I know one game I remember that LC lost and it was against what I consider one of the classiest programs in the state, I am talking about Raceland High School. The game they won in the early 90's was 3 -0 . One of the best games I had seen in all my years broadcasting. So when you all say LC- Raceland that rivalry brings back alot of memories on Friday nights. And IMO it was one of Best Rivalries in the state and hopefully one day they can play again, maybe next season when the 6 classes come in to play.

Thank you for your compliments on the Raceland program UKB. I would like to see the Raceland / Lawrence Co. game again as well. These are two class programs that have and always have had a mutual respect for one another. I remember that game in the early 90's that you are talkikng about, it was a classic football game - what h.s. football is all about.

Stick1 , if every hs football fan had the Pride and passion for the school as you do, Ky. football would be on top of the world. :thumb: Keep on doing what you are doing and it will become contagious. The community & the players of LC athletics should be proud. Great post!!!

 

Every year at the first home ballgame, I love it when the band is coming into the complex with their drums pounding, the smell of cut grass, the sounds of cleats on the "walk", and the sounds of AC/DC playing overhead. Well basically if you get gossebumpas and this brings a smile on your face, then you know that you are a DAWG fan. This community loves their Dawgs. You can see this when former players (all players) are standing on the fence and smiling ear to ear with the memory of what their expereince was like and the promise of what is to come. Remember football is not just a sport, it is so much more. Especially in a small community. Awesome post! :thumb:

TTT I think everyone on here should read this thread.

I am a Lawrence County man myself and there was nothing better growing up then going and watching the bulldogs play at Luke Varney field in front of the packed house.

Me and my friends would be there passing ball in front of the Dawg house and you would hear the band playing their awesome drums and all coming down Bulldog lane and gets louder and louder then you hear the players coming to the field from the locker room and their cleats crackling on the concrete.

Me as a young kid would always go up the sidewalk trying to step on all the dog pawls and anyone from Lawrence County knows what I'm talking about.

I was talking with guru and thought I would share what has gone on at Lawrence County since about 1989. While they haven't been where they were in the 90's I do think they are moving back in that direction. We just did a camp with old players coming back and had 70+ kids at the camp. In this decade there have been some big obstacles. Coaching changes, LACK OF SUPPORT FROM THE ADMINISTRATION especially in paying for coaches, unheard of rash of injuries and monster schedules that include the Ironton's of the world.

 

A little background on LC football and what it has become. Prior too 1990 I think LC had only put one or two teams ever into the playoffs. The old Louisa High School made a run to the final 4 back in the mid to late 70's but Lawrence Co had only been once or twice before 1990. In 1990 LC played out of District and went 11-0. They couldn't play in the playoffs because they weren't in a confrence. The next year we lost 21-18 in the final 4 to Mayfield. The following year was followed up by an undefeated District run and a loss to Pburg in the Regional Championship. LC would go on the next few years to produce some dominant teams. In 1997 I think it was they ended Breathitt's 42 game win streak (3rd longest in the state) and was upset again in the final 4 too Bourbon who went on to win. They went back again to the final 4 in 99 I think it was where they lost to Highlands led by Gududlli and crew. LC had another dominant team in there that was blanked by Lorenzen and Company.

 

The run in the 90's saw LC win around 111 games I think it was putting them around #7 in the state in the 90's. The Ashland Daily did a spill before the new generation that gave grades too all the teams in the area. The only 2 teams around that scored an A+ in the 90's was Ironton Ohio and Lawrence Co KY (that would be the Eastern KY area). The turn of the century saw one of the best 1+2 combos in Eastern KY history in Dontae Writght QB (now OLB at Miami of Ohio) and Mike West at that time one of the top 4 rushers in state history with 3..2,000+ yard seasons. There was a group coming in after that crew that just went through as many injuries as I have ever seen in High School. We then struggled with youth and lack of support. There is a nucleus in place at LC as far as coaches go that have battled the adversity and are getting things back on track. I played for Coach Goldsmith and I would strap up a helmet tonight if I could play one snap for him. I've been all over the state coaching and there is not a better motivator that I have been around when he's on! The only two guys that I have ever had that feeling around are Coach Smith and Coach Yeagle. I also have the pleasure of calling Coach Cecill and Coach Dixon my friends. They have both turned down opportunities to coach at other places but have stayed because their loyalty and love for the LC program. These guys work their tails off and it's not going to be long before the ship gets back on path!

 

Just to give outsiders a taste of what this program has offered to some guys I'm going to throw some names out and show you how it has effected these guys. The family there has touched MANY lives but these are football ties. You have to think that the population of Louisa is only 2,000 yet there are only a couple of programs in this state that could come close to bosting these individual accomplishments.

