Final.

Highlands outscores the Tomcats 36-0 in the 2nd half.

Someone got in their grills at half I'd suppose.

 

Congrats to the Birds

Someone got in their grills at half I'd suppose.

 

Congrats to the Birds

 

Highlands has a knack of adjusting at halftime.

The Tomcats played a heck of a game, and gave us a good scare in the first half. Just proves you can't give a good team a bunch of turnovers and dumb mistakes. The Birds coming back to take the lead at the half really seemed to take the wind out of the Tomcats. But the keywords in the second half were "conditioning" and "depth."

Wasn't surprised at all when I saw the halftime score. Birds are a second half team... Their depth really wears on you.

I totally disagree with Birdsfan and Walter. In the first half, yes it was definitely a scare, but Highlands used none of their bread and butter. McCoy was intercepted b/c he just threw it up there deep like a hail mary directed at no one. Yes a bird was in the general target area but nothing like his 2nd half bomb to Turner where it was right on the money. Everyone knows the deep balls aren't their strength offensively. Seidl wasn't used, Harris sparingly, and McCoy was very accurate with the mid range passes. It was like Dale was wanting to spread out their defense and then hit them with the old 1 2.

That first half was not your typical Bluebird offense. It was like they were toying with Ashland. They did nothing they normally do on offense. Deep passes every series? Come on. The defense kept stopping Ashland so the game was never in jeopardy. The 2nd half the Birds went to their bread and butter and blasted them like every other team they've played. McCoy had open field most of the first half but chose to air it out. This won't happen with CCH. It will be a fight for every first down. And as we remember, there were alot of 3rd and 5's against CCH. Depth had nothing to do with this game. If Highlands stayed within their game in the first half, it's a running clock.

Is it possible that Dale was using a different offensive strategy in the first half to make sure his 1s got to play a full game in prep for the Blue Colonels?

I totally disagree with Birdsfan and Walter. In the first half, yes it was definitely a scare, but Highlands used none of their bread and butter. McCoy was intercepted b/c he just threw it up there deep like a hail mary directed at no one. Yes a bird was in the general target area but nothing like his 2nd half bomb to Turner where it was right on the money. Everyone knows the deep balls aren't their strength offensively. Seidl wasn't used, Harris sparingly, and McCoy was very accurate with the mid range passes. It was like Dale was wanting to spread out their defense and then hit them with the old 1 2.

That first half was not your typical Bluebird offense. It was like they were toying with Ashland. They did nothing they normally do on offense. Deep passes every series? Come on. The defense kept stopping Ashland so the game was never in jeopardy. The 2nd half the Birds went to their bread and butter and blasted them like every other team they've played. McCoy had open field most of the first half but chose to air it out. This won't happen with CCH. It will be a fight for every first down. And as we remember, there were alot of 3rd and 5's against CCH. Depth had nothing to do with this game. If Highlands stayed within their game in the first half, it's a running clock.

No, they were trying. They just weren't achieving. That's what I mean you can't give them turnovers and dumb mistakes. Among those mistakes would be throwing Hail Mary's for no particular reason. I think they were trying to put it out of reach fast, and it just didn't work.

 

And you really can't say the defense was working either -- not when they were running all over us, almost at will. Ashland's mistake was in going away from the rum that had been so effective.

 

Fortunately, the Bird's depth and conditioning advantage kicked in at halftime.

Ashland couldn't stop the Birds. The only one who stopped the Birds were the Birds. Ashland has a nice team but way to one dimensional to beat Highlands..

No, they were trying. They just weren't achieving. That's what I mean you can't give them turnovers and dumb mistakes. Among those mistakes would be throwing Hail Mary's for no particular reason. I think they were trying to put it out of reach fast, and it just didn't work.

 

And you really can't say the defense was working either -- not when they were running all over us, almost at will. Ashland's mistake was in going away from the rum that had been so effective.

 

Fortunately, the Bird's depth and conditioning advantage kicked in at halftime.

Sure they were trying for home runs but that's not their usual offense. They could have put this thing out of reach much earlier but for some reason they chose to work on other things. I thought they'd come out all business. Not funny business. Next week will be much different. The Birds look extremely good and McCoy has turned into quite a passer. Their short to mid range passing game is very well refined.

No, they were trying. They just weren't achieving. That's what I mean you can't give them turnovers and dumb mistakes. Among those mistakes would be throwing Hail Mary's for no particular reason. I think they were trying to put it out of reach fast, and it just didn't work.

 

And you really can't say the defense was working either -- not when they were running all over us, almost at will. Ashland's mistake was in going away from the rum that had been so effective.

 

Fortunately, the Bird's depth and conditioning advantage kicked in at halftime.

Sure they were trying for home runs but that's not their usual offense. They could have put this thing out of reach much earlier but for some reason they chose to work on other things. I thought they'd come out all business. Not funny business. Next week will be much different. The Birds look extremely good and McCoy has turned into quite a passer. Their short to mid range passing game is very well refined.

I was surprised from the time I parked my car, to the time that I got in my front door after the game.

 

I parked on Indiana Ave. where I usually park and crossed Memorial PKWY , looking down the Avenue of Champions I didn't see anybody. It was like a ghost town and this was 35 minutes till kickoff. I got to the two guards and asked them what was going on and one of them said "it's kind of slow tonight". There was very little traffic in front of the school on Memorial. So I bought my ticket went through the gate and saw very few fans in the bleechers for both teams. This is a playoff game with a team that we haven't played in the regular season and we can't get the home side of the stands full?

 

Now for the game I really can't comment because I"m not sure what I saw. I know #55 had a great downfield pancake block on one of McCoys keepers. I saw #11 for the Birds make a touchdown saving tackle and also stole the RB shoe while making the tackle. It seemed to me like a lot of young talented players for the Birds , made a lot of big plays.

I hope #74 for the Birds is ok.

Ashland players played their hearts out. Number 60 for the Tomcats at LB'er played a great game with a lot of hard hits. I talked to some of the fans from Ashland at halftime . you could tell they were proud of their team.

 

The long passes into double coverage, I don't know. I will NEVER question Coach Mueller, all he does is win state titles.

I was surprised from the time I parked my car, to the time that I got in my front door after the game.

 

I parked on Indiana Ave. where I usually park and crossed Memorial PKWY , looking down the Avenue of Champions I didn't see anybody. It was like a ghost town and this was 35 minutes till kickoff. I got to the two guards and asked them what was going on and one of them said "it's kind of slow tonight". There was very little traffic in front of the school on Memorial. So I bought my ticket went through the gate and saw very few fans in the bleechers for both teams. This is a playoff game with a team that we haven't played in the regular season and we can't get the home side of the stands full?

 

Now for the game I really can't comment because I"m not sure what I saw. I know #55 had a great downfield pancake block on one of McCoys keepers. I saw #11 for the Birds make a touchdown saving tackle and also stole the RB shoe while making the tackle. It seemed to me like a lot of young talented players for the Birds , made a lot of big plays.

I hope #74 for the Birds is ok.

Ashland players played their hearts out. Number 60 for the Tomcats at LB'er played a great game with a lot of hard hits. I talked to some of the fans from Ashland at halftime . you could tell they were proud of their team.

 

The long passes into double coverage, I don't know. I will NEVER question Coach Mueller, all he does is win state titles.

 

I may be mistaken, but I thought the injured lineman was #79.

I may be mistaken, but I thought the injured lineman was #79.

 

I hope both players are ok. :thumb: