I didn't get to see these two at all this season but thought this one would be much closer, even with Lexcath winning....Belfry is one dominate team and will more than likely win the state title again next season.

How would this Belfry team have faired against the other state champs?

 

If this team is maybe their best ever, they win how many of those games if they played Pikeville, Mayfield, S. Warren, Bowling Green and Male?

How would this Belfry team have faired against the other state champs?

 

If this team is maybe their best ever, they win how many of those games if they played Pikeville, Mayfield, S. Warren, Bowling Green and Male?

 

There will be a thread up soon enough

 

Male is next level.

 

Belfry would compete well with everyone else.

 

Bowling Green I think is better...though Belfry would give them fits with their Defense.

 

South Warren and Belfry are very comparable teams...but if anyone could defend Belfry's run game it would be SW...very, very good run defense.

 

Belfry would be a matchup problem for Pulaski... I would like Belfry by 10-14 points.

 

Lafayette and Belfry would be a lot of fun and a pretty close game. I like Belfry but it would have no shortage of points.

 

I would take Belfry in lopsided fashion over the remainder of teams. Love Mayfield..but let's just be real here... if LexCath couldnt matchup with Belfry up front with fresh bodies both ways... well you know the rest.

 

We saw Belfry vs. Pikeville.. we saw Belfry vs. JC... and we saw Belfry vs. NewCath (Belfry was without Corbett and Willis as well). Beechwood would not match up well either seeing how Pikeville's power rolled them.

Back home. Was on sidelines. Not much left to be said.

 

Belfry could get 5 yards whenever they wanted to with the up the gut run game. And by throwing everyting at the point of attack the backfield was vulnerable as some longer runs and TDs showed.

 

The Knight offense had to get something going and nothing really sparked until the long KO return at the end of the 1st quarter. The TD scored on that was called back on.....well, they settled for an after the wistle unsportsmanlike call on a flag that was thrown during the run. Maybe it was a hold and they forgot what they threw the flag for. Maybe the down and 5 or so yards helps and the Knight get on the board and get some momentum. But the plays that followed were less than bold and the Knights turned over the ball on downs with their best threat in the game - set up by - who else - Andy Thompson. Without the offense generating something on O in the first half and 28 on the board you could see what the next score might bring before half and it did.

 

Belfry had more than size and power on the lines. The coverage on the Knight receivers was tight, tough man to man. It was clear the Pirates were told to not the long ball to Morris or Ogbugo be a factor and they executed that well.

 

The Pirate offense was a machine and the defense kept the Knights O on the launch pad all night except for the long KO return above.

 

The Knights had their best season in 8 years - since 2007. And did with challenges in injuries and playing on the road for the 2nd part of the playoffs and pulling off a couple of upsets at Boyle County and Central. They acheieved a lot for themselves and the program.

 

The Knight offense had to get something going and nothing really sparked until the long KO return at the end of the 1st quarter. The TD scored on that was called back on.....well, they settled for an after the wistle unsportsmanlike call on a flag that was thrown during the run. Maybe it was a hold and they forgot what they threw the flag for. Maybe the down and 5 or so yards helps and the Knight get on the board and get some momentum.

 

The Knights had their best season in 8 years - since 2007. And did with challenges in injuries and playing on the road for the 2nd part of the playoffs and pulling off a couple of upsets at Boyle County and Central. They acheieved a lot for themselves and the program.

 

Maybe I am mistaken but I dont recall LC ever crossing the goalline... the flag was thrown on a play that Belfry tackled LC inside the 5 and it would have been 4th and Goal there. I think it was the 2 or 3 yard line.

 

For the record I have no clue what that call was. The flag came out during the play from what I saw. Was very surprised they called it dead ball. Wasn't the only time an officiating crew today was confused unfortunately.

 

Just a point of clarification.

 

Excellent input! LC truly has a lot to be thankful for an excited moving forward.

Maybe I am mistaken but I dont recall LC ever crossing the goalline... the flag was thrown on a play that Belfry tackled LC inside the 5 and it would have been 4th and Goal there. I think it was the 2 or 3 yard line.

 

For the record I have no clue what that call was. The flag came out during the play from what I saw. Was very surprised they called it dead ball. Wasn't the only time an officiating crew today was confused unfortunately.

