Hats off to JC. This is the best team Matney has ever had and this offense is darn impressive. Excellent line play put on a clinic vs. a Belfry team who started 3 Freshmen on the DL.

 

Pirates hurt JC offensively throughout the night and this is the only time I can recall Belfry gaining well over 300 rush yards and yet really be outclassed. The Pirate offense will be tough for any 3A team to hang with, but the difference tonight was JC's execution vs. Belfry's

 

Even if both teams played flawless JC still wins by 3-4 TD's... I am telling you.. beware the Eagles.

Hats off to JC. This is the best team Matney has ever had and this offense is darn impressive. Excellent line play put on a clinic vs. a Belfry team who started 3 Freshmen on the DL.

 

Pirates hurt JC offensively throughout the night and this is the only time I can recall Belfry gaining well over 300 rush yards and yet really be outclassed. The Pirate offense will be tough for any 3A team to hang with, but the difference tonight was JC's execution vs. Belfry's

 

Even if both teams played flawless JC still wins by 3-4 TD's... I am telling you.. beware the Eagles.

 

Excellent points!

 

Looks like JC/Birds may be for the title.

Where would that game be played?

Highlands

 

 

It would take a heroic effort by JC's defense to stop Highlands offense for less than 40 points IMHO... but if they do... the Eagles have the offense and size to make it interesting

Where would that game be played?

 

At Highlands

Just keep thinking HHS......:-)

Highlands offense will get there's without a doubt, but, if JCs offense is as good as advertised, not too sure they can stop the JC offense either.

Good luck to Johnson C. from your friends up north

Hats off to JC. This is the best team Matney has ever had and this offense is darn impressive. Excellent line play put on a clinic vs. a Belfry team who started 3 Freshmen on the DL.

 

Pirates hurt JC offensively throughout the night and this is the only time I can recall Belfry gaining well over 300 rush yards and yet really be outclassed. The Pirate offense will be tough for any 3A team to hang with, but the difference tonight was JC's execution vs. Belfry's

 

Even if both teams played flawless JC still wins by 3-4 TD's... I am telling you.. beware the Eagles.

 

Why do you Belfry guys lose with so much class?

 

It's preseason and you all won't talk about how good your team is.

 

You lose one and handle it with dignity. What gives?

I'm not sure this is Matney's best team. They are pretty good, but defensively, I think Highlands will kill them on the corners. The Eagles offense is ahead of the defense, however, Belfry's defensive weaknesses made them look pretty good tonight. Belfry has to hope they can just outscore people in the playoffs because they cannot rely on their defense to make stops when they need them. It should be a fun November.

Why do you Belfry guys lose with so much class?

 

It's preseason and you all won't talk about how good your team is.

 

You lose one and handle it with dignity. What gives?

30 years of great leadership rubs off on you a little.

I'm not sure this is Matney's best team. They are pretty good, but defensively, I think Highlands will kill them on the corners. The Eagles offense is ahead of the defense, however, Belfry's defensive weaknesses made them look pretty good tonight. Belfry has to hope they can just outscore people in the playoffs because they cannot rely on their defense to make stops when they need them. It should be a fun November.

After re-reading my post I wanted to add that I didn't mean to take anything away from Johnson Central. They are big and physical, and they are very well coached. I think they probably are one of the top teams in their class. I just don't think I'd put them ahead of their 2010 squad because I don't think their defense is as good as that team.

After re-reading my post I wanted to add that I didn't mean to take anything away from Johnson Central. They are big and physical, and they are very well coached. I think they probably are one of the top teams in their class. I just don't think I'd put them ahead of their 2010 squad because I don't think their defense is as good as that team.

 

The 2010 defense is much better than this team's... but that 2010 team has nothing on this offense IMHO. The JC lineplay is superb. Belfry is deficient on defense and starting 3 Freshman up front certainly helped matters, but the JC line is big, agile, and execute perfectly. Behind them is a stable of seasoned backs with a mixture of big play capability and the shear strength to grind yards out. Add on to that a 4 year starter at QB, a TE weapon they have needed, WR's who tonight made huge plays when needed, and a Kicker who gives you the ability to force you opponent to always have to go 80 yards and you get where I am coming from.

 

As I said, I don't think JC will be able to hold Highlands under 40 without some help via turnovers or penalties... but if they do... watch out.

 

As for our Pirates....

 

1) If they stay focused the first 3 rounds I feel confident they should win every game by 3-4 TD's. Belfry is to the teams in the Region as JC was to Belfry tonight. Just a different level of size and athletes.

 

2) Get healthy. As good as Belfry's offense was tonight, they are twice as dangerous when Hatfield is at FB. The backfield or Carr, Johnson, and Hatfield is a machine. I the 2nd Half JC committed to stopping the outside run and it slowed Belfry down (with the help of some Belfry wounds) just enough for them to pull away and put it out of reach. Having that 3 headed monster gives you the ability to burn your opponent when they make changes.

 

3) Remember that you have 4 weeks before you see a team who on paper should be able to go toe to toe with you for 4 Quarters. The defense is still bad... but they have improved. When you are talking about Freshman 4 weeks can seem like an eternity. I don't see a point that Belfry defensively will be to the level of 2011 or 2012... but if they can simply develop to where they can get off the field then the Pirates have the offensive weapons to win 3A. Tonight Belfry had three different posessions where they forced JC to a 4th Down outside of field goal range... all three times JC converted with the pass. All three of those were plays made by the JC TE/WR where the defensive position was actually good. All three of those continued drives that ended up as TD's. If you want to pinpoint the plays of the game those made all the difference.

Why do you Belfry guys lose with so much class?

 

It's preseason and you all won't talk about how good your team is.

 

You lose one and handle it with dignity. What gives?

 

Tusi and I have been around the block and know how "not" to act in defeat because we have seen some ugly responses from teams Belfry has defeated.

 

With that said, there will always be your fringe in a fanbase who want to make excuses.. but as Tusi said.. years of humble Haywood interviews and paying respect to opponents has wore off on the good part of the Belfry fanbase.

 

A prime example is how the game ended tonight. JC put the nail in the coffin with a 17 play drive that ate almost all of the 4th Quarter. They scored their final TD and Belfry had the ball with 2:20 left. The game was over. This is a scene Belfry has been on the other end of countless times.. icing the game away with a late drive. When Haywood sent Belfry out he sent out the entire 2nd String offense with the command to simply keep it simple.. keep the clock moving... end the game. JC subbed as well and the game ended swiftly with the Final Score exactly as it should be. Typically Belfry would have been the team ahead and had their second string defense in only to watch the opposing team do everything in their power to get a quick score to make it "look better", but that's not how Haywood rolls and frankly he doesn't care. He just wants to win and lose with class every game.

 

That's why it is so hard to fathom as a Belfry fan when certain powerhouse teams score 70+ points and are passing the ball or seeing their starters still take reps despite having a running clock in the 2nd Quarter.

Three frosh on the starting defensive line?

 

Is this due to injury or have these kids earned the spots? Seems odd, even at a small school, that a program with the tradition and the success which the Pirates have enjoyed would need to play frosh. How big are these kids? Most frosh that play varsity are athletes, not kids that have the strength and size to be a varsity lineman.