Too many athletes and speed for Belfry to deal with..I'll take Central.

 

While I understand your point, that athleticism and speed didn't dominate Wayne County, Bell County or Monroe County. And while Central did win all three of those, one has to at least consider Belfry on par with those three teams, if not better.

One advantage Belfry this season has over Belfry last season is better quarterback play. Sani Warren is much more athletic than last year's QB and seems capable of throwing the ball, although I don't expect Heywood to open it up much. Belfry was very impressive on defense in containing the speed of Bourbon County, and while Central is faster than Bourbon, the tackling ability of Belfry makes me think they can contain (if maybe not shut down) the Central offense. I look for this to be a 1 touchdown ball game.

We'll see. I wouldn't be surprised to see this one get away from Belfry in a hurry.

 

Can you give us an assessment why or playing a hunch?

Belfry 21-19.

Hoping the "No Fear" schedule Central plays pays off for them. Central - 23 Belfry -9.

 

Can you give us an assessment why or playing a hunch?

 

My assessment would be, Central has played a tougher schedule in the regular season and the playoffs and have been in some close games and found a way to win. In their games against Wayne, Bell and Monroe they spent a lot of the game behind on the scoreboard, but when they had to make plays they did. I look for Central to put a complete game together not just a half or a quarter. In other words, I look for the champs to look like it for the entire game not just flashes... Belfry's closest game was a loss to Johnson Central all of Belfry's victories have been by 3tds or more, I don't know how Belfry will react if Central has early success and gets up on them, I don't think it would be good for Belfry to get down a score or two because Central can get stingy.

If Central weren't playing them, I'd be pulling hard for the Pirates. But, since Central is playing and I'm a fan of what's happening there, I'm pulling for the Yellowjackets!

My assessment would be, Central has played a tougher schedule in the regular season and the playoffs and have been in some close games and found a way to win. In their games against Wayne, Bell and Monroe they spent a lot of the game behind on the scoreboard, but when they had to make plays they did. I look for Central to put a complete game together not just a half or a quarter. In other words, I look for the champs to look like it for the entire game not just flashes... Belfry's closest game was a loss to Johnson Central all of Belfry's victories have been by 3tds or more, I don't know how Belfry will react if Central has early success and gets up on them, I don't think it would be good for Belfry to get down a score or two because Central can get stingy.

I've been kind of waiting on Central to come out and play full tilt for a whole game too. Like you, I don't think they played to their full potential against Wayne, Bell and Monroe, but they played just good enough to win.

 

I agree with you that Belfry needs to not have to play from behind, especially against a team like Central. For Belfry to win they need to move the ball consistently and finish drives with points on the board. I think the Pirates will be OK defensively where they return a lot of talent from last season. Belfry's D is pretty quick and they pursue well.

 

Belfry's game with Johnson Central was a win, for what its worth.

I've been kind of waiting on Central to come out and play full tilt for a whole game too. Like you, I don't think they played to their full potential against Wayne, Bell and Monroe, but they played just good enough to win.

 

I agree with you that Belfry needs to not have to play from behind, especially against a team like Central. For Belfry to win they need to move the ball consistently and finish drives with points on the board. I think the Pirates will be OK defensively where they return a lot of talent from last season. Belfry's D is pretty quick and they pursue well.

 

Belfry's game with Johnson Central was a win, for what its worth.

 

Yea, I misquoted that. What I should have said was that was Belfry's closest victory...

 

I think we will know very early what kind of game we will have, if Belfry is to win its critical to maximize their early success. If I were coaching the pirates I would be very aggressive in the play calling early and wouldn't be afraid to go for it on some fourth downs, especially if Central's defense is bending. I would force them to break... Monroe missed some opportunities in the first half and those opportunities were never to be seen again against a different Central team in the second half.

My assessment would be, Central has played a tougher schedule in the regular season and the playoffs and have been in some close games and found a way to win. In their games against Wayne, Bell and Monroe they spent a lot of the game behind on the scoreboard, but when they had to make plays they did. I look for Central to put a complete game together not just a half or a quarter. In other words, I look for the champs to look like it for the entire game not just flashes... Belfry's closest game was a loss to Johnson Central all of Belfry's victories have been by 3tds or more, I don't know how Belfry will react if Central has early success and gets up on them, I don't think it would be good for Belfry to get down a score or two because Central can get stingy.