 

Just a point of clarification.

 

Excellent input! LC truly has a lot to be thankful for an excited moving forward.

 

It probably was not a TD. But you seem to see the flag the way it was relayed to me in terms of being during the live play.

 

It took them a few minutes to figure out what to do. When I saw unsportsman I assumed it might have been a chop-block, though had not see that call all year on the Knights. The dead-ball part was definitely wrong. I really think whoever threw it literally forgot what he was calling - I bet a hold.

 

But it would not have at all changed the outcome - maybe just kept the running clock in check.

 

Too much of this all night:

 

You're right. They didn't get within 3 yards of the goal line and that was the only time they even threatened to score.

Congrats Belfry on the win.

I have to admit, when Lexington Catholic and Boyle Co. dropped down from 4A, I assumed they would rule 3A with an iron fist. I thought one of two scenarios would play out. Either LexCath's playmakers, speed, and depth would win out or Boyle's toughness, coaching, and discipline would get the job done. But, in the end, Belfry would have none of it.

 

Class 3A is Belfry's back yard for the foreseeable future. Congratulations to Coach Haywood and the PCN.

 

At the risk of being a prisoner of the moment, I pose a question to @Watusi and @ATLCat(and any other Pirate fans on BGP)... Is this the best Belfry team ever?

In Belfry's last thee State Championships they have not allowed a single Offensive TD

 

If you look at the past 5 State Championships Belfry has allowed a grand total of 3 Offensive TD's in regulation and a whopping 20 Points of Offensive Scores. An average of 4 points per game in the last 5 State Finals.

 

Here is a mind numbing stat... Belfry has allowed a TOTAL of 116 rushing yards during this stretch of 3 State Titles. That is right around 39 rushing yards per game to LexCath, Central, and Wayne County

I have to admit, when Lexington Catholic and Boyle Co. dropped down from 4A, I assumed they would rule 3A with an iron fist. I thought one of two scenarios would play out. Either LexCath's playmakers, speed, and depth would win out or Boyle's toughness, coaching, and discipline would get the job done. But, in the end, Belfry would have none of it.

 

Class 3A is Belfry's back yard for the foreseeable future. Congratulations to Coach Haywood and the PCN.

 

At the risk of being a prisoner of the moment, I pose a question to @Watusi and @ATLCat(and any other Pirate fans on BGP)... Is this the best Belfry team ever?

 

In the pre-season I created a little controversy..enough that it spurred a spinoff thread... by stating this Belfry team had the potential to be the best ever.

 

Watusi may be a little more conservative, but I will say "YES" this is the best Belfry team to date.

 

What they did today was unbelievable... but also on my side are statistics.

 

- For starters, I honestly did not see less than three losses this year with Belfry's schedule. Belfry finished 14-1 and with the exception of a two week span where Belfry turned it over 12 times, no team played with 3 TD's of them.

 

- Belfry defeated the 1A State Champs, the TN 4A State Chaps (in impressive fashion I might add), the 2A Runner-Up, and the 4A Runner-Up...all by 3 TD's. Can anyone even name a Class 3A or smaller school to accomplish such a feat?

 

- Belfry capped it off by defeating an excellent LexCath team...who came out of a 3A West bracket considered one of the strongest the state has seen in quite some time..and put a running clock on them.

 

- When Calpreps updates Belfry will be one of the top 500 teams in the country (maybe higher) and will finish ranked as one of the Top 10 overall teams in KY (maybe higher).

 

- They did it with balance...well by Belfry standards. They legitimately had 5 top notch running threats. This Belfry Oline also may be one of the best, if not the best, units to ever wear the red and white.

 

- Their Defense is sensational. Maybe not the best Defense statistically, but against the level of competition they were superb.

 

- If I recall 6 of Belfry's 10 regular season opponents reached the Regional Finals. Lone exceptions being the two District teams that obviously could not make it, and Harlan County who still was a 2 Seed in 5A. Tates Creek fell but had a pretty strong season all things considered.

 

- Until the running clock in the 2nd Half Belfry did not punt the entirety of the Class 3A playoffs! The average score of Belfry's 5 playoff games: 48- 8

 

 

There is no David Jones or Doug Howard on this team...but for the overall balance and the sheer number of playmakers each way..as well as above average Special Teams play... give me this Pirate team as the top dogs all-time.

It's hard to debate best team ever. This run has been special and while not trying to steal Centrals accomplishments the last two times they beat Belfry (2011,2012) I believe that Blefry should be 5/6 in this run of six title appearances. The '11 and '12 games were won everywhere but on the scoreboard (and yes that is all that matters). What I am getting at though is that this Belfy run has produced teams that are increasingly better than the last. With each passing of the torch they improve.

 

As Pirate fans we will always hold the 03 and 04 teams in a special place. The 2013 team as the one that overcame the hump. This team (until next year possibly) is the best complete team to wear the red and white in my opinion. Everyone they put in the backfield is dangerous. The defense was astounding and the schedule they navigated may go down as legendary. Defeating the Ky 1A state champ, 2A and 4A runners up and a State Champ from Tennessee is an impressive slate and unrivaled by any schedule they have played in the past.

I'm sure the '04 team was a lot more than just Jones and Howard, but those two were so great that they're pretty much all I remember about that team. This team, however, is loaded with names that I'll remember for years to come. Horton, Bentley, Sanger, Fletcher, Wellman, Corbett, Dotson(2), Catron, Willis... the list goes on and on. The fact that this year's team accomplished what it did against an absolute bear of a schedule(at least by EKY 3A standards) puts them over the top for me. The playoff run was incredible.

I'm sure the '04 team was a lot more than just Jones and Howard, but those two were so great that they're pretty much all I remember about that team. This team, however, is loaded with names that I'll remember for years to come. Horton, Bentley, Sanger, Fletcher, Wellman, Corbett, Dotson(2), Catron, Willis... the list goes on and on. The fact that this year's team accomplished what it did against an absolute bear of a schedule(at least by EKY 3A standards) puts them over the top for me. The playoff run was incredible.

 

It's actually funny... I was discussing the game with someone this week after watching film and I specifically bookended my thoughts with "...keep in mind I thought Belfry should roll Owensboro Catholic by 5 TD's in 2004"

 

Offensively that team was just amazing because of that backfield. I have never seen a running team like that where you literally expected a TD every single carry or at least some highlight reel run.

 

With that said, that team lacked any other offensive threat besides those three. Corbett's threat as a QB both rushing and passing is night and day. With Corbett every pass has a 50/50 chance of being a TD or incompletion... then it was a 50/50 chance of a incompletion or Interception HAHA

 

That 2004 team also was not exactly a "great" Defensive team. Pass Defense was atrocious and though the line was effective and quick, it did not have nearly the dominating form of this team. Very Good LB play.

 

The 2004 team beats LexCath today and put up 400-500 yards rushing...but they also allow probably triple the yards. 49-28 type of game.

Up front, this years team is better than any other Pirate team I've seen, and I'm talking offensive and defensive fronts. But the defensive front is debatable in my opinion if we're taking front 7. Horton and Bentley I'd put up against any interior linemen we've had. If I'm being critical on those two, who I think very highly of, Horton of '14 was a better version than Horton '15. Bentley may have been more productive/dominant as a sophomore too.

 

Skill position, they are above average, but I've seen plenty of QBs/RBs wear the red and white who had a better skill set. Howard and Jones were mentioned earlier, but Austin Hatfield, Trey Willis, Matt Maynard, Dustin May, the Caudill boys, Mikey Scott, Russell Carter, Dale Oliver, Jimmy Bevins, etc. all played on teams with better backfields from top to bottom. I'm just talking about those I've witnessed too.

 

And to the Belfry poster who said the teams have gotten increasingly better...opinions vary. Teams have to beat those who line up across from them and a 6 class system is no where near as competitive as the older 4 class system in which the first two titles were won. Defensively, this team is really good, but I'd put '03 above them and '04 is pretty close.

 

Match ups play a big factor too. This years Bekfry team probably would've beat every team the other teams beat too, but E'Town in '03 and Wayne County in '13 would've given them all they wanted and then some.

 

In my humble opinion, E'Town and the '07 Central teams were the best opponents we've faced in the finals. LexCath was by far the weakest.

Edited December 7, 201510 yr by PirateFan101