All I know is there are very few teams left playing in the smaller classes who move as quickly to the ball as Belfry. The Breathitt interior run game, IMO, will be a complete non-factor as the Pirates simply are too quick up front and the duo of Mullins and Ghormley at LB are about as good as you will find in run support between the hashes. Where Belfry has had issues this year is the big play.

 

Of the 150 points Belfry's has surrendered as a team this year... I am being hard pressed to find a single score that was not the result of a 30+ yard play that either resulted in the score or set up the score against the Belfry starting defense. Actually I just looked back and found I found one TD that was not the direct result of a big play in the Henry Clay game.

 

Harrison: No Scores on Varsity

Henry Clay: Only one TD of their 6 came via a sustained drive and that came on a short field after a fumble

Pburg: One TD vs. Varsity on a long pass

Pikeville: Shutout

Sheldon Clark: No Scores on Varsity

East Ridge: Shutout

Ashland: 5 TD's on Varsity, 2 via long pass, One via long run, one on a 17 yard drive following a muff, one via Defensive TD

Lawrence County: No scores on Varsity in either game

Pike Central; No scores on Varsity

Johnson Central: Long TD run on first snap, long TD run the last play of game when the winner was settled

Knott Central: No scores on Varsity

 

All in all Belfry's starters have had 93 points scored on them:

 

14 Total TD's (1 punt return TD, 1 defensive TD), 12 of which scored against the Defense

4 have been the result of a long run (2 vs. JC, 1 vs. HC, 1 vs. Ashland)

6 have been the result of a long pass (3 vs. HC, 1 vs. Pburg, 2 vs. Ashland)

1 was the result of a sustained drive of 40+ yards with no single play over 30 yards (vs. Henry Clay)

1 was the result of a drive of less than 20 yards following a turnover (vs. Ashland)

 

What this tells me is if Belfry takes away the deep ball, and the Pirate defense does not miss tackles on the edge when Breathitt is running the ball.... the Bobcats will be required to do something no other team has done against this Belfry D in order to win.

Breathitt Co. 35-28.

I'm more excited for this game than I have been for any game since last December.

 

It should be an intense atmosphere tonight, as it always is when the Pirates and Bobcats meet up.

 

There is no love lost between these two fan bases. Both coaches know each other very well. Both teams will be pumped up with everything on the line.

 

Can't wait.