All those talking about Paintsville with Daniel have to consider Beechwood played without Stringer (and Soward). Even with those two out Beechwood was leading Pikeville 21 to 14 on the last play of the 3rd quarter.

 

For those who don't know, Stringer was the number one back in 1A in yardage over Pugh when he got injured and is a D1 scholarship athlete.

I guess my biggest question TIGER is which 3A team had a "let down" or "Breathed" after multiple top tier games that was better than LexCath?

 

We can eliminate these teams from your hypothesis:

Caldwell's loss came to the lone contender they faced

Tilghman's loss came to the lone contender they faced

Boyle's loss came to the lone contender they faced

LexCath you already voted was not the best team in the West so they are eliminated

 

 

This leaves two options that played more than one Title Contender:

 

1. Central had only played one Title Contender (Boyle) before losing to LexCath.... if you can't get up for two straight playoff games are you really the best? Especially when Central slept walked through Round 1 against Western Hills.

 

2. The only one that truly fits your criteria would be Etown. The Panthers blew out Tilghman then won a great game against Caldwell before getting beat easily by LexCath.

 

Which team deserved to be called better than LexCath that LexCath beat? Is it Central who took a breather after only playing one legitimate Title Threat... and in doing so let up playing at home?

 

Or is it Etown who LexCath beat by 3 TD's?

 

I can subscribe to the theory that Central probably should have beat LexCath and thus could have been the better team... but I would come to that conclusion solely from the fact Central left points off the board and LexCath needed a blocked FG to win. I can't buy that the reason they lost is because they chose not to bring their A Game because they had already played one great team the week before and couldn't get up for two straight weeks. Especially considering the fact this was essentially the same Central team who in 2014 "got up" for back to back weeks to upset Corbin and South Warren. That Corbin game was about as emotional as a game as you can find to rebound from to play the #1 SW team.

 

Lets see here. Bear with me ATLCat, E'town lost to LexCath after what may have been the best game of the year. So there is one team. Central lost to LexCath after getting by Boyle County. So that makes two. LexCath lost to Belfry after fighting through both Central and E'town. That is THREE. Belfry lost to Midland (where they played like crap) after taking on Knoxville, and then narrowly ESCAPED Lawrence County (another game they played like crap). So if you want to count Belfry twice that would be 5, if not at least 4.

Does a hail mary win at the end of the game really mean you are better than the team you beat? I do not think so. I am not saying Caldwell goes to BG if that doesn't happen, but who knows. Was Caldwell a better matchup for LexCath? I think so, but that means nothing.

 

WHAT YOU HAVE TO REALIZE IS THAT THESE BREATHERS, LET DOWNS, EGG LAYINGS, ETC HAPPEN TO EVERY TEAM ALL THE TIME. HECK BELFRY DID IT TWICE THIS SEASON IN BACK TO BACK GAMES.

 

We all agree that Belfry is/was the best 3A team out there in 2015.

Lets see here. Bear with me ATLCat, E'town lost to LexCath after what may have been the best game of the year. So there is one team. Central lost to LexCath after getting by Boyle County. So that makes two. LexCath lost to Belfry after fighting through both Central and E'town. That is THREE. Belfry lost to Midland (where they played like crap) after taking on Knoxville, and then narrowly ESCAPED Lawrence County (another game they played like crap). So if you want to count Belfry twice that would be 5, if not at least 4.

 

Or maybe just maybe all those teams lost because they got outplayed?

 

 

 

As such a big fan of seeded playoffs I am surprised you take this stance. Effectively you have discounted both of LexCath's wins as the product of beating teams that had setback games or "off nights". Isn't what LexCath did exactly what you envisioned as the ultimate outcome of a playoff? The best teams beat the best teams to decide who the #1 team is?

 

Great teams don't have an "off night" in November or an emotional letdown. Any Championship Coach prepares his team to be able to bring it for 3-4 weeks.

 

I am sorry but I just can't buy that teams were better but had emotional letdowns after playing one tight playoff game. In fact... I would almost go the complete opposite direction and site examples of teams who used the confidence and momentum from these close games to get hot and play their best ball in November.

 

Belfry in 2010 was a BAD team who beat two of the Top teams in the State and reached the Finals when they should have never been there.. Central in 2014.... one of the craziest endings to a HS game ever against Corbin spurred them to knock off undefeated South Warren. That Dudley Hilton Bourbon County team. Collins a couple years ago.

Does a hail mary win at the end of the game really mean you are better than the team you beat? I do not think so. I am not saying Caldwell goes to BG if that doesn't happen, but who knows. Was Caldwell a better matchup for LexCath? I think so, but that means nothing.

 

WHAT YOU HAVE TO REALIZE IS THAT THESE BREATHERS, LET DOWNS, EGG LAYINGS, ETC HAPPEN TO EVERY TEAM ALL THE TIME. HECK BELFRY DID IT TWICE THIS SEASON IN BACK TO BACK GAMES.

 

We all agree that Belfry is/was the best 3A team out there in 2015.

 

NOW...we are getting somewhere as to what you were really wanting to get at

Just trying to make a point. Yes, I had my hopes up, and everyone around me would tell you I was very skeptical even then. You brought up match-ups, not me. Didn't feel they could finish a run, but Caldwell did have the talent.

Everyone has off nights, even in November. Show me one team that didn't and played a quality team the week before. Some times it doesn't take an off game, maybe just a bad play, lazy throw, a little careless and boom too late.

All this stuff you keep laying out there has no sense to it. Belfry won. Came out of a soft bracket. Drummed a team in the finals. Which, by the way, was the best team they played in November by far.

Just trying to make a point. Yes, I had my hopes up, and everyone around me would tell you I was very skeptical even then. You brought up match-ups, not me. Didn't feel they could finish a run, but Caldwell did have the talent.

Everyone has off nights, even in November. Show me one team that didn't and played a quality team the week before. Some times it doesn't take an off game, maybe just a bad play, lazy throw, a little careless and boom too late.

All this stuff you keep laying out there has no sense to it. Belfry won. Came out of a soft bracket. Drummed a team in the finals. Which, by the way, was the best team they played in November by far.

 

Caldwell will be a factor next year for sure. Burns will be the Pre-Season #1 Offensive player in the class.

 

Every top team in the West should take a step back with the exception of Caldwell. LexCath, Central, and Boyle will all be strong but all suffer significant losses. Tilghman might be able to improve if they can field something remotely resembling a line.

 

Ironically... with Corbin and Belfry returning the farm and with Russell, Bell County, and Powell County all returning significant chunks it would appear the East will take a step forward collectively. Think you will see a lot more parody in the class in the Top 10.

Caldwell will be a factor next year for sure. Burns will be the Pre-Season #1 Offensive player in the class.

 

Every top team in the West should take a step back with the exception of Caldwell. LexCath, Central, and Boyle will all be strong but all suffer significant losses. Tilghman might be able to improve if they can field something remotely resembling a line.

 

Ironically... with Corbin and Belfry returning the farm and with Russell, Bell County, and Powell County all returning significant chunks it would appear the East will take a step forward collectively. Think you will see a lot more parody in the class in the Top 10.

 

Caldwell too will take a pretty good hit. Losses of Cain, Anderson, Young, Logsdon, Mitchell, and others. Will be hard to replace.