1. Beechwood- a lot of people under estimate the Tigers this year. They have some very strong returners who were big contributors to last years team. Yes they lost the house but if anyone has seen their upcoming junior and senior class play then you know they can be dangerous. The big debacle will be with the new qb Brayden Burch and the O-Line. Coach Burnett should have them in shape by the fall. They should have a ton of fire after the loss at state.

2. Russelville- return some very strong juniors but lost arguably one of the fastest players in the state. Should be a very solid team and will be looking for revenge and should be hungry after so many good teams fell to Beechwood and Mayfield over the years.

3. Pikeville- Lost a very strong senior class but return some very tough, strong, and fast juniors. Overall, they will have a solid team and are looking to make another run in the playoffs

4. Paintsville- with Kash gone, paintsville will have a huge hole to fill along with other spots. I got a glimpse of one of their qbs and he looks pretty decent. Paintsville should be fired up after the heartbreaking loss to Russelville

I am higher on Pikeville than I am Beechwood

 

Between Stringer, Slusher, and Fieger you basically remove all of the Tiger's Offensive Firepower.

 

Pikeville loses their horse..but they return their super cool QB Battaille who most likely will be the best QB in the class. They return Blake Charles who is an all-around stud, and also bring back some nice pieces.

 

 

Paintsville has the best player in 1A returning in Kent Phelps. Phelps alone makes them a Top 6 or 7 team IMHO. They should be very solid.

 

Raceland is the other team firmly in the mix for the Top 5

With all that Beechwood lost at the line of scrimmage plus losing Fieger, I don't see how they can be number one preseason. They will have a good group of skill players.

1 Pikeville

2 Russellville

3 Beechwood

4 Hazard

 

You could also have argument for either Paintsville or Raceland but I vote Hazard because of what all they return.

I think Raceland will be a lot better than they were last year

1.Russellville

2.Pikeville

3.Hazard

4.Raceland

5.Beechwood

6.Paintsville

1.Russellville

2.Pikeville

3.Hazard

4.Raceland

5.Beechwood

6.Paintsville

 

I like it but I don't see them

being low to start the preseason poll but its possible if they lose they could drop to the 5th spot.

I think Beechwood will always have a team strong enough to have a deep run in the playoffs, and the tough non district schedule they play helps. I don't think they are the best team in 1A, but by the end of the season, they'll be up there

Rumor mill is suggesting that Paintsville picked up a big time transfer from Johnson Central.

 

DE Tyrese Allen is 6'3 230 and will be hard to handle in 1A Competition.

Everyone said the same thing about Belcher and Hendrix in 2014. Against the better 1A teams, they were solid, but overall less than impressive, outside of Belcher's game against Pikeville when Paintsville had the insane turnaround from their previous match up that season. Its going to be an interesting year in 1A. Lots of teams with wholes to fill and what if's. I like Pikeville to win the east again though. Bataile is as poised and pure of a HS QB as I have seen in the last several years.

Everyone said the same thing about Belcher and Hendrix in 2014. Against the better 1A teams, they were solid, but overall less than impressive, outside of Belcher's game against Pikeville when Paintsville had the insane turnaround from their previous match up that season. Its going to be an interesting year in 1A. Lots of teams with wholes to fill and what if's. I like Pikeville to win the east again though. Bataile is as poised and pure of a HS QB as I have seen in the last several years.

 

Pikeville should be the favorite. There are several teams that could take it away. Hazard, Paintsville, Raceland and a very under rated Nicholas County team that be a surprise next year.

Rumor mill is suggesting that Paintsville picked up a big time transfer from Johnson Central.

 

DE Tyrese Allen is 6'3 230 and will be hard to handle in 1A Competition.

 

Outside of Belfry and LexCath, I'm not really sure there is all that much of a difference in their overall schedules.

1.Russellville

2.Pikeville

3.Hazard

4.Raceland

5.Beechwood

6.Paintsville

 

I like having a Top 6 discussion. Ten is too many for our classes, because almost half of them will be irrelevant when it comes to actual legit shots at the title or even getting there. Four I don't think is enough.

 

The only exception might be 4A in 2017-2018 after South Warren goes to 5A. It will be more wide open than any class we have had in a while I think.

 

The rest of these classes we could talk at Top 6 just to encompass all of the teams who really could get to the finals, maybe even narrow it down to a Top 4 at who actually have a shot to win it all.

I like having a Top 6 discussion. Ten is too many for our classes, because almost half of them will be irrelevant when it comes to actual legit shots at the title or even getting there. Four I don't think is enough.

 

The only exception might be 4A in 2017-2018 after South Warren goes to 5A. It will be more wide open than any class we have had in a while I think.

 

The rest of these classes we could talk at Top 6 just to encompass all of the teams who really could get to the finals, maybe even narrow it down to a Top 4 at who actually have a shot to win it all.

 

I like 6 in the discussion who could win the title. I'm going to throw Nicholas County in there as a 7th team.

Doing some more research and I think Beechwood will be pretty good defensively but having lots of kids go both ways but that usually isn't something that happens there but someone close can fill us in.

 

I also would like to know who is expected to be the starting running back next season?