1 Rock

2 SOUTHWESTERN

3.BELFRY

4.SOMERSET

5.BELL

6.PULASKI

7.SHELDON CLARK

8.JOHNSON CENTRAL

9.LYNN CAMP

10.WHITLEY

 

DON'T BE SO TOUCHY>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I was actually suprised to Sheldon Clark up so high.

Not taking anything away from my Cardinals, but I was taken aback to see them up in the top 10 this early.

 

Way to go Cards!!:ylsuper:

The top 4 look about right but, the bottom 6 are skewed. Neither Corbin, Middlesboro, South, nor Somerset is better than Whitley or Pulaski. I do not know anything about Sheldon Clark this season but, they are usually good. Whitley would beat Corbin, Middlesboro, Somerset and probably South. Lynn Camp would give either Middlesboro or Somerset all they want. I would also expect Pulaski County to beat either Middlesboro or Somerset and they would play well with either Corbin or South.. Knox Central is another team is good as anyone in the bottom five.

 

These ratings may be meant to reflect the teams that are most likely to be factors in the playoffs. If this is a reflection of playoff potential, I think it is accurate other than the inclusion of South and the exclusion of Lynn Camp. South will probably be no better than 3rd or 4th in their district. Lynn Camp will be competitive in their region.

 

Somerset, Middlesboro and Corbin should all be big dogs in their districts and compete for their regional championship. This does not mean that they would fare well against the larger 3A and 4A schools in the mountains. In my opinion, they would not. The larger schools typically have too much size and depth for the smaller schools. Granted,there always always season to season exceptions. Corbin for example will occationally field a team that can compete with anyone in the state other than Trinity, X, and Male.

 

Whitley should play Corbin every year for the County Championship. Man, that would be a fun ball game every season. Although Lynn Camp has some fine 1A teams, Whitley should replace them with Corbin as an annual smash mouth, back yard brawl. I would like to see a Lynn Camp/KnoxCentral, Whitley/Corbin "County Championship Bowl" every season. This bowl should be held at Cumberland College (a neutral site and a nice stadium). I think it would draw as many as 10,000 people. At $10 a head, each school would pocket $25,000, enough to cover close to half of each schools football budget. I would like to see the game preceded with a parade, a banquet for the players and boosters and maybe a pregame mixer for the boosters/fans. A good Nibroc type band (a rock or country legend like David Allen Coe or Molly Hatchett) after the games and maybe before the games would also be a hit with the kids.

 

This bowl would also be a great marketing tool for Cumberland College.

Could Corbin vs. Whitley be in the works if the rumors of Corbin and Bell not renewing hold true? Also with Middlesboro becoming a district game, Corbin should add Rockcastle every year. For the record, I think Corbin and Bell should keep on playing. They are the two biggest names in Eastern Kentucky and need to play.

I would also expect Pulaski County to beat Middlesboro and Somerset.

 

Somerset, Middlesboro and Corbin should all be big dogs in their districts and compete for their regional championship. This does not mean that they would fare well against the larger 3A and 4A schools in the mountains.

 

You didn't mean Southwestern instead of Pulaski did you? Pulaski is coming off of a 2-8 season in which they were drilled by Somerset and they were beaten soundly in a scrimmage with Lincoln Co last week. As far as Somerset, Middlesboro and Corbin not faring well against the larger 3A and 4A schools in the mountains you better think again. Those 3 schools more than hold their own with anyone in the mountains. In fact Somerset is 19-7 all time against both Pulaski and Southwestern.

1 Rock

2 SOUTHWESTERN

3.BELFRY

4.SOMERSET

5.BELL

6.PULASKI

7.SHELDON CLARK

8.JOHNSON CENTRAL

9.LYNN CAMP

10.WHITLEY

 

DON'T BE SO TOUCHY>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Somerset to high!

Pulaski to high!

Sheldon Clark to high!

As far as Somerset, Middlesboro and Corbin not faring well against the larger 3A and 4A schools in the mountains you better think again. Those 3 schools more than hold their own with anyone in the mountains. In fact Somerset is 19-7 all time against both Pulaski and Southwestern.

 

 

I can't speak for Somerset and Middlesboro because I am not familiar with their schedules but Corbin has more than held their own against the big boys. I am in full agreement with you AJG all can hold their own. I'm sure Somerset and Middlesboro can too. Laurel County has beaten Corbin 3 in a row but that should end this year and things should go back to Corbin having the upper hand on them. A couple years ago, Corbin beat Henry Clay and Bryan Station in consecutive years. The following year, they were a bad punt from beating Lexington Catholic. Year before last Corbin beat 3A rockcastle 42-22.

 

Corbin has gotten the overrated rep the past few years due to their district that they play in. It's not up to Corbin to play sometimes district games 2hours away and against teams who with all due respect just aren't on the same level. To my understanding Somerset, Middlesboro, and Leslie lose a lot after this year but Corbin will be in a much better district next season and the years beyond.

Somerset to high!

Pulaski to high!

Sheldon Clark to high!

 

 

I agree! :thumb:

I agree! :thumb:

 

I won't argue that JC's to low, because who really knows. I'm just happy that in three years time, we are now in the Top 10 preseason!