 

I definitely agree with you that Belfry's best opportunity lies with them being either ahead or within striking distance. With that said, I feel you are being a bit deceived by the Henry Clay and Ashland games into thinking those were not close games. The Ashland game was a one point game with around 3:00 left (after Belfry missed an XP). Against Henry Clay the Pirates had 400 yards of offense and the only thing that stopped their offense were fumbles. That game was very much in doubt late until a pair of costly turnovers and subsequent big plays by Henry Clay sealed the fate. Belfry did blow out Bourbon and Breathitt the past two rounds, and it appears that the consensus is now "Bourbon and Breathitt were over rated". Maybe, just maybe, Belfry is legit?Bourbon County had no real quality wins, but lets not forget that for 13 weeks a veteran Breathitt County team was considered a toss-up as the 2nd best 3A team in KY and though their SOS on the whole left a lot to be desired, they did have a pair of road victories over State Semi-Finalist teams (a healthy Hazard and a healthy Somerset). No other 3A team had that distinction. I also ask of Wayne County, Bell County, Larue County, and Monroe County...name one team who has a win against a team as good as Johnson Central, or for that matter even Breathitt County?

 

There is absolutely no denying Central is the more battle tested team. Pound for pound it can be argued they have played the hardest schedule in the state for any school Class 1A-5A. It is a fair point to also say they have proven they can win close games. It is also fair to say that the Central team who narrowly lost to 6A Top 5 teams St. X and PRP has played down in the playoffs to teams who shouldn't be competitive in similar match-ups.

 

The fact remains in their last 5 games against 3A competition, 4 of those games came down to essentially the final possession for Central to prevail, and of those 4 teams there is not a single one that would be considered a decisive favorite (if even any would be considered a favorite at all) against a veteran Belfry team. That is a trend and can not be ignored, and not an anomaly

 

This is the 4th time these teams have met in the State Finals... only once has Central blown out Belfry. The 2010 Belfry team drastically over achieved to get to that game and was extremely young (in fact there are about 6 Pirates who started in that game as SOPH's). Even Belfry fans could see that one coming for their team that finished the regular season 6-4 and were blown out by Johnson Central. The other two games were potentially one play in the 4th Quarter away from a Belfry victory. In 2007 Belfry was driving for the go ahead TD inside the redzone when they fumbled. Last year Belfry had defensively shut down the Central offense until a perfectly thrown pass in the perfect location in the corner of the endzone gave Central the lead.

 

Could Central blow Belfry out and buck the the trend of close games? Yes..but it would take a Belfry collapse and unforeseen bounces to go Central's way. To state it as matter of fact, as if Belfry's run came against a bunch of 1A teams, is certainly unfounded though. Belfry has reached the Semi-Finals 9 of the last 10 years, with 4 of those seasons being in the old 4 Class System. They have reached the State Finals 6 times in the last 10 seasons. Only twice in that impressive run has Belfry been outclassed by their opponent: 2006 against Russell 19-0 in the Semi's, and 2010's over achieving squad who lost 46-7 to Central. Central might blow them out, but I can tell you this Pirate team is in a different class from those two teams.

We'll see. I wouldn't be surprised to see this one get away from Belfry in a hurry.

No way this game gets out of hand.....Belfry will ball control Central to death..

How many times have these two played for the title? It seems like they are both there every year. At least one of the two seem to make it each year. Good luck to both. Not sure how the game will go, but one thing is for sure...Central's band will be rockin!

Central 20

Belfry 14

No way this game gets out of hand.....Belfry will ball control Central to death..

 

They had better control it.

No way this game gets out of hand.....Belfry will ball control Central to death..

 

Central has the personnel to do damage to Belfry. When these two teams line up Central will have mismatches, they have struggled to exploit those mismatches for the most part. It's humorous that everyone assumes they'll continue to struggle in that department.