continuity.

 

Somerset will look to continue its forward momentum after defeating a top 5 ranked 4A Rockcastle County squad, 12-6. The Rams dropped a physical, hard fought 21-27 contest to Ohio D5 top 10 ranked Portsmouth West on Friday. The Briar Jumpers probably enter this game as a slight favorite, but can't get caught looking ahead to the following week’s huge district showdown with top ranked Danville.

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I wish Raceland the best luck possible. I know little about Raceland but I can promise you Somerset will be ready. I'm in no shape a Somerset fan as most know I'm a Rocket fan but after seeing Somerset beat my Rockets last night there defense is as real as advertise. Expect to score few far and in between and just hope your defense can match theirs to give you a chance late to pull out a victory if you want to win.

Good luck to both teams.

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This is a monumental task for Raceland to play this game to even within reason and not get stomped at home, especially after an emotionally tough loss to Portsmouth West. But it's these games, especially back to back, that make you a better football team. Hopefully we can come out with a chip on our shoulder. Somerset sure isn't driving 4 hours for nothing. That's the lone advantage the Rams have at this point. Good luck to both squads. Give a prediction later on. I'm still reeling over last night.

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This one may be the best opponent my Rams will face this season. Raceland has some talent and when playing at their best, imo the Rams can make it interesting. Somerset, no question will and should be a heavy favorite.

Hopefully, both teams will come out of this game with no injuries and be at full physical strength to enter the important / district part of their schedules.

 

BTW ...if any Rams coaches are reading this, I have a good friend that can get us some excellent Rabbit dogs, may help in getting the Briar Jumpers out and on the run ....:sneaky:

Edited by Jumper_Dad
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If Williamsburg can hang tough with Somerset, I don't see any reason why Raceland can't make this interesting. The Rams have decent size on both lines, especially the interior on defense with Fairchild and Davidson both in the game. Raceland has been outstanding on that side of the ball lately, against both the run and the pass. I think that defense will keep the Rams in this game.

 

13 of Portsmouth West's 27 points were scored by their defense and special teams. PW capitalized well on some Raceland turnovers, at least one of them deep in Ram territory. It's not as if Raceland was getting gashed left and right for huge chunks of yardage all night. Overall, it seems that the defense did their part.

 

Offensively for Raceland, the deep ball just isn't there yet, at least not consistently. And I'm not sure that this is the week for it to suddenly start clicking. Somerset's secondary looks pretty athletic.

 

My question is, how are the Rams recovering physically from last week's game? It sounded like a rugged, back alley brawl last Friday.

Edited by DevilMayCare
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I don't see this as Somerset being a heavy favorite in any way. Raceland has also played a strong schedule and acquitted themselves quite well. The Raceland D it's self has only given up 66 points themselves and it seems many are overlooking that part of Raceland's game.

 

Somerset has a big ole 3 hour bus ride ahead of them and you never know how kids will bounce out of the school bus after riding for that long.

 

I hope both teams play a good game and both come out of the game healthy.

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Raceland's defense has done enough to win both games they lost. But in both games the offense sputtered and didn't allow the Rams to take advantage of turnovers or the offense turned it over themselves. If the offense takes better care of the ball against West, we would have won that game by two scores. The defense is there and I know the old saying that defense wins championships, but the offense has to be more consistent. It isn't bad, but it just lacks a consistency in the passing game.

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I believe if we cut out the turnovers this will be a very good game. I think Somerset is the best team on our schedule and we can't have dumb mistakes and win. We still have not put together 4 quarters that everything is clicking (not against good competition) when/if we are able to do that we are much better than people think. Until we do then we are probably right at our rank at 5th in A. Anyone making the trip be safe and we'll see you Friday.

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I believe if we cut out the turnovers this will be a very good game. I think Somerset is the best team on our schedule and we can't have dumb mistakes and win. We still have not put together 4 quarters that everything is clicking (not against good competition) when/if we are able to do that we are much better than people think. Until we do then we are probably right at our rank at 5th in A. Anyone making the trip be safe and we'll see you Friday.

 

Well said. I agree with all points made here.

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If Raceland plays a perfect game offensively, doesn't turn the ball over and doesn't allow Somerset to load up the box, Raceland can win this game. I'm just afraid we don't have the horses to run with them on that side of the ball. I hope I am dead wrong, but I am realistic...

 

Jumpers 28

Rams 14

Edited by Jumper_Dad
TOS
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I believe if we cut out the turnovers this will be a very good game. I think Somerset is the best team on our schedule and we can't have dumb mistakes and win. We still have not put together 4 quarters that everything is clicking (not against good competition) when/if we are able to do that we are much better than people think. Until we do then we are probably right at our rank at 5th in A. Anyone making the trip be safe and we'll see you Friday.

Ashland is the best team regular season on the Rams schedule no offense to Somerset. Pulling for the Rams and think it's a close game.

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Ashland is the best team regular season on the Rams schedule no offense to Somerset. Pulling for the Rams and think it's a close game.

 

I'm not so sure about that. If all classes were equal, then sure, 4A #4 Ashland would be better than 2A #6 Somerset. But 2A is much, much stronger this year than 4A. There appears to be a pretty steep drop in 4A after Johnson Central, where as 2A is loaded and deep at the top. Somerset just beat a team that most would consider equal to, if not a little better than, Ashland.

 

Of course, we'll never know for sure whether Ashland's better than Somerset (or vise-versa), but I don't think it's an automatic here that the bigger school is better. We'll just have to wait and see what the Raceland fans think after this game.

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I've watched some film on the Jumpers and if the Rams wrap up on defense, they stand a fair shot at being in position to win the ball game. Somerset is a bit deeper, but these teams are nearly mirror images of each other after doing some research. Neither team is a red hot, huge number offense. Neither team is blowing up a scoreboard. Both seem to be looking to find a real continuity or identity offensively. They rely on their defense to flip the field and keep other teams offenses off the field. Somerset has a little more depth it seems. I think this one comes down to turnovers and Raceland's offense vs the Jumpers' Defense. Somerset offense doesn't worry me a such as it did originally. Their defense however seems legit. But that's what many are saying about the Rams right now. Going to be a good night of football this friday!

Edited by Colonels_Wear_Blue
Rule #2
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No one has really been very successful in the way of a passing attack against us. Greenup came in averaging over 200 yds a game and we shut it all down. Portsmouth got us on a few deep balls, but they were all pretty much on broken plays. I think we will play the same balanced defense we have all year and Lewis will make the adjustments he sees fit if need be. My concern is r in coversge, it isn't in stopping g the tun, it's if our offense can sustain drives and finish in the redzone. If we have a multiple three and outs, we have no chance.

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