I can't speak for Somerset and Middlesboro because I am not familiar with their schedules but Corbin has more than held their own against the big boys. I am in full agreement with you AJG all can hold their own. I'm sure Somerset and Middlesboro can too. Laurel County has beaten Corbin 3 in a row but that should end this year and things should go back to Corbin having the upper hand on them. A couple years ago, Corbin beat Henry Clay and Bryan Station in consecutive years. The following year, they were a bad punt from beating Lexington Catholic. Year before last Corbin beat 3A rockcastle 42-22.

 

Corbin has gotten the overrated rep the past few years due to their district that they play in. It's not up to Corbin to play sometimes district games 2hours away and against teams who with all due respect just aren't on the same level. To my understanding Somerset, Middlesboro, and Leslie lose a lot after this year but Corbin will be in a much better district next season and the years beyond.

 

I'd really like to see the proposed district with Corbin, Middlesboro, Leslie Co., Knott Co. and Somerset but the word I'm getting is that Somerset will play up and play 3A. That was a fun district back in the 80's with Someret, Middlesboro, Corbin and Wayne Co. It would be even more fun now that more than one of the teams would make the playoffs, it was pretty rough some years when 3 of the 4 teams were rated in the top 10 and one loss could mean you didn't even make the playoffs.

Somerset too high!

Pulaski too high!

Sheldon Clark too high!

 

I'm a Somerset fan but I'll agree with you on them, they've got a good nucleus returning but I think they'll have to prove themselves before they should be ranked above Bell Co (among others). Pulaski Co. should be no where near the top 10 and I can't really say about Sheldon Clark as I really don't know much about them.

I did mean Southwestern Pulaski Joesgym, thank you for correcting me. Do not get "PEOD" I am not trying to run down any team. As I said, in any given season, Middlesboro, Corbin or Somerset may have a top 5 (all classes included) team. This is especially true for Corbin who has a tradition as fine anyone in the USA.

 

I do not believe that all time records hold much snuff these days. Until the 1990's most of the Big County Schools (Bell County included) had terrible football programs. Infact, at one time, good football players were expected to transfer from County elementaries to the city highschools, if they wanted to play football. Even in recent history, the best 9th grade player coming from the Whitley Feeder Program in 2000, 2001 and 2002 transfered to Corbin (Jarrod Lawson, Brad Lawson and Dustin Gray). Brad and Jarrod went on to become all state players at Corbin. These transfers, along with the Brock Brothers, transfer created a lot of friction between the school systems unlike in the past when such transfers were almost consisdered obligatory. I do not think you will see much of this activity in the future. At any rate, it is time to move on and forget the past.

 

For many years, the large rural county schools did not have the money, tradition or quite frankly the interest to field good football teams. Lets face it, most kids are not going to walk 15 to 30 miles to get home from practice or games (School Buses now provide transportation for all players to and from games and practice). Laurel County and Knox County did not even have a feeder program (none below middle school) until the past 5 or 6 years. Whitley County diid not start 3rd and 4th grade football until 1996 and their 5th and 6th grade programs were really non-existant until 1992. Mike Campbell did a great job establishing the Whitley feeder program and it continues to improve every year. I do not believe any of these county programs have grasshopper football as we speak. I expect this to happen soon in Whitley County.

 

The larger school systems are now developing the financial support and interest needed to produce good football programs. The results are going to be evident on the field. Whitleys program has almost linearly improved with the improvement of their feeder program. (Whitley has not had great records as a 4A school but, their teams have consistently been competitive in 4A and on par with Bell, Rock, and Southwestern talent wise.) As I stated above, I believe that Whitley and South Laurel have now developed their programs, to the extent, that in most seasons, they would beat Corbin, Middlesboro, and Somerset. Knox County is also improving rapidly. As examples, I think South has beaten Corbin two years in a row and Whitley has beaten Middlesboro the last three times thay have played including one complete blowout.

 

Times, they are a changing.

 

For the record concerning historical matchup results, Whitley has never beaten Corbin in a football game nor have they ever beaten Williamsburg in a football game. However, they have not played Corbin since 1980 and they have not played Williamsburg since 1978. The games were stopped (supposedly) due to fighting between the players off the field. These days it seems the players get along very well off the field. I know that my son (a Whitley Player) socializes on a regular basis with several Williamsburg and Corbin players.

 

It is time that Corbin and Whitley play football against each other. It would very good for both schools and the community. It would also be all right with me if Whitley and Williamsburg played each other occasionally although, to be honest, Williamsburg is such a small school, that most seasons, they would be competitive against Whitley.

 

:thumb:

Lynn Camp would give Middlesboro all they want

We will find out in a couple of weeks.

 

I do not believe that all time records hold much snuff these days. Until the 1990's most of the Big County Schools (Bell County included) had terrible football programs.

 

Only 2 of those 26 games were played before 1990. As far as feeder programs go Somerset's 7th grade team last year defeated Corbin (twice), Rockcastle, North Laurel, South Laurel, Pulaski, and Clay Co. while starting 5 6th graders. Both their 7th and 8th grade teams should be very good this year too. Say what you want and it may be true that several of the smaller mountain schools would have a hard time competing annually with the larger mountain schools but programs such as Corbin, Middlesboro, Somerset, Hazard and Pikeville give the larger mountain schools all they want year in and year out--and I don't see that changing.

Joesgym, difference of opinion is why they Tee it up and also why grown men like us love the game so much. I hope the Jumpers have a great season. I think the Jumpers have a good shot at a regional championship.

 

Good Luck Jumpers