Since 1989ish the program has probably had somewhere in the neighborhood of 40+ All State players including the honorable mention list. Louisa is quite a ways from Louisville so that is a HUGE number! 27 guys over this span have gone on to play college football which is a really big number considering the publicity kids have gotten in that small town! Here are some names and what they have done:

 

*5 National Championships(playing) and 1 State Championship(coaching) over this span.

*Gerad Parker (UK) coached at UK and is at Raceland now. This guy is without question one of the best young coaches in this state! He is the kind of guy that will probably have college coaching opportunities in his future if he wants to go that route. He will be a head coach one day real soon in High School if he wants too and his wife (Kandi Brown Parker is a legend herself in Eastern KY).

*Jason Michael: (Western) Coaching the New York Jets (soon to be QB coach) was with the Raiders after a couple of years helping at UTenn. 27 years old right now. I honestly think he will end up being an NFL HEAD COACH one day! 4.0 student too! Jason was also the starting QB on the Hilltoppers National Championship team a few years back. He is almost as loved in Bowling Green as he is in Louisa!

*Phil Ratcliff He was a 2 time all american at Marshall. He won a National Championship coaching at James Madison and just got a job coaching at Marshall.

 

*Mike Copley: (Ohio Wesleyn) D-coordinator/conditioning coach at Pikeville.

*Dontae Wright (Miami of Ohio) QB at LC starting OLB this year at Miami of Ohio. Look for him to have a GREAT year this year!!

*Jerrad Hosstetter (UofTenn) Should battle for a staring spot on the DL. He played TE/LB at LC but is about 6'6 315ish now with speed. If he stays healthy then I will be shocked if he isn't drafted.

*Mike West (Marshall and now Campbellsville) He had gotten out of football but just got offered a full ride too C-ville where Brian Short is also playing from LC. Mike was one of the best backs in STATE history!

*Kyle Barnette: Football and baseball at Centre (should start as a slot back this year)

*James Storts: Georgetown RB in High School moved to MLB this year with a chance to start.

* Mike Roberts: walk on at Eastern

*Chris Hamilton: OL at Marshall a few years back

*James Moore: Center at Morehead a few years back

*Mike McCreary RB Georgetown: Natioanl Champ and an accountant in Lex now

*Alan Short: Qbed C-ville and is now offensive coordinator at Adair Co.

*Travis Phelps QB W.V. State Now a college professor and lead singer in a band out in Cali.

*Stuart Cook- Morehead State Anchor on their OL in the 90s!

*J.R. Cook- Morehead State OL had a nice run there too.

*Brent Cook- Morehead State OL keep it in the family right!

*Howard Adams- Georgetown University Is now a minister down in Ala.

*Keith Best- Thomas Moore One of the more underrated leaders in LC history.

*John Daniels-Georgetown U

*Hikeo Adams-Morehead State Now a doctor in Louisville or Shelbyville.

*John Caudill- Morehead State Now coaching at LC.

*Webb Roberts- Morehead State 1 of the most versitile backs in Eastern KY history.

*Tater McKenzie-Marshall University Broker in Jacksonville now and played WR with Randy Moss at Marshall.

*Will Hatten?

 

I could go on and on but I'm getting carpel tunnell!:irked: For a town with the population 2,000 it was like Friday Night Lights when things were on a roll. There are only a handfull of schools in the state with a resume like that over that span and I doubt any from a town that small. Unfortunatly our fans have gotten a little spoiled and we lost a great football guy out of the board office when Eddie Wayne Micheal left. I do think that LC is starting to turn the corner again with a group of kids that care about each other and a passionate staff.

 

I am very proud to be a BULLDOG! I love it when Louisa shuts down on Friday nights to support the team! The guys that have walked that sidewalk to get to the field will never forget that feeling of the cleats clicking on "the walk", the kids stopping their little game they are playing in awe of the Dogs coming toward the field and last but not least that roar of the crowd when they get their first glance of the team making their appearence! I wanted to share a little bit of info about arguably the best programs to never win it all and the success that I don't think many realize we have had over the past 15 or so years especially for a team that had only been to the playoffs once or twice in history. LC has fallen to some great programs like Mayfield, Highlands, Rockcastle, Bell etc. While the dogs do have some young guys this year, I do think that they are starting to play for each other and I can't wait for the day that the momentum starts rolling again. All it takes is one BIG win and the SNOWBALL EFFECT takes place in Louisa!:fight:

 

 

Geeze, you've got alot of time on your hands to write all this. I don't even have time to read all of it. Love your dedication of local sports.:thumb: